The AIS Collective x Maximilian Maertens ChronoSphere is a watch box that doubles as a piece of art
Jamie WeissIf you own a few watches, chances are you probably have a watch box or two – or even a dedicated watch safe. Storing and protecting your watches is crucial, but even the nicest watch safes aren’t usually something you’d want to display out in the open in your home, for both aesthetic and security reasons… So what about a watch box that keeps your watch hidden in plain sight while looking pretty at the same time? Swiss watch accessory brand AIS Collective (best known for its nifty watch cleaning pens) has teamed up with independent industrial designer Maximilian Maertens on a stylish watch box – or rather, watch sphere – that’s a genius piece of design. It’s called the ChronoSphere, and it’s the first watch case that doubles as a piece of tasteful home décor.
If you’re a fan of MB&F, you might be familiar with Maertens’ name as he has worked closely with Max Büsser on projects such as the T-Rex, TriPod, and Orb clocks MB&F co-created with L’Epée 1839; the MusicMachine1 Reloaded music box co-created with Reuge; as well as the fun MB&F Minimilians figurines. Maertens has a distinct style that blends organic and mechanical forms, which the ChronoSphere epitomises.
Featuring an outer casing crafted from #tide Ocean Material, a recycled plastic made from repurposed ocean PET, the ChronoSphere resembles some alien planet, or perhaps a shark egg case (fitting considering its oceanic origins). Twist the ChronoSphere, and the soft interior is revealed, lined with another eco-friendly material, Chamel: resembling suede or Alcantara that similarly contains 84% PET. A soft M-shaped cushion can be found within to mount one’s watch on, and the whole thing is secured with a robust aluminium interlocking mechanism.
Personally, I think the ChronoSphere is genius. If you didn’t know it was a watch box, you’d be fooled into thinking it was just a nice objet d’art – a testament to its considered design. I’m just imagining having friends over, everyone gathered around the coffee table, and revealing a watch hidden within! That’s one hell of a party trick.
The ChronoSphere comes in three different variants, which change up the colour of the lining material: a salmon-coloured launch edition limited to only 200 pieces, plus an obsidian black and a midnight blue. If you’re a fan of MB&F-style design, this is basically the most affordable entry point into a design-pushing world akin to it – and will make your place look classy as hell.
We will have limited stock of the AIS x Maximilian Maertens ChronoSphere in our London Discovery Studio, or you can purchase one online from AIS Collective. Price: US$265, A$401, £204