A tribute to an analog world in a digital time | To measure time & remind you about the real things
REAL TIME is a contemporary watch with a minimalistic design, based on a disc time system. Designed by Ukrainian-born Danish designer Aleksej Iskos it is about feeling the time, cherishing every moment, and making a wish on a shooting star.
REAL TIME is understated and subtle, but also poetic and expressive. Above all, it is completely itself. It is a reminder that the best things and the finest moments of your life cannot be streamed — they happen in real life, with real people, and in real time.
We see it as our tribute to an analog world in a digital time.
We, a Ukrainian team of designers and watchmakers, started this project about two years ago and planned to launch it in the early spring of 2022. But before the spring, the war started. Most of the team members have left their homes, sent wives and children to a safe place, some have joined the Ukrainian army. Several weeks into the war, we talked online and decided to carry on with the project. Because we refuse to stop doing the work that we love. Because we need money to rebuild our country. Because we believe in the future.
We also think that the message of this watch is more relevant than ever – remember to appreciate and cherish every minute of your life because you never know when your world can change completely. As it’s changing right now for many of us.
A watch is, first of all, an instrument for measuring time, and our inspiration stems from traditional instruments found in a scientist’s lab or a pilot’s cockpit. The crown has a milled pattern, like a machine tool, to ensure optimal friction. The strap is made of the finest leather, that sits softly against the wrist.
REAL TIME is about function and numbers, rather than frivolous style or decoration. There are no hour or minute hands on our watch. Instead, the two dials turn like planets around the sun. We think it gives a better feeling of the passage of time to see the minutes whirl and the hours slowly disappear from sight beneath the metal case.
On the back of our watches, you will find the names and coordinates of Dark Sky Reserves around the world, along with a star chart and the date and time of the annual meteor shower. For our six basic models, we have chosen six locations in different countries that are somehow important to members of our team. For example, Uzhok Pass is in the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine, our home country, while the Island of Møn is located in Denmark, where our designer lives.
You can find many other locations perfect for star gazing at www.darksky.org, and at meteor shower calendar you can see the dates and times of the best meteor showers in your area.
With any watch model, you’ll get the booklet with a star map of all six locations pointing you to the meteor showers.
We decided to make a special edition with the words WAR TIME on the back of the watch, because there is a war in our country. Uzhok Pass is a beautiful mountain pass in western Ukraine and the “WAR TIME” mark is only found on this watch model. The special edition comes with a military green fabric strap, but you can purchase an additional leather or mesh strap in black.
The money you pay extra for the special edition will go to civilians affected by the war in Ukraine – to the support programs that will be the most relevant at the time of the transfer. We will, of course, inform you about the choice of program (and send a report on the transfer).
We launched our campaign with the modest plan to make only 100 watches of the special WAR TIME edition. We are very grateful for the great interest from everyone who supported our project and chose this model in the first days of our campaign. We hear from many of you that you backed the WAR TIME edition not just for the great design, but just as much for the opportunity to show support for the Ukrainian people.
Because of the great demand and in order to get our project off to the best possible start, we have now decided to offer more than 100 WAR TIME watches.
This limited edition will still be released for our Kickstarter supporters only and will not be available for retail afterwards. We sincerely hope for your understanding and continued support for our project. Let’s all hope that our next limited edition can be a PEACE TIME.
All the watches in this batch will have standard serial numbers like for example SN 00002. The WAR TIME watches will have a special one like 008/NNN, NNN being the total number of WAR TIME edition watches and a Kickstarter inscription to confirm that the watch is not available for retail.
Please see the drawing below.
Prototype demonstration
REAL TIME provides a warranty for all our watches within 12 months.
How to select your preferred design? Choose your reward level during the Indiegogo campaign. Then you can review the design options and choose one in Pledge Manager after the campaign ends.
The REAL TIME watch is a collaboration between the industrial designer Aleksej Iskos and the Ukrainian watch company ZAVOD, cofounders of the RIDER1991 watch project.
Dmytro Klishchyk — REAL TIME project graphic designer. Brand Designer and founder of óssome brand consultancy (óssome website). Based in Kyiv, Ukraine. Works with clients from the USA, Germany, Denmark, Italy, and Switzerland.
Andrey Kravchuk — production and sales coordinator in the REAL TIME project,
co-founder of ZAVOD (https://zavodshop.com.ua/) watch company and the RIDER1991
(https://rider1991.com/) watch brand. Based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Olga Kuchmeeva — REAL TIME project and marketing coordinator, co-founder of ZAVOD watch company and RIDER1991 watch brand. Based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Also thanks to the supporting team from ZAVOD company: SMM-manager, sales managers, a digital marketing manager & targetologist, tech. site support, copywriter, translator, content manager.
We plan to develop our brand further and create updated models of the first collection along with the creation of new REAL TIME collections. After the launch of the first collection, we are going to develop women’s models with a smaller case and a model with an enlarged case for fans of large watches. We also want to add more straps in other colors and types to the brand’s range, such as textile NATO straps with prints in collaboration with various designers, illustrators, and artists.
In addition, we are exploring the possibility of introducing a watch customization service, where you can order your personalized starry sky on the back of the case. For example, a map of the starry sky on some date that is significant for you and the place where you would like to see it.
ZAVOD, the company behind the successful RIDER1991 watch, has more than 15 years of successful watchmaking experience with excellent production capabilities and highly qualified engineers and managers. We are very particular when choosing any partners or suppliers and can guarantee you high quality that will meet your expectations. The team is eager and ready to start the production of REAL TIME watches.
REAL TIME provides a 12 month warranty for all our watches. We will provide you with all necessary repairs or replacements for free in the case of warranty claims. In the non-warranty case, we will also provide you with all the necessary support to solve the problem at a fair price. You can find a detailed description of warranty cases and procedures on the REAL TIME page on the ZAVOD website. The REAL TIME team sincerely thanks everyone who supports our project.
To reduce all possible risks, we produced a number of prototypes prior to the Kickstarter campaign. During almost a year, we tested the watches, and we can guarantee the quality, compliance with the approved design and the reliability of the partners.
We are responsible and thorough when choosing our partners. For more than six years, we have been cooperating with a reliable and highly professional watch factory from Hong Kong. They made the REAL TIME prototypes and are ready to start the production.
The REAL TIME team is committed to doing everything in our power to deliver the watches in time at the best possible price. To improve logistics we cooperate with reliable logistics companies and we have our representative office in Italy.
Please, do not hesitate to contact us for any questions or requests — realtime@zavodshop.com.ua
