They say time flies when you’re having fun, but with this watch, time floats instead! The latest creation from The Trio of Time and Hey Studio turns timekeeping into an ever-shifting spectacle, where bold numerals drift inside an oil-filled display like a snow globe or lava lamp for your wrist. The numbers—1, 7, 8, and 3—don’t sit in place like in a traditional watch. Instead, they float freely, nudged by movement, while the thick hour and minute hands point the way forward. It’s not just a watch—it’s a playful experiment in perception, a reminder that time doesn’t stop for anyone, and maybe, that it doesn’t have to be taken so seriously.
Images don’t do justice to the Time for Fun, which responds much better to videos and GIFs (like the one below). At first glance, Time for Fun looks deceptively simple. A black case frames a crisp white background, setting the stage for the fluid dance of numerals. The hour hand, cleverly designed to match the color of one of the floating numbers, adds a touch of intuitive readability. The whole piece is a study in contrast—precise engineering meets chaotic movement, function meets whimsy. And while there’s no second hand ticking away, the restless movement of the numbers gives a sense of time passing in its own unpredictable way.
Designers: and Hey Studio (Verònica Fuerte)
Anicorn’s Trio of Time project has always been about reinterpreting time through creative collaborations. Their past designs have leaned into unconventional displays and graphic-heavy aesthetics, and Time for Fun continues that tradition. Teaming up with Barcelona-based Hey Studio, known for its bold, colorful work, the result is a timepiece that feels both nostalgic and futuristic. The primary color palette—red, blue, and yellow—channels the energy of classic Bauhaus design, while the striped watch straps reinforce the theme of playful, kinetic motion. The entire package exudes the kind of joy found in childhood toys, where even the simplest objects could spark endless fascination.
The oil-filled display is the real star of the show, creating a mesmerizing visual effect where the numerals seem to hover weightlessly. This liquid-based design isn’t new to watchmaking—brands like Ressence have used oil to create near-frictionless dials—but Time for Fun takes a different approach. Instead of refining precision, it embraces randomness, making time feel more organic and fluid. It’s a stark contrast to the rigid timekeeping we’re used to, where every second is accounted for in mechanical precision. Here, time shifts and flows, asking wearers to engage with it in a more instinctive way.
This isn’t Anicorn’s first venture into unorthodox timepieces. Their and other designers have resulted in watches that challenge traditional formats, from mission-inspired chronometers to more minimalist, whimsical timepieces like the watch. With Time for Fun, they’ve taken a step into pure abstraction, stripping timekeeping down to its most essential elements and injecting a sense of movement that feels alive. It’s a departure from the structured elegance of their previous designs, but one that still carries the brand’s signature focus on graphic and conceptual storytelling.
With a release date set for March 4th, 2025, Time for Fun is poised to be a statement piece for those who see time as more than a rigid sequence of minutes and hours. Instead, it becomes something to be observed, enjoyed, and maybe even questioned—a swirling, floating reminder that time moves, but it doesn’t always have to be measured… and that staring at your watch can be an act of observing art, rather than just functionally reading time.
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