Description
Tube Watch (left) S42 matt black stainless steel & (right) D42 matt black with black leather strap
The extruded ring used in the Tube Clock asked for a more prominent role and so the idea for a Tube Watch D42 arose. As opposed to the tube clock, where the aesthetics were a result of the concept, the tube watch used the extruded ring as a starting point for the design. The precisely cut ring and the high quality materials give this watch its refined, yet tough and industrial character.
LEFF Amsterdam was established as clock masters in 2011. The fact that the Dutch word lef is derived from the Hebrew word for heart and the studio is located in the heart of Amsterdam was not the only reason why brothers Arno and Dennis Ruijzenaars and designer Erwin Termaat named their brand LEFF Amsterdam. More important to them was that the Dutch meaning of this word stands for doing something that others have not dared to do: pushing boundaries and going against the grain. Because who in the world would start making clocks these days, while time is all around us?
LEFF Amsterdam founders believe that life’s too beautiful for dull design and boring basics. All LEFF Amsterdam products are designed by international designers, developed with personality and style and the utmost attention to durability and quality. LEFF Amsterdam designers are not artists, but spend their lives in the pursuit of functional beauty. Clocks are amazing products; they are technical instruments and can be art pieces at the same time. In the tradition of Dutch design, LEFF believes that concept is king. In everything they do, LEFF strives to meet the highest possible standards. If that means changing the way things are done, so be it. LEFF Amsterdam respects tradition but challenges convention.
Piet Hein Eek, one of the Netherlands’ leading designers, is usually noted alongside the scrap wood furniture that made him famous throughout the world, but the Dutch designer is much more all-rounded. Without being held back by rules or habits, he designs and manufactures furniture, lighting and accessories, but also complete interiors. Perhaps it is the ‘going against the grain’ mindset that Eek and LEFF amsterdam recognize in one another. Why start designing clocks these days, while time is all around us? It is because of the challenge of creating a beautiful timepiece, even though nobody really needs a clock. In collaboration with LEFF amsterdam, Piet Hein Eek created the Tube series, a timeless collection consisting of a clock, a speaker and a watch.
Piet Hein Eek: “The initial idea was to create a clock that you could build and modify yourself. This required a technical and logical design that would be easy to assemble. My starting point was a steel tube and an extruded ring that would function as the clock’s face. We found the first prototype to be so beautiful, that it was unnecessary to modify anything and we decided to let go of the DIY concept. The final design turned out to be so obvious that you would think it already exists, but it really doesn’t. For most designers, simplicity is not the go-to area when you want to make something exceptional.”
One thing led to another. The extruded ring used in the tube clock asked for a more prominent role and so the idea for a tube watch arose. As opposed to the tube clock, where the aesthetics were a result of the concept, the tube watch used the extruded ring as a starting point for the design. The precisely cut ring and the high quality materials give this watch its refined, yet tough and industrial character. Both watch models, one with a leather strap and one with a steel band, show a different interpretation of the iconic watch face.
