The Apple Watch isn’t even out yet, and already it’s picking up major design awards. The award in question here is the prestigious 2015 iF Design Gold Award, a prize sometimes referred to as a “Design Oscar.”
The awards were first introduced in 1954, and attract more than 2,000 product entries from 37 different nations — with expert judges ruling based on outstanding design quality.
Apple is no stranger to the competition — being one of the most successful iF award winners in history. Since 1985 it has racked up a massive 125 awards (including 44 gold awards) in the competition, with its first ever being for the Apple IIC.
Although you and I are going to have to wait a bit longer to get our hands and wrists on one of Apple’s gorgeous timepieces (or is that the wrong way around?), it’s no great surprise that the device would be in line for a design-oriented prize.
“For us, it is already an icon,” say the award’s judges.
When the recent Apple Watch-centric New Yorker article came out, I commented on how this device is set to be the most purely Jony Ive Apple product yet, and — no surprises here — designers love Jony Ive’s work; not just for the fact that it’s gorgeous, but that its centrality to Apple devices encapsulates the idea that design is how a product works, and not just a pretty outer-shell that gets slapped on after the fact.
“Apple Watch features revolutionary new technologies, a pioneering interface, and a design that honors the rich tradition of watchmaking. Apple Watch’s design and interface were created specifically for a smaller device,” the iF website reads. “The Digital Crown is an innovative way to navigate, the display features Force Touch, which senses the difference between a tap and a press, and the Taptic Engine enables a new vocabulary of notifications you can both hear and feel. The beautifully designed and durable Apple Watch enclosures are crafted from custom alloys of polished or space black stainless steel, space gray or silver anodized aluminum, and 18-karat gold.”
The jury, meanwhile, chipped in with the following analysis:
“The idea of combining classic materials such as leather and metal with state-of-the-art technology to create a very individual fashion accessory has resulted in a delightful product offering a holistic user experience. The Apple Watch scores highly for each design detail and is an altogether extraordinary piece of design. For us, it is already an icon.”
Couldn’t have happened to a nicer watch, to be honest. Congrats, Jony!
Source: iFdesign
Via: iClarified
