Most wristwatches still give you a pair of hands to follow. The lawa gradient watch from Copenhagen studio LAWA Design removes them. Two overlapping gradients show the time instead, and the dial changes shape as the day moves on.
The watch uses two semi-transparent discs. One marks the hours and the other marks the minutes. Where their tones combine, the dial turns darker, and paler areas remain elsewhere. The pattern is the timekeeping itself, not an animation placed over a clock.
If you like how light itself carries the design, this dial has a cousin in lighting. Maria Gil’s fan lamp, where craft meets light and heritage pairs a traditional form with a glowing, sculptural presence.
The campaign page says the smaller gradient shows the hours and the larger one shows the minutes. It also describes the watch as simple to read once you learn that rule. Most product details in this article come from LAWA’s own Kickstarter page, so its claims reflect the designer’s account.
Case, movement and strap
The case is 38 mm across and 8.2 mm thick, according to the campaign. The main product description lists a 1.5-inch case in 316L stainless steel, with slim lugs that connect to the strap and a small crown at the side. The black version of this watch has a matte finish.
Inside is a Japanese Miyota 2025 quartz movement. There are no menus, apps or notification settings. Gessato notes that the discs move in tiny steps, so the change looks almost continuous. An ordinary analog watch offers the same lack of screens, but this watch design puts far more of the dial to work.
Colors and straps
The campaign lists four case finishes: black, silver, gold and rose gold. The main article describes Navy Blue and Pine Green options as well. The two accounts do not match, so buyers should confirm the available finishes with LAWA before ordering.
The black case ships with a black leather strap. Black mesh is sold as an add-on, according to the campaign. Gessato says the straps use quick-release pins, so you can swap them without tools.
Weight depends on the strap. The main article gives 1.48 ounces for the leather configuration and 2.40 ounces for mesh. The crystal is sapphire-coated mineral glass rather than solid sapphire, and the watch is rated to 5 ATM of water resistance. Each case back carries a serial number.
The trade-off in reading
The dial has no numerals or minute markers. You read the position of shaded areas rather than lining up a pointer against a scale. That makes the face calmer, but it also removes reference points.
Shifting light and shade can make a familiar object feel strange, which is also the goal of this playful reading. Carsten Höller’s upside-down goggles that unsettle how we see show how altered perception changes everyday movement.
The gap matters most when you need a precise time, such as counting down to a train. A glance at a conventional dial gives you an exact answer. Here, you must interpret the overlap, which takes a moment longer.
Kickstarter launch of the lawa gradient watch
LAWA ran its first crowdfunding campaign from November 19, 2024, to January 18, 2025. The 60-day campaign drew 801 backers who pledged DKK 1,038,880. The goal was DKK 40,000, so the total exceeded it more than 25 times over.
Gessato says shipping is scheduled for April 2025. The flat-pack box, the company said, cuts shipping emissions and costs.
The lawa gradient watch makes a clear trade. You give up the exact read of a hand against a scale. In return, you get a dial that changes shape through the day and asks you to look a little longer.
Source: yankodesign.com
Frequently asked questions
How does the LAWA gradient watch show the time without hands?
The watch uses two overlapping semi-transparent discs, one marking the hours and the other the minutes. Where their tones combine, the dial turns darker, and the position of these shaded areas shows the time. According to the campaign page, the smaller gradient shows the hours and the larger one shows the minutes.
What size is the LAWA gradient watch case?
According to the campaign, the LAWA gradient watch case is 38 mm across and 8.2 mm thick. The main product description lists it as a 1.5-inch case in 316L stainless steel.
What movement powers the LAWA gradient watch?
The LAWA gradient watch uses a Japanese Miyota 2025 quartz movement. The watch has no menus, apps or notification settings.
How much money did LAWA’s Kickstarter campaign raise?
LAWA’s first crowdfunding campaign ran for 60 days, from November 19, 2024, to January 18, 2025. It drew 801 backers who pledged DKK 1,038,880, far above its goal of DKK 40,000.
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