The Ant Watch, An Ingenious Way To Conceptualize Time

April 01, 2015

Not many watches can remind you of natures elegance and complexity. In terms of horological flair, the Ant Watch by the Analog Watch Company may claim the win this year. Haute horology composed of flying tourbillons, exposed balance wheels and constant force escapements needs human intervention to keep ticking away. Not so with the Ant Watch, which is the worlds first timepiece that doesnt require constant intervention by its wearer thanks to insects ticking away at its center.The case of the Ant Watch is made of wood and a biodegradable strap, both of which are rightfully painted green. At 43 mm, it is a modernly sized watch, but this isnt stainless steel, so its considerably light and a featherweight on the wrist. Additionally, the Ant Watchs size is strictly utility-based. Thanks to a completely open-worked dial, its mechanism is in full view. The movement inside the Ant Watch consists of two components: sand and ants.This is an aesthetic choice as much as it is a technical one. Consider that even the most exclusive and limited timepieces have their components assembled by watchmakers. With the Ant Watch, bridges arent shaped and beveled by hand, but by ants. This ensures that no two watches are identical, making each piece truly exclusive. Three to five live harvester ants power the Ant Watch. The ants come supplied with the watch and each purchase guarantees a supply of ants for a year. The wearer feeds the ants with a sugar solution that is administered through the removable crown using a feeding tube that comes supplied with the watch.Thats as much power reserve as a Lange 31 at roughly 1/2,500th of the price. Is the Ant Watch the thinking man's complication? I'm reminded of Samuel Johnson, who so aptly wrote, "Turn on the prudent ant thy heedful eyes. Observe her labors, sluggard, and be wise. Most watches focus on time, but it might behoove us to recall, in our post-Einstein era, that time is relative. With the Ant Watch, you dont necessarily need to tell the time as much as you may want to pass the time, perhaps even ponder over the concept of time. Were antsy to do just that as soon as we can get this watch for a hands-on review.The Ant Watch will retail for $59.00. Currently on pre-order, it will ship in April 2015.For more information, visit Analog Watch online.