[OmegaCosmicMan]

I really think that fellow member <m.and>'s pic deserves to be posted here also:

View attachment 679237

Agreed |>....(and no 'Circle-Y' either).

But notice how the date window at 3, 'takes away' from the original design elements - if it has to have a date, couldn't it be at 4:30, with a black date wheel? I know the date window wasn't designed this way when it originally appeared, but we can do it better (IMHO). So, you can have a date window, and preserve the classic elements of the 'Big Triangle, 3-6-9 dial' too!!! b-)

 

[Thieuster]

Good point about the window at 4:30. Most of the time I don't notice the date window (with black date wheel) on my Vantage. And what's more: Bill always told us that he was not planning a copy of the Seamaster! There has to be a difference between the original and Yao version: the date window a 4:30 could be it (possible in combination with the shorter hour markers?). It still has the look and feel, but it's different.

Menno

 

[ljb187]

Guys, I apologize in advance for this post as I'm not usually so blunt on WUS.


I hate to say it - especially since I'm not offering an alternative - but I think the fonts suggested in the last few days have a "greeting card" quality to them. They're sort of generically fancy without having much real character. I don't think such scripts suit the 300 which in my view has a crude but beautiful quality to its design.

 

[Thieuster]

Guys, I apologize in advance for this post as I'm not usually so blunt on WUS.

I hate to say it - especially since I'm not offering an alternative - but I think the fonts suggested in the last few days have a "greeting card" quality to them. They're sort of generically fancy without having much real character. I don't think such scripts suit the 300 which in my view has a crude but beautiful quality to its design.

Sometimes, I notice that my knowledge of the English language isn't enough to express my thoughts. Luckily, there's always an other Forumite to step in. ljb187's words are EXACTLY what I mean! Thank you sir!

Menno

 

[OmegaCosmicMan]

Originally posted by ljb187

I hate to say it - especially since I'm not offering an alternative - but I think the fonts suggested in the last few days have a "greeting card" quality to them. They're sort of generically fancy without having much real character. I don't think such scripts suit the 300 which in my view has a crude but beautiful quality to its design.

Sometimes, I notice that my knowledge of the English language isn't enough to express my thoughts. Luckily, there's always an other Forumite to step in. ljb187's words are EXACTLY what I mean! Thank you sir!

Menno

I'm with you guys on this one - the trouble is that our inspiration has a script 'Seamaster' - is there an alternative that is simpler without all the flowing greeting-card who-haw? I actually lean toward the 'Cometa' I guess, but the 'P' has such an over-sized flowing thing on it that does not belong, IMHO. 'Dyna' or 'Kinscope' are interesting except for the zeros, which are too complicated. Go for 'Cometa' but with the 'P' from one of the others? I dunno....ideas anyone?

 

[Neily_San]

I agree that the circle Y is a Yao trademark and belongs on the dial

Fair point. Whilst it would be my preference not to have the circled-Y ( and it would appear I am not alone ), I will be more than happy whatever decision Bill makes. I love the fact that Bill allows us to air our thoughts, opinions and preferences ... but at the end of the day I trust that Bill will be the final judge of what meets his supremely high design and build standards.

We all know he is going to deliver a first rate product.

:-D

Neily

 

[Yao]

Thanks for all the thoughtful and insightful comments, especially about the fonts. The last few comments about the font were negative (which is not to say that's bad in this case) but constructive. I sometimes customize a font to suit a project but this may be especially difficult given the script style font. Putting the depth rating in its place might better preserve the aesthetic of the watch. After all the names aren't the same either so I am just saying that we may be expecting the "project 300" name to fill shoes that are just too big.

The 4.30 date window we will just have to see how it looks in a mock-up. Most people that took the survey preferred the date window at 3. However I think this is a view that may change when they see it rather than trying to imagine it.

I think what you will find is that the proportions (hour markers vs script vs logo size) will make a big difference in how crowded or legible a dial feels. Ultimately the dial design will have to be tailored/adjusted to the final case design. It's useful now to decide what elements people want on the dial.

The circle-y is really up to you guys.

I will be back online Friday and will try to do the more mock-ups to add to the discussion. I will also try to take that lume shot I keep promising....sorry but we got a new camera a while ago and I have delegated all the photography since then so I have to find enough time to fumble around with it to figure out how to take a lume shot again.

