When we invited Tadao Ando to co-create a watch, the result was never going to be conventional.
As part of our Architects of Time series, the Cauny Ando is a quiet object of design — a timepiece where architecture becomes intimate, and where every detail carries meaning.
But what makes this watch truly unique is not just its minimalism. It’s the shape of an apple — and the poetry of youth— that define its essence.
A green apple, and a poem
In Ando’s personal visual language, the green apple represents youth of spirit. The reference comes from Youth, a poem by the American thinker Samuel Ullman, which Ando has often cited as a personal inspiration. For him, youth is not defined by age, but by imagination, energy, and inner light.
The Cauny Ando embraces this symbol not metaphorically, but physically: the contour of the case recalls the roundness of an apple, subtle yet intentional. The hands of the watch are shaped like an apple leaf (minutes) and an apple stem(hours), orbiting gently across a blank, silent dial.
Two versions: poetry and matter
The green edition of the Cauny Ando stays closest to this poetic origin. It is fresh, luminous, and faithful to the idea of vitality that drives Ando’s work.
The grey edition, on the other hand, takes the same apple-inspired form and reframes it through materiality. Using brushed steel and a cool, muted tone, this version evokes Ando’s use of concrete — the core material in so many of his buildings. It feels still, grounded, architectural.
Each version speaks to a different side of the same idea:
That time, like space, is best experienced with clarity and depth.
A personal architecture of time
Tadao Ando’s architecture is known for its serenity, geometry, and use of light. The Cauny Ando carries those same qualities — distilled into a wristwatch. No clutter. No distraction. Just design, proportion, and silence.
For those who see time not just as something to measure, but as something to experience, this is more than a watch.
It’s a small piece of architecture for the wrist.
