A new(ish) and refreshing brand on the watch market is Eone. Pronounced “E” and then “one”, their watches speak a language all their own. Pronouncing a clear message of inclusivity for wristwatch enthusiasts of all walks—their tactile approach to time telling is refreshing and literally hands-on. Inspired by former Naval officer, forever Paralympic medalist, and activist for the blind Bradley Snyder, the Eone Bradley watch is designed to tell time without any visual or audible aid. It employs an open-dial design that is made to be read with a simple touch.
Bradley Snyder, having lost his eyesight defusing bombs in Afghanistan, has been an advocate for the blind community ever since his injury. He has also become Eone’s key ambassador. Historically, watches designed for people who are blind have been oriented around audible descriptions of time. Bradley—both the athlete and the watch from Eone—have come to represent an inspiring rebrand of how watches are crafted for anyone with a vision impairment. Being far from exclusive, Eone encourages anyone interested in unique timekeeping to interact with their innovative work.
Ease of Use
Any sighted person can still read the open-faced dial on the Bradley. It has a matte titanium look with raised tick marks indicating the time. Instead of hands, however, the Bradley incorporates two magnetized ball bearings for the hour and minute readouts. These bearings run along two separate tracks. One is recessed into the dial—for the minutes. The other runs along a space that would be between the bezel and the caseback on most watches—to indicate the hour. All one has to do is place their fingers on the bearings to indicate the time. Eone, by making these bearings magnetic, reinforces the Bradley’s readout by incorporating magnets into the movement. It’s a Swiss parts movement custom fitted with interior turning magnets which—even if the bearings go spinning freely—will easily re-attach the bearings to the proper time.
Thankfully a fair amount of force has to be applied to the bearings in order for them to knock loose. Demonstration videos online (including on Eone’s website) elaborate on the striking ease-of-use on this wristwatch. For those that are vision impaired or fully blind, this watch comes as a revolutionary tool for timekeeping. Beyond a user-friendly interface, their rugged but fairly slim titanium design makes each piece suitable for multiple occasions. To top that off, Eone only utilizes easily fitted straps—for comfortable wear. We’ve been fortunate enough here at TimesTicking to interact with a few of these watches since their launch in 2013. Living up to the Bradley Snyder name, they have the timeless integrity of an Olympian incorporated into their streamlined construction.
Hopefully More from Eone
Revolutionary in their vision, Eone is entering their 7th year—with production in full force. Their watches can be purchased from around $250-$350 online. It’s a bit of a spendier tag for some—hopefully as Eone grows they’ll have more variety in their price options. On another hopeful note, maybe they’ll find a way to cleverly incorporate an indication for seconds in the future (without compromising the interface). Either way—we’re glad that Eone’s 2013 Kickstarter went well beyond its goal and gave birth to this valuable, imaginative wristwatch. All things accounted for, it’s an admirable effort from Eone to reinvent the wheel. So, as time moves on, keep all available senses open for any upcoming moves from this inspired watchmaker.
Times Ticking has been in operation for more than 30 years, since 1982. We have performed watch repair for customers both locally and internationally. If it Ticks! We KNOW it! Our team of watch repair technicians have a combined experience in watchmaking of over 120 years.
