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Color Is Time "Click" to Login or Register 
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Sun is light and light is color
and color is time

In 1971 Swiss artist & architect, Tian Harlan designed his Color-Time Circle.

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Color-Time Circle

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Mr. Harlan has created quite some objects and art projects based on this idea, among them a color-time clock tower sculpture for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. Tian Harlan is also known for designing the famous "Colour-Time" watch.
"Everyone has got a watch, but nobody has time. Because time runs away in seconds. It is time for a different watch-The Colour-Time Watch. The day has 12 colors. According to the light. From morning until evening. Each color is an hour. Suddenly the moment matters. All at once it is shortly before yellow. And no longer five to twelve".

Mr. Harlan ended what he called the "dictatorship of exact time", thus liberating us all into a stress free environment, a new relaxing zone.

I discovered my first Tian Harlan wristwatch some years ago, and how apropos as my first Tian Harlan watch in my collection is one of Mr. Harlan's early ones as Mr. Harlan's watch patent was not granted until 1974.

Take a look.

My first Tian Harlan wristwatch (c. 1971)

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
View of the back

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Tian Harlan designed different shaped color- time wristwatches as well!

Another early T.H.ww in my collection, (c.1971-1973)

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
A picture of the back

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Original signed watch band

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Tian Harlan rectangle wristwatch in my collection. (c. after 1974)

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
A look from the back

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
And yet another early T.H. ww in my collection.
Acrylic case with patent leather band (c. 1971-1973)

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
A shot of the back

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
And last, Tian Harlan Quartz wristwatch in my collection (c. 1989)

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Shot of the back

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
A few Tidbits!! Cool

Tian Harlan's Colour-Time watches were worn amongst others by Ringo Star, Max Bill, Charles Aznavour, Carlo Levi and by the members of Iron Butterly Band who even composed the "Colour-Time" song!

Hope you enjoyed viewing my Tian Harlan collection. I certainly have enjoyed sharing it with you! I am on an never-ending search of Mr. Harlan's Colour-Time watches to add to my collection. There is a booklet titled "Tian Harlan Chromachron Booklet" I would love to have. The search never ends!!

Comments encouraged!!


Stephanie O'Neil

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
posted
Stephanie,
THESE ARE REALLY GREAT LOOKING WRISTWATCHES !!. Big Grin Personally I didn't know of their existance. Do you have any feel for their current value ??

Thanks a lot for sharing them with us all. Razz Eek

Come on you guys & gals let's see what other wristwatch treasures you'd like to share with us all. Not just vintage wristwatches, but also the modern and the classy looking watches like Stephanie just showed us. Smile Wink

Dave


Dave Freeman
IHC Member 321
 
Posts: 976 | Location: Texas in the U.S.A. | Registered: January 27, 2004
Picture of Jim McKinney
posted
Smile Hey, Stephanie . . .

Just a RR PW guy peeking over the WW fence - Wow !!

Cool Very, very Cool !! Never seen anything quitelike it - can't help but Smile

Timely regards,
 
Posts: 231 | Location: Northern Virginia in the U.S.A. | Registered: April 10, 2004
posted
Hi Steph, Include me as one who had never heard of Harlan. You mentioned that your last watch was quartz. Are the earlier ones mechanical movements?

Nice collection.

Tom
 
Posts: 1060 | Registered: March 10, 2003
posted
Nice watches and nice collection of Harlan watches, i have never seen anything like this before, very interesting concept, tell time with colours.
Great topic Stephanie.
 
Posts: 2133 | Registered: June 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Dave,
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed!
"Do you have any feel for this current value?"
There is one listed currently on ebay with a starting bid of $128. (like my first Tian Harlan ww in my collection). The internet shows a Tian Harlan windup for L135 United Kingdom pounds converted to U. S. dollars $246.89. Eek The internet also shows a Tian Harlan quartz for L175 - converted to U. S. dollars $320.05 Eek Eek BTW- These watches are some 30 years old! Wow!

Jim Mc.,
Hi RR guy, glad you took a peek over the WW fence, maybe a sway? Big Grin
Thanks, glad you enjoyed!

Tom H.,
All of these watches except for the last are mechanical windup from the early 1970's. Thanks Tom, glad you enjoyed as well!

Kevin,
Thanks! I too, think these watches are so unique and one of the reasons why I collect them.
Glad you enjoyed. Imagine that, telling time by color!

I am on a search for a booklet titled "Tian Harlan- Chromachron Booklet (written in the 1970's) and would give my right arm, Big Grin, well, almost, to have the booklet in my collection. Does anyone know where I may be able to find one? Confused

Other comments?
Confused


Stephanie O'Neil

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephanie O'Neil
posted
Can anyone give information as to where I may be able to find "Tian Harlan Chromachron Booklet"? Printed in the 1970's. There was a booklet that went with the watches so I'm told but these are two different booklets.

While at Nationals at the New Orleans Superdome four or five years ago, I happened on a booth with two men from Austria selling Tian Harlan watches. BTW - they were selling a Tian Harlan watch key chain and one of the watches as a pair for $750. Eek I was apalled at the price. At any rate, I saw the booklet as they had one on display to advertise the watches.

Any suggestions as to where I may be able to find the booklet?
Confused


Stephanie O'Neil

 
Posts: 1419 | Location: New Orleans, Louisiana USA | Registered: April 01, 2003
Picture of Stephen L. Russell
posted
"Watch - History Of The Modern Wristwatch"by Pieter Doensen...he is mentioned in this book too.

cool watch's ...I would have used redshift in one direction and blue shift in the other!!!Eek Roll Eyes Big Grin
 
Posts: 849 | Location: Victoria, British Columbia Canada | Registered: December 05, 2003
Picture of Tom Seymour
posted
Stephanie,
I am also among those that never heard of Harlan or have seen the watches. I like the idea of color time.

Maybe there is one that emits different notes at each hour, or one based on light that brightens and dims in sync with the sun.

I really do like different takes on the traditional. Thanks for posting that one Stephanie.


Tom
 
Posts: 2537 | Location: Mount Angel, Oregon in the U.S.A. | Registered: November 19, 2002
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