Courtesy of Cauny
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https://www.archdaily.com/1037010/when-architects-design-time-tadao-ando-and-the-meaning-of-youth
Tadao Ando has joined forces with Cauny to design the newest watch in The Architects of Time Series. This is a collection of watches designed by some of the greatest architects of our time—an initiative that the nearly century-old brand launched in 2019 with none other than Álvaro Siza. From then until today, the collection has proven to be a Pritzker Prize–based tour de force: Siza, Rafael Moneo, Eduardo Souto Moura, and, this year, Tadao Ando.
For this latest collaboration, the watch takes on the unusual shape of a green apple. The fruit is Ando’s physical interpretation of Samuel Ullman’s poem Youth, which deeply influenced his life and work and led him to install green apples outside several of his buildings. The apple is meant to evoke a sense of adventure and to remind that the hope and courage that define youth are not limited to the twenties, but are instead an attitude that can—and should—be sustained throughout life. This is why, when asked to design a watch, Ando immediately knew what he wanted to create: not merely a timekeeping device, but a memento—a symbol that reminds us that what matters is not the passage of time, but how that time is lived.
Courtesy of CaunyThis watch reflects the spirit of the green apple—unripe, a little sour, yet full of promise. American Poet Samuel Ullman wrote that youth is not a period of life, but a state of mind: the courage to face difficulty without fear, the resilience to keep dreaming despite setbacks. It honors those who keep moving forward, not because they’ve arrived, but because they still believe in the light ahead. A reminder that youth is not a time, but a movement of the heart.—Tadao Ando
The resulting watch comes in two variations. One features the unmistakable green of an apple; the other is rendered in brushed steel, echoing Ando’s lifelong relationship with concrete. Both versions rely on a play of curves, materials, and light to create a presence that is at once familiar and unexpected.
Courtesy of CaunyThe construction reflects that same discipline. A domed sapphire crystal gives the watch a soft, continuous line. The case is crafted from high-precision steel, and the strap is made of Italian leather. Inside, a Swiss movement delivers reliability in a remarkably thin profile.
The sizes—37.5 mm and 31.5 mm—were chosen to make the piece accessible to as many wrists as possible without compromising its proportions. In the smaller size, the watch reads almost like a refined object to be discovered rather than displayed. In the larger size, it sits with confidence but without weight. Both feel intentional.
Courtesy of CaunyWhile this is the first watch Ando has designed entirely from scratch—he previously designed dials for Bvlgari’s Octo Finissimo collection—it fits naturally within the trajectory of a career built outside convention. Born in Osaka in 1941, he first made a living as a boxer. He never attended architecture school; instead, he traveled using the winnings from his matches, seeking out buildings that interested him and teaching himself what they meant. That path produced one of the most influential voices in architecture over the past half-century—one recognized with the field’s most revered awards and admired across both the architectural world and popular culture.
The Cauny Ando is a continuation of that spirit. It is not a summary of his architecture, but rather a reminder of the mindset that shaped his work and life.