jinkyo han’s blind watch for the visually impaired uses braille to indicate the hours

Concept pocket watch for the blind with braille as the hours

Jinkyo Han has conceptualized a pocket timepiece for the visually impaired named Blind Watch. Instead of numbers, he replaces the hours with braille so they can feel and know what time it is. The hands are thick and exposed, giving the users a tactile feel. The dial is shaped like a kitchen stove’s knob, and there are two overlapping ‘handles’: one for the hour, the other for the minutes. They sit on top of each other so they can rotate seamlessly. So far, the indicators of the hour and minutes are the same, but the product designer may look more into making the two distinctive.

all images courtesy of Jinkyo Han

Metal and acrylic for the frame and casing of the timepiece

Jinkyo Han uses metal and acrylic for the frame and casing of his Blind Watch with braille. For him, the timepiece’s design should still look sophisticated even with just two main components used. To achieve this, he focuses on details such as the knobs on the dial and the etched braille on the surface of the acrylic casing.

The product designer also adds two attached hooks on the top and bottom of the Blind Watch, so users can tie it with a thread and turn it into a necklace. The added hooks might also be useful for users who want to strap or customize their own bands, allowing them to lock the Blind Watch around their wrists.

Jinkyo Han replaces the hours of his Blind Watch with braille

Jinkyo han imagines a watch suitable for anyone

The product designer has yet to share how the timepiece is powered, but given its size, it may use button batteries. If not, it’s also possible that the Blind Watch with braille is rechargeable, given today’s technology. Jinkyo Han decided to design a concept watch for the visually impaired because he thinks there aren’t many available in today’s market. ‘So, I developed a new feature watch that everyone can use,’ he writes. As of publishing this story, his Blind Watch is still a concept, and there’s no news on whether the product designer is going to turn it into an actual product.

the watch hands are thick and exposed