75

The perfect product to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Lorenz

Seventy-five is a watch which blends great strength and a sign-logical reason for being, the result of careful research about values and evocative elements that characterized the era of the founding of Lorenz in the 30's.

“The form is in its history”
Silvia Baruffaldi, Auto&Design

Seventy-five is not a clock or retro style piece, but a balanced synthesis of time and heritage. The language of the product takes into account the contemporary taste through formal analogies with the objects most successful industrial production in recent years.

The main body is the absolute protagonist of this product. As the front of a car, embodies all the values, history and identity of the brand. The sweetness of the design and development are inspired by elements and products that help define the perception of an era.

The softness of the form found in products of the era in which Lorenz was born is the key design driver for 75. Mimicking the shape of ancient radios, the bakelite telephone and clock design of similar years. The vertical orientation was a feature found in many products of the 1930's, for example the radiator grilles of cars or trains, as can be clearly observable in the famous Littorina Aln.56 produced by Fiat or Fiat station Ardita designed by Nuccio Bertone.

Verticality has also enabled the form of the main body to take on greater importance than traditional watches where the shape is mainly defined by the round face or dial. A front mounted control dial provides a unique interface which emphasizes the functionality of products of the past. The result is a highly memorable and easily recognizable front.

The dial and hands have been designed so as not to impose on the shape of main body, but to highlight it's design. The 'silence' of these features provides a solution that emphasizes the shape of the body as a whole without segmenting individual features, conveying historical references while maintaining the essence of the design. The graphic has been lightened by reducing the chromatic contrast between the hands and the face.

The color choices are derived from a careful analysis of the "mood" of the 1930's, keeping in mind the current perception of time. Few people are fortunate enough to remember those years, while many know this time through photographs and literature, or personal affects handed down to them by friends or relatives. Sepia photographs damaged by time, microphones, vehicles and many other associations induced by color, tactility and in the collective perception that one has of the past. From this base several different versions of the watch have been crafted.

Last but not least was the choice to use the old company logo on the dial. The font used by Tullio, founder of Lorenz, for the logo and insignia of his shop is perfectly in keeping with the identity of the product. This choice gives the product a strong reference to the long life of the company and aligns with the recent tendency to update the historical values of 'Made in Italy' followed by many brands in different market sectors.

Seventy-five is a journey through the history of Lorenz through sensitivity to the current brand of contemporary design.