Industrial Design

ODM - Hacker Watch

The Hacker was our second collaboration with O.D.M., following the success of the PXR5, and it came from a very different place. Where the PXR5 was born from a desire to strip everything away, the Hacker was inspired by the beauty of old aircraft parts from the 1950s. Rather than be retrospective, we wanted to capture that era of engineering and bring it forward into something thoroughly contemporary. The defining feature is the watch face itself, which is constructed on two distinct levels: a deep concave dial carrying the hour markers and 60 minute indices, and a raised steel disc at the centre that holds the hands in place and simultaneously protects the glass from the knocks and scratches of daily life. That central disc was a direct response to our own frustration with watches that age badly. The dial curvature and case are near seamless, giving the piece an industrial precision that still manages to feel refined. The polyurethane strap was a deliberate choice too, particularly suited to the humidity of Asian cities where leather straps can be uncomfortable to wear. The Hacker was released in six colourways including black, blue, silver grey, purple, gold and black plated, and went on sale worldwide in late 2011.