What do you do if you are bored with the same old way of showing time, with the hands spinning about, pointing out at numbers? You could go with a Tokyo Flash design, with their (usually) cryptic digital display. Or maybe a Mr. Jones, with a rotating skyline or the time showing up in a toothy smile on the dial? Or you could head over to Kickstarter and check out the Mykonos Design Visus, Where the lone red “hand” stays still and the numbers rotate around the dial.
The project has garnered a bit of confusion (looking at the comments), since the product already exists, and can be purchased from the Mykonos Design web store for €50. But the company is looking to sell more product, and basically is using Kickstarter for a marketing boost for a sale, offering it for €45 through the crowd funded site. The goal is to use the funds from the wider reach to expand their offerings and design some new products. It is not the traditional use of the site, but it seems like a decent way to go. Since this is an existing product, I would expect that the risks associated with funding the project are minimal, but still, crowdfunding is not without risk.
The watch itself has a Miyota quartz movement in a 40mm stainless case with a matching strap and mineral crystal. It is rated to just 1 ATM, so don’t do anything more that splash water on it. But that is not the point of an inexpensive fun watch. And with the Euro where it is, the US price is about $49, with free shipping. It is not listed on the product page, but if you check out the comments, you will see that they are throwing in a second “Moo” pocket watch for all backers, so your hipster friends will have a spare ‘stache at all times. mykonos-design.com
Watch Overview
- Brand & Model: Mykonos Design Visus
- Price: €45 (~$49 USD)
- Who we think it might be for: You want a fun spare, inexpensive watch (actually two fun, spare, inexpensive watches)
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: I actually do like the design, but I am part the age of fun, inexpensive, spare watches.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: A leather strap.
- What spoke to me the most about this watch: It is a different way to display the time.
Tech Specs from Mykonos Design
- Movement: Miyota quartz
- Functions: Three hander
- Case: Stanless
- Crystal: Mineral crystal
- Water resistance: 1 ATM
- Lug width: Not specified
- Straps: stainless steel.
- Diameter: 40 mm
- Case Height: Not specified
Just gonna leave this here… http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Unisex-New-Design-Steel-Analog-Quartz-Wrist-Fashion-Watch-Assorted-Colors-WU32006/914859891.html
Wow, now there’s a spitting image. The question is, is Mykonos reselling, or this a knockoff of their design?
I strongly suspect reselling based on their prices and – to be blunt – poor English. There’s also the question of: If I’m a Chinese factory looking to knock somebody off for a quick buck, would I gravitate toward a design from AP/Breguet/Rolex/etc. or some virtual unknown on Kickstarter? I would guess the former.
I reached out to the brand for comment. I doubt that the Chinese web site is ripping off Mykonos. A charitable possibility is that Mykonos is designing the watches in concert with a Chinese firm, and both are allowed to market and sell the product.
I will update this post with additional information if the brand responds to my email.
Good catch. It is not inconceivable that both products are coming off the same line without Mykonos being too underhanded, and Mykonos isn’t charging an arm and a leg.
However, if you look at the watch Mykonos is about to launch on Indiegogo, it looks exactly like this one, albeit with the Mykonos logo:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Men-Women-Creative-Cool-Waterproof-Cool-Minimalist-Unisex-Quartz-Rubber-Strap-Relogio-Wristwatches-Fashion-Casua/32364569983.html
And the bonus moo pocket fob looks like this one:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Avanti-mustache-fob-watch-Student-gift-candy-multicolor-long-money-list-pocket-watch/1521916895.html
I think given all this, I expect that these watches are the same ones as the ones Mykonos is peddling. It isn’t a huge rip off price wise, but I really don’t like it when a watch seller passes off an off the shelf design as something they created.
Nor do I. Personally, I think it undermines what I see as the purpose of Kickstarter: to help individuals realize their unique vision. This has already been realized and it certainly isn’t unique.
I wondered why Kickstarter gave this a green light in the first place, since it clearly is a sale price on an existing product (ignoring the Chinese site, Mykonos already sells it). They are using Kickstarter as a way to reach a larger audience without spending any advertising. Smart on their end, but not really what the site is all about.