The Modular Watch: A Dream Deferred but Occasionally Delivered

Contributor - Pravash
October 6, 2024
4 min read

The allure of the modular watch – a timepiece that sheds its skin to suit your fancy – has captured the imagination of both tech enthusiasts and haute horology aficionados. One such company, BLOCKS, promised a revolutionary smartwatch built from a central core and a plethora of stackable modules, allowing wearers to curate their perfect wrist companion. However, the dream turned sour in 2019 when the BLOCKS project abruptly shut down, leaving a trail of disgruntled Kickstarter backers and scathing headlines on platforms like Reddit’s R/”sh**tykickstarters.” Engadget even piled on, chronicling the project’s demise.

Yet, while BLOCKS may have been a cautionary tale, the modular watch concept hasn’t entirely fizzled. Hegid, a French brand offers a luxury take on modularity. Hegid’s system allows wearers to swap cases and straps with a central watch module, creating a more versatile (and undeniably expensive) timekeeping experience. While BLOCKS may have been a flash in the pan, it seems the modular watch isn’t quite ready to be relegated to the dustbin of technological history.

The Modular Watch: Promises and Perils

The allure of the modular watch, a timepiece that morphs and metamorphoses to suit your every whim, has long captivated the imagination of both tech enthusiasts and horological aficionados. A concept that once seemed like the stuff of science fiction, the modular watch has, in recent years, become a tangible reality, promising to revolutionize the way we interact with our wrist-worn companions. Yet, as with any technological innovation, the journey from concept to consumer has been fraught with both triumphs and tribulations.

One of the most ambitious modular watch projects of recent memory was BLOCKS, a Kickstarter-funded endeavor that sought to redefine the smartwatch landscape. With its modular design, BLOCKS promised to offer a level of customization unparalleled in the industry. Users could stack various “hot-swappable” modules onto a central core, creating a watch that was as unique as their individual personalities. However, despite initial enthusiasm, by 2019, the project ultimately failed to deliver on its promises, leaving a trail of disappointed backers and a tarnished reputation.

The BLOCKS debacle serves as a stark reminder that even the most innovative ideas can falter when faced with the challenges of production, distribution, and consumer expectations. While the modular watch concept may have been sound, BLOCKS’ execution was flawed, leading to delays, cost overruns, and a loss of faith among its supporters. The project’s demise was a bitter pill to swallow for those who had invested their time and money in the dream of a truly customizable smartwatch.

However, the failure of BLOCKS does not mean that the modular watch concept is doomed to failure. In fact, Several other companies have since successfully brought modular watches to market, demonstrating that the concept is viable and that there is a demand for such products.

One such effort is Liberum. Made to be assembled according to your mood. Liberum allows you to choose the color of the dial, case and straps. You can create different configurations by choosing from several different options.

Liberum DMD 001 comprises an Outer case made in Thermoplastic Elastomer (TPE), the inexpensive part, and an inner “case” made in 316 stainless steel, which confers increased resistance to corrosion overall. That said, the ‘space’ between the main body and the outer case is bound to accumulate dirt and grime.

Infantry Modular Watches balances modularity with a style inspired by aviation and military life. Founded by a Hong Kong-Canadian designer, Infantry watches are designed to be both stylish and functional, suitable for everyday wear and outdoor adventures. Infantry boasts that its complete “tool set” includes everything you’ll need to build your own watch.

Another such company is Hegid, a French luxury watchmaker that offers a range of modular watches designed to cater to the discerning tastes of its clientele. Hegid’s modular system allows users to swap out cases, straps, and even dials, creating a watch that is as versatile as it is elegant.

While Hegid’s modular watches are undoubtedly impressive, they also come with a hefty price tag (typ. $3500+). This raises the question of whether the modular luxury watch concept is truly accessible to the average consumer. For many people, the idea of investing in a watch that can be customized to suit different occasions is simply too expensive. As a result, the modular luxury watch market may remain a niche one for the foreseeable future.

The Smartphone Experience with Modularity

Google’s project Ara modular smartphone was shelved in 2016, in favour of their other more promising hardware efforts (In hindsight: Great Move. Chromebooks, Nexus and later, Pixel phones were a great hit).. In our experience, the Ara modular smartphone project, while technically impressive, was likely doomed to fail from the start due to a fundamental misalignment between its engineering-centric approach and the realities of the consumer market. Despite its attractive modular design, the project’s high costs, bulkiness, and limited benefits for consumers ultimately outweighed its potential advantages. On a more mundane note, the device was unlikely to pass industry standard drop, and ingress protection tests. The debacle highlights the importance of a market-driven approach in product development, emphasizing the need to understand customer needs, competitive dynamics, and pricing strategies.

