nazar Şigaher restructures traditional dial with fold watch

Fold Watch by Nazar Şigaher restructures analog timekeeping through the layering of its dial. In this watch design, the dial is read through indicators derived from the dial’s own layers rather than added hands. Each layer defines the boundary of the previous one and becomes a reading reference for the next. The indicator system is integrated into the dial’s geometric organization, translating a minimal circular language into a contemporary approach to time reading. Rather than applying indices and markers onto a flat surface, the design builds them into the dial’s layered architecture. In this way, the act of reading time emerges directly from the construction of the dial. The stepped levels create measurable depth, and their edges cast controlled shadows that function as precise visual guides. Instead of separating structure and indication, the design makes them one and the same.

all images courtesy of Nazar Şigaher

spacing between tiers decreases in order to tell time

As the layers taper toward the tip of the indicator, the designer makes the spacing between levels gradually decrease. This reduction softens the shadow lines and creates a smooth visual transition that improves legibility. The eye naturally follows the shifting boundaries inward and outward, reading time through changes in depth rather than applied graphics. Geometry operates as the indication method itself, not as surface styling. Concentric organization and calibrated level shifts guide the gaze from the center outward in a deliberate and intuitive sequence. By embedding the indicators within the dial’s construction, the design transforms the watch face from a decorative composition into a functional structural diagram. The dial and the reading system share a single geometric language, aligning form, hierarchy, and performance.

each concentric tier forms a physical boundary that defines the edge of the previous layer

brushed metal look updates contemporary fold watch

Material and surface treatments clarify this spatial logic. Subtle variations in height reveal themselves through reflection, light falloff, and shadow, while the directional brushed metal finish accentuates the separations between layers. The design preserves the essential typology of the analog watch, yet reinterprets the logic of hands and indices through layered boundaries and controlled depth, presenting a contemporary expression grounded in precision and clarity.

geometry operates as the indication method itself, not as surface styling

the design transforms the watch face from a decorative composition into a functional structural diagram

project info:

name: Fold Watch
designer: Nazar Şigaher

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: claire brodka | designboom

The post fold watch tells time only through shadow and layered architectural dials appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.