 

[chris7013]

There is a preponderance of good ideas and a minimal amount of space and time in which to apply them. Lets keep our ideas and dreams on point and within reason. The only thing I can think of capable of adding a severe amount of class would be applied indices, and I realize this doesn't fall into the within reason problem. I am beside myself with the inability to clearly describe my desire for this to outshine the Kingston in every aspect. My fear is it will become an also ran and not get the attention it deserves as the second forum designed watch.

 

[Kent108]

If the date window were to be offered and set at the 4:30 position, I would request that the digit itself stand straight up (aligned with the 12-6 axis) rather than tilted (so that the top of the digit points toward the outside of the dial). I really hate the latter style ...

Thanks for all the thoughtful and insightful comments, especially about the fonts. The last few comments about the font were negative (which is not to say that's bad in this case) but constructive. I sometimes customize a font to suit a project but this may be especially difficult given the script style font. Putting the depth rating in its place might better preserve the aesthetic of the watch. After all the names aren't the same either so I am just saying that we may be expecting the "project 300" name to fill shoes that are just too big.

The 4.30 date window we will just have to see how it looks in a mock-up. Most people that took the survey preferred the date window at 3. However I think this is a view that may change when they see it rather than trying to imagine it.

I think what you will find is that the proportions (hour markers vs script vs logo size) will make a big difference in how crowded or legible a dial feels. Ultimately the dial design will have to be tailored/adjusted to the final case design. It's useful now to decide what elements people want on the dial.

The circle-y is really up to you guys.

I will be back online Friday and will try to do the more mock-ups to add to the discussion. I will also try to take that lume shot I keep promising....sorry but we got a new camera a while ago and I have delegated all the photography since then so I have to find enough time to fumble around with it to figure out how to take a lume shot again.

 

[OmegaCosmicMan]

Re: Project 300: Dial and case design >> Font Proposal

Guys, I apologize in advance for this post as I'm not usually so blunt on WUS.

I hate to say it - especially since I'm not offering an alternative - but I think the fonts suggested in the last few days have a "greeting card" quality to them. They're sort of generically fancy without having much real character. I don't think such scripts suit the 300 which in my view has a crude but beautiful quality to its design.

Hi All-

I took Bill's suggestion, and looked around on myfonts.com. Based on my own preferences and comments read here, what do you think about this? This font is simple, strong, clear and has a 1950's kind of vibe, I think. It is in a font named Lombriz:

 

[kywong]

Re: Project 300: Dial and case design >> Font Proposal

Here's a crazy idea, how about no "flowing" font? Obviously the Seamaster has a beautiful script font, but it has a... I don't know... mythical or romantic name? The master of the sea. Whereas Project 300 is a more functional name.

I had a stab at editing ASPSPR's excellent mockup, editing the hour markers, reducing the thickness of the bezel, and adding a boxy sort of font (Microgramma from MyFonts.com). As you can see the details that I changed are less refined (I was only trained to use Photoshop for photographic purpose!), but I hope it will help us visualise what the font may look like on the watch?

 

[ljb187]

Re: Project 300: Dial and case design >> Font Proposal

Rough proposal for dial layout and text (more content then style):

However, I kind of liked the general appearance of the stock MS Word Constantia font so even though I'm one of the few who's not a big fan of the chosen name (I thought it sounded unfinished), here's the same using winner. I added the bracketed "M" (meters) because it seems more technical...a little like varients of the Spitfire (Mk Vc, Mk XlVe...). This helped to mitigate my own personal concerns regarding the refinement of the name, plus I think/hope the text looks more interesting this way:

I'm OK losing the brackets as long as you guys will let me keep the M (for the same reasons as above):

 

[OmegaCosmicMan]

Re: Project 300: Dial and case design >> Font Proposal

Here is what I have developed using some ideas I had proposed and what I have heard from others. Font proposed "Lombriz" and stripped down nomenclature, no automatic, no Circle-Y etc. Just the Basics, MKII and Project 300. Hope the image scales correctly. If I can't get the date window in this configuration with a black date wheel-white font, no window outline and positioned at 4:30, I'll pick the no-date option, and I'm fine with that. Just proposed this because I thought it preserves the essential elements of this classic dial design and was the cleanest, most elegant way to display a date option.

I couldn't have done this without the work and ideas of others, so much of the credit is due elsewhere. Thanks Guys -

After looking at this for the thirteenth time or so, I don't have the date window positioned into the minute track enough-I think it would really fall further away from the center and around to halfway into the minute track, but this will give the general idea.

