There aren’t that many watch brands that are as inclusive as the brand we’re featuring below. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Eone, a watchmaker that creates timepieces that can be used by the vision-impaired—a tactile watch with a revolutionary design.
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Eone Brand History
Eone’s mission is “to create fashionable products that are accessible for everyone.” Founder Hyungsoo Kim, a graduate student at MIT, aimed to create a watch that can be used by people with vision impairments. To produce these inclusive designs, he then worked with designers to create a watch for anyone—sighted or blind.
In order to tell the time, the wearer of the Bradley needs to touch the index markers. The minute ball is on the top of the watch, and the hour is indicated unto the groove of the case. This watch is not only marketed to the blind—it’s also promoted as a watch for those who want to read the time where one can’t usually use sight (like meetings and movie theaters).
Eone created watches that have a “universal design,” which can help people with diverse needs. One of their spokespersons is Bradley Snyder, a naval officer who became blind defusing bombs in Afghanistan. Snyder persevered despite the injury and competed in swimming in the Paralympic Games, where he won medals and broke world records.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at different styles and models of The Bradley timepiece, and talk about the brand’s reputation, as well as links on where you can buy them.
Eone Watch Collections
Unlike other watch brands, Eone has only one main watch design. This article will explore The Bradley timepiece, a unique concept that allows the wearer to feel the time by touch.
The watch, which has raised hour markers, allows the wearer to tell the time even if they cannot see. The index markers have two lengths: those on 3, 6, and 9 o’clock are longer than the rest. At the 12 o’clock position is a triangular marker.
The watch, which Gear Patrol called “discreet and intuitive,” also has two magnetized ball bearings that go around the watch face in recessed tracks, with one track around the center of the watch face surface (minute), and another around the outside edge of the face (hour).
The Bradley watches have the same case but have different styles. We’re going to talk about some of them in this section.
The Bradley Collection
First is Eone’s classic Bradley timepiece. Created with titanium (which means the watch is lightweight) these watches have grey or black dials.
The Bradley Classic watch comes in a variety of styles, both with stainless steel mesh straps. These watches are originally in 40mm sizes, but the brand has since created smaller models at 36mm.
The case and face are made of titanium, and the movement is a Ronda quartz with Swiss parts. These watches are also water and shock-resistant and can handle brief contact with water (rain, washing of hands).
This collection also has models with leather and canvas straps, all with silver cases.
Eone Compass Collection
The Eone Compass collection is composed of watches with ceramic, aluminum, and stainless steel models. The strap options are mesh and leather.
A sub-collection is the Bradley Edge, which is a collection of watches with a stainless steel case and ceramic face, with concentric circles from the center of the watch.
The blue model—the Bradley Edge Mesh—is a good option if you’re looking for something that can be worn to the office, and can still be worn in more casual settings. This is also available in silver and black models.
There’s also the Bradley Compass Graphite line, which has raised hour markers and a matte silver center. The markers come in a number of color options: silver, iris, gold, and rose gold.
The Bradley Element, which has angles that Eone describes as a watch that “plays on light, changing character, and look from day to night.”The watch has a faceted surface and has a dorm where the ceramic face is contoured in raised and lowered impressions. These have two options–the Element Black and Element White, with the former having a mesh strap and the latter with white Italian leather.
The last sub-collection is the Bradley Voyager Cobalt, which has silver mirrored markers with a matte silver center, available in cobalt and silver models. The strap is Italian leather with nylon stitching.
Apex Collection
There are two types of watches under this collection. First is the Bradley Apex, which is available in leather and nylon strap materials. The all-black 40mm model is inspired by the military styling of the NATO strap. What makes this model special is the strap can loop under the case, allowing the wearer to have a custom fit.
Then there’s the limited edition model, where Eone teams up with the person who inspired the watches, Bradley Snyder.
The brand teamed up with Snyder on Veterans day to produce the Bradley Apex Element, which is available in Navy and Khaki limited edition models. Featuring streamlined raised hour markers, this model is a sportier version of the Bradley watch. Eone integrated the articulated lugs of the original watch and made a monocoque frame.
Collaboration Collection
Lastly, there’s the Eone Collaboration Collection, which is composed of watches created in collaboration with other designers.
There’s the titanium Bradley x Deezen watch, a watch created with architecture and design magazine. This watch, which has both Eone’s and Deezen logos embossed at the back, has silver mirrored markers against a matte black face. The strap is black Italian leather with nylon stitching. The two brands also collaborated on a leather strap—black Italian leather with embossed Eone and Deezen logos.
Another watch under the collection is a collaboration with the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust. Every piece sold helps children in East Africa read, write, and learn using braille. Inspired by Mt. Kilimanjaro sunset, the watch has an orange strap, as well as a matte silver titanium case with silver mirrored markers.
Eone Brand Reputation
Because of its unique and inclusive design, Eone watches continue to be praised by watch experts and aficionados alike, as well as visually-impaired customers and braille readers.
This article published on the American Foundation for the Blind website reviewed the Bradley watch with high praises.
Aside from the effective time-telling design for both blind and sighted people, it pointed out that the design is excellent as well—most especially the tactile features that allow the wearer to discreetly read the time.
Its watch designs have received Red Dot awards as well as other accolades from iF Design, Clio, and IAUD.
Is Eone A Good Watch Brand?
The brand has also been featured in many publications like The Wall Street Journal, GQ, The Gear Patrol, and Hypebeast.
The New York Times talked about how the brand first struggled with financing at first, with Kim going through several potential investors who saw that watch as a timepiece “only for the blind.” Kim eventually used Kickstarter to fund the watch, which became a turning point, as it raised over $600,000, making it the website’s most funded design campaign (you can view the Kickstarter page here) making it one of the most successful crowdsourced watch brands along with brands such as Triwa and TicWatch smartwatches.
An by the Business Insider called the watch a “work of art in its own right,” having not only a helpful design but also a stylish timepiece that can be worn by anyone.
One of the things that make Eone watches different from other braille watches is a simple and minimalist design. Many of those who either purchased and reviewed the watch said that they received many compliments and that it’s a good conversation piece.
Many reviews on Amazon—such as those on this Classic Bradley model—were by those who like the design. One does not need to have visual impairments to appreciate the ingenuity and beauty of the timepieces.
The also gives back to organizations that work with blind individuals, such as the Kilimanjaro Blind Trust, which helps with education for blind children in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. They also work with relief organization Vision Care, which dedicates work to the prevention of blindness through projects. You can read more about these organizations here.
Because of these efforts, we featured Eone on our list of sustainable and ethical watch brands.
Where To Buy Eone Watches?
You can visit this page on the Eone website to see a list of official Eone stockists in the United States.
Eone also sells its watches on its official website. It’s also available on Amazon.
Eone Watch Warranty
A Bradley timepiece purchased through the brand’s website or via an authorized retailer has a two-year warranty. According to Eone, this warranty covers all parts of the timepiece that need to be repaired “due to defects in materials or workmanship under normal use.”
The brand also mentions that they will cover the cost of the return during the warranty period. The coverage is limited to repair or replacement at Eone’s discretion. The warranty does not include the following: battery, strap, and excessive wear or damage to the timepiece’s case and movement.
Learn more about the brand’s warranty and repair conditions here. Eone also has a form on its website that the customers can fill out a contact form where they can send a message directly to the company.
Eone also has a unique Exchange Program, a service that allows Bradley owners (from the United States and Canada) to trade in an old model for a gift card that can be used to buy a new Bradley model. You can read more about it here.