A year before Google pulled the plug on project Ara, the first publicly available “modular” phone, the ethically-produced Fairphone 2, was released in 2015 and has since continued on its mission to make upgrading and repairing smartphones easier. Fairphone uses recycled, fairtrade, and conflict-free materials in their products. While not truly modular, Fairphone smartphones have a modular approach to assembly – ironically not very different from smartphone builds of the 2000s – that allows users to disassemble the phone with a screwdriver, remove up to ten broken modules, and replace them with new ones, making DIY repairs super easy.

The Modular Mandate: An Edge in Enterprise Devices

While the modular smartphone concept may have faltered in the consumer market, it has found a niche in the enterprise world. Zebra Technologies (formerly Motorola, and before that Symbol), with its WS50 wearable computer, offers a prime example of how modularity can provide significant benefits for businesses.

Unlike consumers, who prioritize aesthetics and simplicity, enterprises value efficiency, durability, and total cost of ownership. The modular design of the WS50 addresses these needs by allowing businesses to customize the device to fit specific job roles and workflows. This flexibility confers not only higher economies of scale for the base (expensive) device, but also enables the development and production of focused accessories that could each not have been integrated together into a single device, or would have required too many expensive SKUs to be supported.

In addition, the modular approach enables businesses to extend the life of their devices by replacing individual components rather than purchasing entirely new units. This not only saves money but also reduces waste, reduces downtime but also improves overall productivity. The ability to quickly and easily repair or upgrade components also minimizes disruptions to operations, ensuring maximum uptime.

While the modular smartphone concept struggled to gain traction in the consumer market due to its higher initial cost, bulkier design, and limited need for frequent and specific upgrades, these become the exact reasons why the approach works in enterprise contexts.

Enterprise Grade Watches then?

So, modular watches, while a tantalizing concept, struggled to gain traction in the consumer market. But, following from the experiences in the enterprise world, modularity could be a game-changer, particularly for enterprise or military class wrist wearables.

Unlike consumers who prioritize aesthetics and simplicity, businesses demand efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Modular wrist wearables offer a solution by allowing companies to customize devices to meet specific needs, from field service to manufacturing. This flexibility not only improves productivity but also extends the life of devices by enabling easy component replacements.

Different departments or roles within an organization may have unique requirements. Modularity in assembly could allow for tailored configurations on the assembly line, ensuring devices meet specific needs. As devices inevitably fail in the most harsh conditions, or to keep pace with emerging technologies, businesses can access easier repairs and replacements of damaged components, or easily update their devices by swapping out outdated modules. Manufacturers can offer longer support periods to entice business users. The savings in downtime for one and serviceability for the other can lead to significant cost savings over time for both sides.

We expect wrist watches of the future to offer Add-ons like thermal imaging cameras, barcode scanners, GPS and UWB for long or short range real-time asset tracking, sensors for vital signs, patient identification, and modules for worker safety. In quick time, this approach could percolate to consumer smart watches, and then to luxury mechanical watches as well.

End Game

Notwithstanding the obvious challenges, the modular watch approach has the potential to disrupt the traditional watch industry. By offering users a level of customization that is simply not possible with traditional watches, modular watches could appeal to a wider range of customers. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see even more innovative modular watch designs emerging in the years to come.

In conclusion, modularity is an attribute that continues to fascinate developers wanting to revolutionize the way we interact with our products. In time-piece history, while the journey from concept to consumer has been fraught with challenges, there are clear signs that the modular watch is here to stay. Whether it will ever go mainstream remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that the feature has captured the imagination of many and has the potential to reshape the watch industry for years to come.

Services

Product Design

Product Engineering

Services & Digital Design

Advanced 3D Surfacing

Creative Visualization

2D Configurator

3D Configurator

Immersive CX

Product Documentation

Brand Assets

Intelligent Sales

Micro Offshore Design

Managed Production

Agency Partner

Programs

Partner

Corporate Innovation

Launchpad

Small Business

21 day marketing

Design Exchange

Industries

Automobile Vehicle and mobility

Aviation

Agriculture and Construction

Consumer

Food and Beverage

Health And Life Sciences

Industrial and Capital Goods

Manufacturing

Technology

Marine

Space Exploration

Telecommunication