Watchismo Times: robot

Showing posts with label robot. Show all posts

Friday, April 10, 2009

Jaquet Droz Automaton 'La Machine à Ecrire le Temps' (The Machine that Writes the Time)

Jaquet Droz 'La Machine à Ecrire le Temps' (The Machine that Writes the Time)

by Maximilian Büsser via MB&F's Parallel World

"Baselworld 2009 has just finished and, amongst the flurry of new horological creations, the timepiece that really impressed and amazed me wasn't a wristwatch at all, but an incredible horological machine in its own right.

Jaquet Droz's 'La Machine à Ecrire le Temps' - The Machine that Writes the Time.

Manuel Emch, president and head of artistic creation at Montres Jaquet Droz, has done a superb job in reinventing the brand over the last 8 years.

18th century automates from Jaquet Droz: the Draftsman, the Musician and the Writer

Jaquet Droz was one of the most celebrated creators of automatons in the past and in developing this modern time writing machine, they have created one of the most amazing "horological sculptures" to date, as well as added to the brand's rich heritage.

The project was the brainchild of Manuel Emch who had, amongst other objectives, the idea to create an automaton that relates to the 21st century. The result is as impressive as it is poetic. La Machine à Ecrire le Temps is an incredible blend of tradition, kinetic art, high-tech horology . . . and magic.

The development and construction of La Machine à Ecrire le Temps took the best part of a decade. It contains more than 1,200 components, including 84 ball bearings, 50 cams and 9 belts, and took thousands of hours to construct and regulate.

The masterpiece is housed in an unusual cage, whose aluminium frame is fitted with a liquid crystal glass, allowing the owner to mask or unveil the whole movement at will. A light touch activates the mechanism and a stylus writes the time in hours and minutes."

Some antique Jaquet Droz Automaton videos "The Writer" & "The Artist";

video link

Saturday, March 29, 2008

New Clock & Gauge Robots from Bennett Robot Works

A fantastic new collection of robot sculptures from Bennett Robot Works of Bridgehampton NY. Handbuilt by Gordon Bennett from a mixture of found objects both old and new. The parts are found in varous places including garbage dumps, basements, construction sites and garage sales.

They are inspired Norman Bel Geddes and Raymond Loewy whose visions of the "Modern Age" helped shape industrial design of the 40's and 50's. Each robot takes about a month to build, range in height from 14" to 36" (inches) and priced between $750 and $6000. Each is a unique one-of-a-kind sculpture and receives its own numbered metal tag.

Eolin

Lindstrom

Columbia 2

D.C.

Sangamo

Monarch

Telechron 2

Lambda

Breeze

Stanley

Bennett Robot Works Website-->Link

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Friday, March 28, 2008

Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto - The Vintage Tin Robot Inspired "Mr. Roboto" Prototype from Azimuth

I doubt Styx will be performing their nightmarishly bad 80s classic "Mr. Roboto" in Basel for the unveiling of the Azimuth's new timepiece but I'm sure they could use a gig...

Mr Roboto - Azimuth’s Hallmark Creation from the Mecha–1 BMF Collection

The Revival of the Tin Robot Generation

Fans of the vintage tin robot era can now embrace their fantasy of robotic warrior literally and get their first chance to see Azimuth’s Mr Roboto, prototype watch of the World’s First tin robot concept of the 1950s.

Vintage 50s Lantern Tin Robots

Decades after World War II saw a proliferation of battery-operated tin robots. Originated from Japan, these whimsical creations demonstrate notions of human behavior. Their flying sparks and mechanical gestures captured the imagination of not just children but adults around the globe. Almost half a century later, original and replica tin robot toys have become a collector’s item.

The design of Mr Roboto was inspired by the Lantern Robot of the 1950s. Azimuth’s designers show that a timepiece’s practical functionality does not have to take a back seat to aesthetic visual designs. Witness the perfect marriage of ingenious design and user-friendly functions, this good-looker is set to be a head-turner at this year’s Basel show. A unique timepiece that transcends time, Mr Roboto aims to revive the passion of the tin robot generation of enthusiasts and enduring science fiction lovers.

Mr Roboto’s visual appeal embodies the full-flavor revival of vintage tin robotic spaceman. The placements lend for easy reading and a radical tin robot visual appearance. The left ‘eye’ is the hour register, right ‘eye’ comes with GMT indication, the nose region joint with the mouth region are the seconds and retrograde minutes placements respectively. Mr Roboto is powered by a modified ETA 2836-2 movement. The robust case is forged out of hardy steel blocks with a warm touch of bevelled edges at the sides of the tonneau shaped timepiece.

True to the name Azimuth, which means route taken by a traveller, Mr Roboto adds to the Azimuth’s Mecha-1 BMF collection of watches which is a synergy of avant-garde design and industrial machismo.

Listed international retail price for the iconic Mr Roboto watch is approximately 4,800.00 Swiss Francs ($4,800). Mr Roboto is available from September 2008.

Specifications:
Movement: ETA 2836-2 Modified Automatic Winding; 25 Jewels
Functions: GMT function; Hours register, Retrograde Minutes, Seconds

Case: 316L stainless steel with Torx drive cheese head tamper resistant screws, Bevelled edges at the sides of the tonneau shaped watch. Magnified hours and GMT functions in the form of convex ‘eyes’,

Dimension 43mm x 50mm with 24mm lugs. Water resistant to 50 meters.

via Timezone