Switzerland
What happens when an architect rethinks how a watch is put together?
For Norman Foster, the starting point was the relationship between every component: how the case meets the strap, how the dial communicates, how the mechanics become visible and how the whole object feels on the wrist.
The result is the LEBOND Norman Foster, his first watch, developed with Swiss brand LEBOND and the Norman Foster Foundation’s Innovation and Design Unit.
The defining gesture is the removal of conventional lugs. The strap becomes a direct continuation of the case, wrapping around it to create a continuous silhouette.
Case and strap are conceived together, with comfort integral to the design. The system also works as a kit of interchangeable parts, and further combinations of colour, material and finish are promised over time.
The Grade 5 titanium case measures 38.5 mm in diameter, widening to 40 mm where it meets the strap, and is 10 mm thick. A domed sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating protects the dial, and water resistance is rated to 50 metres.
Foster’s long-standing interest in aviation shapes the watch’s practical character: a bidirectional rotating 12-hour bezel lets the wearer read a second time zone using the main hour hand, while restrained typography, Super-LumiNova hands and a date window keep essential information at hand.
Two editions are available. The Natural Titanium Edition pairs a micro-sandblasted case with a sunray-brushed dial, polished hands and a light grey FKM rubber strap.
The Black Edition combines a matte black DLC-coated case with a matte black lacquered dial and hands, and a black strap. Both include a Grade 5 titanium deployant clasp.
Turn the watch over and its most vivid detail appears. Through the sapphire caseback, a customised perforated rotor, five precision-machined openings in blue or red depending on the edition, adds colour and geometry to the automatic movement.
Conceived as an architectural element in its own right, it makes the mechanism part of the watch’s visual identity.
Inside is the Swiss ETA 2892-A2, running at 28,800 vibrations per hour with 21 jewels and a power reserve of about 50 hours. Each watch is individually numbered.
Foster is one of the world’s best-known architects and urbanists. As founder and executive chairman of Foster + Partners, he has received the Pritzker Prize and the gold medals of the RIBA and the AIA, as well as Japan’s Praemium Imperiale.
His projects include the Reichstag in Berlin, the Great Court of the British Museum, the Hong Kong and Beijing airports and the Hearst Tower in New York.
He is also president of the Norman Foster Foundation and its Institute for Sustainable Cities, which supports the next generation of design professionals.
The watch also serves the Foundation’s educational mission.
All royalties received by the Foundation from sales will support the programmes of the Norman Foster Institute, helping to nurture architects, designers and urban leaders committed to more sustainable and resilient cities. “I hope it feels timeless rather than fashionable,” says Foster.
The LEBOND Norman Foster is priced at €3,500 per edition, excluding taxes, through the LEBOND Watches website, with worldwide shipping included.
Project: LEBOND Norman FosterDesigners: Norman Foster Foundation, Innovation and Design Unit
Lead Designer: Norman Foster
Manufacturer: LEBOND Watches
