One day Tzuyu Huang, Andi Felsl and Julia Houwere in the middle of a typical lunchtime discussion. If like them, you’ve been intricately involved in the watch making industry for decades then the chances are that “shop-talk” was high on the agenda
Why they asked themselves, did they always apply their creative, business and technical expertise just to other brands. Why couldn’t they put some of that energy and passion into doing something completely new –starting their own watch brand. Let’s make the best watch possible!
Freedom to control the entire process from conception to manufacturing, as well as the desire to control their own destiny was what led them to this giant leap of faith.
The mission was clear –each of the three agreed that the design of their products should be clean, simple and classicand modern at the same time. From a functional viewpoint the trio were also determined to put their hard-earned knowledge and expertise, gained from 30 years of making products for others to the best possible use. Their watches should offer a new approach to building Swiss-made time pieces.
Making things complex and loud is easy....but to create something
new ,which is based on timeless aesthetics is a challenge that, with hindsight they definitely underestimated. A simple looking watch is just super hard to do!But after many years of designing, testing and going back to the drawing board in 2009 their labours were finally ready to bear.
【故事是這樣開始的】
某個一如往常的午餐時間，Tzuyu Huang、Andi Felsl與Julia Hou一如往常地閒聊。 你可以想像，多年從事製表業、投入諸多熱忱的他們，談論的話題當然免不了那些關于手錶的公事。
突然，一個話題凝結了餐桌上的氛圍。 「我們發揮的創意、展現的專業，向來都是為了其它品牌。 有沒有可能，哪天我們純粹為了自己，試一試呢?」
一方嶄新的視野頓時開拓于三人眼前: 一個自創的手錶品牌。 從概念設計到經營過程，皆自行掌控，自由發揮。
「我們有熱忱，有經驗，有能力，那放手試試吧!」 於是關鍵性的第一步自此邁出!
隨後，默契十足的三人，流暢地建構出這個自創品牌的意象: 外觀方面，乾淨、簡約、典雅、時尚，四者兼具。 構造方面，集結三人三十年來從事製表業的知識與專業，淋漓運用。 他們相信，這將在瑞士製表業界開啟一道有力的新生。
老實說，「開創」的難度，遠遠多過各種複雜繁瑣的「制程」。 那是項艱巨的挑戰，伴隨著一切未知性的襲卷，這從來都不是「做一支簡單的表」這樣簡單的概括。 儘管如此，多年來的經驗，設計上、製作上、經營上，他們需要具備的能力樣樣不缺。
於是他們自信地說: 一切都準備好了!
Our Logo -The story
The HORAGE logo found its inspiration in an unusual place....thirty metres underground in New York city! The network of train lines that was later to become the New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) actually started as three different train companies, eachwith their own signage. Much later the NYCTA adopted the Helvetica typeface, so sending it on a route to worldwide font fame! Even though we’re a Swiss company we think you can see enough Helvetica elsewhere.... We really liked the not quite perfect hand made signs we saw at the old subway stations in New York. The perfect geometry and Art deco aesthetic create a unique and timeless style. Simple, classic and clean. Something clicked that day and when it came to deciding on our new font we knew straight away that it should be based on those mosaic patterns.
logo背後的故事
談起HORAGE的LOGO，很有趣地，得從地下三十米的紐約、以及五十年前的瑞士出發......紐約的舊地鐵站採用馬賽克拼出標誌，極具藝術感的排列，乾淨的手工風格，俐落中散發經典，第一眼交會時，我們便覺得這是HORAGE該呈現的樣子。而字體方面採用Helvetica -這簡潔的字體廣為各大企業採用，但我們選擇它更有緣由。Helvetica即是拉丁文中「瑞士的」意思，由兩位瑞士設計師Max Miedinger和Eduard Hoffmann在1957年創造，當時，這字體背後象徵著隨二戰結束而興起的現代主義，設計師們期望透過之傳遞理性、簡單以及效率。
於是乎，我們想以這字體呈現HORAGE本質是再適合不過了!
Our Logo –the Watch, on the Rotor
Rotor to an automatic watch is like an engine part to a car. The hollow HORAGE logo renders a mosaic effect when seeing through the movement decoration underneath. The 18 karat gold rotor swivels smoothly with elegance while energizing the movement. You will find it hard to take your eyes off this gliding beauty!
自動盤–時間流轉，目光停駐
自動盤的存在，就如同車子的引擎一般；HORAGE的自動盤，除了扮演好關鍵性功能的角色，姿態也相當迷人!先是讓你的目光，停駐於鏤空的HORAGE字樣，那融合馬賽克藝術的典雅風格；接著穿越字母，底下機芯的運轉若隱若現，每一分轉動，都牽連著精細工藝的詮釋。時間就在自動盤上輕巧地旋繞，伴隨能量緩緩注流，一輪又一輪。
The Lugs –on Omni watches
Our lugs are a challenge for manufacturing, as simple as they look. They are a combination of straight lines and subtle curves, and must be distinctively angular without sharp edges. On top of that, all four have to be perfectly symmetrical. We give a lot of credit to the craftsmen who hand buffed and polished them!
Omnium錶耳-細節之中
每當我們愈是貫徹極簡，我們愈是將自己陷入挑戰，然而HORAGE也深信工匠的技巧，必然能夠淋漓發揮，讓精細的工藝完美呈現!於是，Omnium錶耳詮釋了極致的簡約之美。仔細端詳後，會發現每個邊角都是不帶尖銳的圓弧，且各個頂點甚至精準對稱-果然，魔鬼藏在細節裡!
