Top 5 specifications and constraints

My final project as discussed in previous posts will be a wristwatch with the goal of the aesthetic to match a Las Vegas Casino and directly inspired from a roulette wheel.  However, after extensive research and online shopping, this aesthetic combined with the already difficult task of creating a wristwatch might have been a little bit too much for me to tackle.  Thus, the side aesthetic should my roulette wheel-inspired watch fail will be that of a high-fashion sleek, and modern watch.  This will entail a clean silver-faced case with hands and numbers that express elegance and sophistication.  With my project idea and aesthetics in mind here are my specifications and constraints:

Specifications: 

1. It should be a wristwatch with three hands: hours, minutes, and seconds.
2. The final product should show elegance and sophistication with its aesthetic.
3. The watch should be a closed case non-skeleton-style wristwatch.
4. It should not show flaws, scuffs or scratches that show wear and tear.
5. The raw materials should be a metal case, a metal or leather band, and any other gems that add to the aesthetic.
6. It should not fall off my wrist and should be able to be worn and closed.

Constraints:

1. The project should look and feel pleasing and appealing.
2. The watch should contain sharp and precise lines and corners.
3. If the aesthetic is a roulette wheel the roulette wheel should be functional with a spinning ball.
4. If the aesthetic is high-end and luxurious the metallic feel and quality of the watch should be identifiable.
5. The materials of the watch should be as high-quality as possible given the budget.
6. The watch’s functional mechanisms should not be visible.

With the constraints and specifications identified above, there are a few from each category that I will focus on the most.  For the constraints section, I will be focusing most on the visual appeal of the watch and ensure that it is the most aesthetically pleasing possible given its requirements.  With this, the money constraint of keeping this project within the $200 budget goes hand in hand with the previous constraint as I can only put as much money into this watch as the project allows.  Other than the visual appeal of the watch the actual function and mechanics of the watch will definitely be my biggest challenge with this project.  Some remedies to this are to buy a watch-making kit online that provide most of the tools and materials necessary to build a watch.  Alternatively, I can buy used parts and “rebuild” a watch to my liking as well however through research I have found that most people find this method to be more difficult than the watch-making kits.

As of now, I have finished my educational period in the watch-making realm though I am very aware that there is much much more to learn.  I now am in the purchasing and online shopping phase where I will buy the necessary part, tools and materials for my project to begin the actual creation of my wristwatch!

Featured image: Image generated by OpenAI’s DALL·E, a text-to-image AI model, accessed April 3, 2024. Used with permission.