LS01 - The Railway Map
Featuring a distinctive regulator module powered by the reliable Miyota 9015 movement, this watch draws inspiration from Harry Beck's iconic 1933 railway map. The design combines clarity and structure, paying homage to Beck's groundbreaking approach to visual simplicity and functionality.
Design Concept: the Harry Beck Sensation
If you are a graphic designer then you’ve heard of Harry Beck. In 1933, he created the revolutionary 8-directional railway map of the transport lines in London. At a glance, it was no more than a simple 2D drawing made of straight lines, sharp angles, and tiny spheres. There were virtually no geographic elements. Most of the stations were spaced equally apart despite this being far from representative of the varying distances over London’s landscape. What it did display clearly though was each railway line and where they intersected, layering one upon the other in an easy to read manner.
Beck’s superiors were not impressed. This was not standard protocol for the engineering minds behind the original maps. His idea was too phenomenal. Beck persisted, however, and samples hit the streets. Its popularity grew exponentially and within the month, a large copy was requested and printed.
Check out more about Harry Beck and his concept.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Beck
Nowadays, this template is so widely recognized, distributed and reworked that it has become the norm. Close to every railway map of our modern world is produced in some variation of Beck’s original. He created a legend and we are experiencing the life-changing effects of his design here and now.
Inspired by Beck’s story, Chan decided to embark on a journey to create an equally radical masterpiece of his own. A mechanism that would change the very essence of telling time.
LS01
LS01 is the product of this journey. Deeply inspired by Beck’s legacy, Chan reinterpreted his map into the form of a tasteful timepiece. Eight directional lines and circles ripple out from the centre of the LS01. Weaving, layering, and intersecting in a topological fashion, they are the tracks on a railway map. These, in turn, span several vertical levels as the tunnels do underground. A ‘station’ in the form of two rotating discs sits on top. Chan finishes this rendition of mechanical beauty with the exposing of the inner gears.
Bespoke Regulator
This is a watch like no other. The design combines the 2D view of a map with the 3D elements of a cross-section. Paired with an entirely new time telling system, it has no parallel. The moment the watch is wound, this sensation is brought to life. The gears grind, discs turn, and the railway system operates full steam ahead. Close and intimate is the best way to admire the spectacle and wonder of this piece.
When Harry Beck created his map, he was working from an electrical schematic. With the smarts of an engineer and the creativity of a designing mind, the product was both aesthetically pleasing and useful. LORESUM’s first watch, the LS01 is based on the same concept. Combining the modern (3D) with the classic (2D) along with the artistry of a graphic designer, we developed the masterpiece Chan envisioned.
Unique: Made from Scratch
Unique and original. Those are the two qualities LORESUM wanted to achieve. Every part of Chan’s watches is made from scratch. They are custom made and specifically manufactured for his designs. There are no premade parts used at any point in the watchmaking process. For this reason, the development time takes more than 3 times that of a normal watch. The number of testing models, CNC testing parts as well as molding fees used are countless and costly. We left no room for compromise, spending days and nights on end to make this watch come true. Our only goal was to create something perfectly original.
Miyota 9015 Movement: Slim and Powerful
The heart of a watch lies in its movement. And, in turn, the quality of the heart dictates the same of the timepiece.
LORESUM wants to give only the best. We are backed by a factory with more than 10 years of experience in watchmaking. They’ve produced a variety of both Swiss and Japanese movements throughout their history. For the LS02, we chose to use the Miyota 9015.
This Japanese movement is slim but high performing. Despite it being only 3.9mm in thickness and 26mm in diameter, it contains 24 jewels and boasts a frequency of 4Hz (28, 800 A/h). It also has a 42 hour power reserve, automatic winding, and sweep second movement. Not to be deterred by its many functions, the Miyota 9015 is stable and reliable. It’s a first-rate movement limited to elite watches that LORESUM is willing to pay for.
A new time-telling experience
The exact minute and hour is indicated by a dotted marker on the perimeter of both discs. At night, the space beneath this area glows to illuminate the time. The nook is filled with Swiss Super-LumiNova BGW9 to ensure maximum visbility even in the dark.
