Timepiece Typefaces

Tell us a bit about your background. How did you arrive at your current role as a designer who specializes in typography?

Vincent Sauvaire: My design journey started early, interning with a Swiss graphic designer at 14. Spending a week alongside him, I immediately discovered my passion for the field. With an engineer father, I've always leaned towards the scientific side, leading me to pursue a Scientific Baccalaureate. Even as a student, I was fascinated by the intricate details and deep reflection in mathematical concepts.

This passion led me to the Ecole cantonale d'art de Lausanne (ECAL), where I immersed myself in a typography-focused curriculum. Living in a multilingual country like Switzerland, the precision and rigor of typography became ingrained in me. From the onset, I had a very clear idea about my career path and vocation, driven by a deep-rooted certainty about my professional growth.

Why did you choose to be interested in the typography of watch dials? What was the inspiration behind this idea?

During my final year at ECAL, we participated in a workshop to initiate our thesis work. Our task was to select 10 images that resonated with us, ones we either loved or found intriguing. Among my selections was the Hermès Slim watch. This specific image resonated with me because of its blend of themes that intrigue me: graphic design, typography, and the luxury sector – all converging into a single, small object: a watch. It features a bespoke typography by Philipe Apeloig that harmoniously blends with the watch’s design. My thesis allowed me to juxtapose the evolution of how we write time throughout history, comparing it with the evolution of timepieces and typography.

I decided to link this subject to my diploma by focusing on typefaces for watchmaking. I reached out to Hermès, driven by genuine curiosity about their watchmaking and dial design process, which led to a visit to their watch atelier. There, I met Philippe Delhotal, Creative Director of Hermès Horloger, who offered me the chance to produce real dials for my project at their facilities in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

How do you perceive the connection between typography and watchmaking, particularly in design?

There are a lot of links between watchmaking and drawing typography, as they both involve high technicality. Designing a watch face demands meticulous precision, with measurements made by the millimeter. This precision ties back to my fascination with intricate details. Despite its technical nature, a watch remains deeply human, even intimate, as it becomes a part of our everyday style, often unnoticed for its design significance. Typography inherently requires precision, without a doubt. Similarly, Swiss clockwork embodies a distinct artistry and craftsmanship synonymous with precision.

Creating a typeface for a timepiece is extraordinarily different from that of another branding product, because it hinges upon a very specific context. Can you tell us more about that?

I believe that context is everything. At Base, for instance, it allows us to form the basis of any branding concept. The way a brand manifests itself depends on its environment, its framework, or its setting, whether it be through a very specific product, such as a watch, or through various communication platforms.

For the Galop d'Hermès watch, the inspiration for the numerals came organically from the shape of the watch, designed by Ini Archibong, which is itself inspired by the world of the maison Hermès and its connection to the equestrian universe. For instance, the shape of the number 8 resembles an inverted stirrup. And as for the proportions of the case, the numerals were designed with a reverse contrast: the horizontals are wider than the verticals. We also sought to evoke a sense of perspective by gradually changing the size of the numbers to align with the watch's shape.

With the numerals of the Hermès Cut watch, the aim was to play with the vocabulary of geometry dear to Hermès, drawing inspiration from the unique shape of the watch, which is halfway between a circle and a square. In line with the watch’s sporty aesthetic, they are wide and bold while remaining elegant thanks to a strong contrast between the thick and thin strokes. Additionally, an outlined version was drawn for the luminescent applied numerals.

By working on two bespoke sets of numerals for two different products from the same brand, we see that context, along with collaboration with the brand is essential.

For Ottertype, the typeface developed by Base for QoQa, we defined an overarching concept for the visual identity: the “poppin' ideas”. This established the direction for the font design: a round and generous typography, which creates a strong connection with the new identity, especially the logotype.

In another context, for the identity of MORE (Movement to Organize for Restaurant Equity), the goal was to showcase the diversity of people through colors, iconography, as well as the logotype. The letters were designed in such a way that each has its own personality, and once combined, they become a strong and identifiable ensemble – reflecting the concept of MORE itself.

Why might you suggest to a client to create a custom typeface for a project?

Owning your bespoke typeface is a great asset for any brand, as it identifies you as strongly as your logotype. Think Apple, Audi, La Prairie or Cartier. Your typeface is your brand voice in writing! These typefaces are mainly seen within big companies like luxury brands because they have the resources. They can play a significant role in branding, as they help reflect different aspects of the brand's personality, just like choosing a logo, colors, images or words. It can help answer essential questions: What does the brand stand for? How can it connect with the audience? Starting from scratch to create your own typeface ensures the design will perfectly match the brand's essence and have a powerful brand tool to use for many years to come.