 

[Kent108]

Re: Project 300: Dial and case design >> Font Proposal

I like this version a lot. It strikes me as looking very purposeful (IMO a good thing), where the flowing fonts seem to be more about emphasizing the "retro" nature of this project.

Here's a crazy idea, how about no "flowing" font? Obviously the Seamaster has a beautiful script font, but it has a... I don't know... mythical or romantic name? The master of the sea. Whereas Project 300 is a more functional name.

I had a stab at editing ASPSPR's excellent mockup, editing the hour markers, reducing the thickness of the bezel, and adding a boxy sort of font (Microgramma from MyFonts.com). As you can see the details that I changed are less refined (I was only trained to use Photoshop for photographic purpose!), but I hope it will help us visualise what the font may look like on the watch?

View attachment 688640

 

[marchone]

Re: Project 300: Dial and case design >> Font Proposal

That is an excellent choice of sans serif font for the model name. The earlier script versions have a DIY feel about them.

I know from the published specs for Project 300 on the MKII website that it states an option open depending on case design is either 200m or 300m water resistance but it has to live up to its moniker.

I also vote for a 120 click sapphire inlay bezel if possible.

 

[enkidu]

I'm not a fan of any of the script fonts posted so far. Especially problematic are the fonts which have a varying stroke width. Because the size of the font is so small, varying the width of the stroke will make the text look uneven. If you look at the original, the script font has a very consistent stroke width.

I like the mockups with less text more. Kywong's microgamma idea is interesting, but the font is too modern for my taste; love the layout. ljb187's first text only example looks nice, except that the 'M' in 300M should not be capitalized; the metric unit is always lower case.

 

[Yao]

I have been struggling with the script font for the Project 300 and using the depth (e.g. 300 m ~ 1000 ft). The comment that the fonts that I had suggested were just too "greeting card" really hit the nail on the head in my opinion. The more I studied the font used on the original the more convinced I became that we aren't going to find a font that would lend the same flavor to the "Project 300" name. If the search results are correct I have probably looked at over 1,000 different fonts and all just seem like low-calorie alternative to the real thing. In other words nothing I was able to find evoked the same feeling.

I ran with the other idea I posted earlier which is to use the depth rating instead (I think it has possibilities whether the depth is 300 m or 200 m).

Let me know what you think. (The image might be too small so I will have to edit it after I see what it looks like posted).

I also liked kywong's idea but at the same time understand that many may feel the font is too modern. I think it works but probably isn't what a lot of people had in mind.

 

[Yao]

Okay the picture came out okay. So the differences are:

A & B: I just removed the Circle-Y
C & D: D has the Circle-Y removed. Both C & D are missing the word "Automatic" under the logo.

To be honest I am not a fan of the open 9s and 6s. I think its just too close to the original.

Basically I'd like to see where people come out on the layout and the text. Ultimately the 3, 6, 9 and the proportions may have to change based on the way the bezel looks and once the case design is done.

 

[es335]

Bill,

Looks like Watchco is unloading their SM300s. That means demand for your Project 300 should increase if the Watchco's are no longer available.

Here's my two cents:

1. Kill the Circle Y. No offense, but that's just cheesy. You already have MKII on the dial. Adding a "circle Y" for "Yao" is superfluous and irrelevant as an homage to the circle T tritium dials. It serves no purpose and just looks self aggrandizing. You are making an homage of 1960s design -- not a brand new from scratch creation.
2. Don't italicize the san serif text (i.e. 300 m) -- italics makes it look like a flash in the pan Tag Heuer font. If you're not going to use cursive as per the original SM300, then don't italicize, as italicization lacks seriousness and looks amateurish.
3. If you want to differentiate from the Watchco SM300 with modern day replacement dials, please make sure you CURVE the corners of the date window. For some reason, the curved corners of the date window on the original 1960s models look so much better than the squared versions on the modern day Watchcos.

 

[OmegaCosmicMan]

Okay the picture came out okay. So the differences are:

A & B: I just removed the Circle-Y
C & D: D has the Circle-Y removed. Both C & D are missing the word "Automatic" under the logo.

To be honest I am not a fan of the open 9s and 6s. I think its just too close to the original.

Basically I'd like to see where people come out on the layout and the text. Ultimately the 3, 6, 9 and the proportions may have to change based on the way the bezel looks and once the case design is done.

I vote for Bill's Dial "D"- Like the font, layout, 'depth rating' instead of name, everything. 'Simpler is better.' |>