Remember the days when a spell of hot weather was welcomed with trips to the pool, ice creams and Pimms o’clock?
Now we get newly invented heat wave health warnings from the Met Office over-reachers and scary graphics straight out of the covid press conference play book.
It was not always this way.
British watchmaker Mr Jones is taking us back to the simpler times by creating a special edition of one of its most popular watch designs that remind people to kick back when the sun comes out.
A perfectly useless evening is a fun twist on one of the watchmaker’s most well-loved designs, A perfectly useless afternoon.
The watch dial features an illustrated character floating peacefully in a swimming pool, making it the ideal holiday accessory.
On the watch face, the same character enjoys a lazy summer evening in the pool, now complete with night lights that glow in the dark.
Designed by Belgian illustrator and author, Kristof Devos who took inspiration from Chinese writer and philosopher, Lin Yutang’s famous quote: “If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.”
Liberated by the fact that most people check the time on their mobile phones or smart devices, Mr Jones Watches specialises in playful and eye-catching designs that each has its own unique way to tell the time.
Mr Jones Watches went on to explained how A perfectly useless evening was created to inspire its wearer to relax and serve as a reminder that time spent resting is time well spent.
The character’s outstretched leg shows the hour and a beach ball that floats around the watch face depicts the minutes.
Reflecting on the development, designer Mr Kristok explains: “A couple of years ago, I read a quote by Chinese writer, translator, linguist and philosopher Lin Yutang, that I’ve kept close to my heart ever since: ‘If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learnt how to live.
“This quote led to the design of the ‘A perfectly useless afternoon’ watch that was first released by Mr Jones Watches back in the summer of 2019. Since then the watch has been produced more or less continually and I’m still amazed that my design resonates with so many people around the world.”
He added: “It has been a great pleasure to work on ‘A perfectly useless evening’, a special edition of that timepiece. This new watch imagines what it would look like if the central figure had never left the pool enjoying his/her useless afternoon and stayed there the entire evening, to endlessly stretch that relaxing feeling. When I look at my wrist wearing this watch, I always wish I was there…”
The special edition is on sale for £195.
