Some innovations arrive quietly, with subtlety rather than fanfare, yet they improve daily life. At Kintao, we begin by observing everyday interactions, rediscovering overlooked ideas, and refining them. That approach led to our first watch, the Chapter 1.
Thoughtful Origins
My appreciation for design started young, immersed in the engineering drawings of my father, an aeronautical engineer. Those blueprints weren’t merely technical. They solved real human needs with precision, and they still shape how I work.
Through a career in experience and product design, that belief held. The Riley table, a fix for my own struggle to use a laptop at home, was adopted by Herman Miller. Later, at IDEO, designing Zuowe, a home-office brand born from COVID-19, deepened my commitment to empathy-led work.
My fascination stayed with watches, particularly the quiet innovations of mid-century Japanese watchmakers. Seiko’s SilverWave introduced an internal rotating bezel through a single crown: intuitive, but hindered by a friction mechanism that could slip during wear. Aquastar followed with similar attempts and the same limits.
Thoughtful Collaborations
Over more than a decade working closely with skilled Chinese manufacturers, I’ve seen remarkable advances in craftsmanship, engineering, and finishing. Those partnerships weren’t transactional. They were dialogues grounded in careful refinement and shared values, and they laid the foundation for Chapter 1.
Reinventing the Internal Bezel
The internal rotating bezel was innovative but flawed. Even modern watches like Frédérique Constant’s Worldtimer still use friction bezels, lacking tactile precision and often leading to thicker cases. Two-crown solutions like the Longines Legend Diver separate the functions cleanly, but at the cost of simplicity.
We saw an opportunity: a single-crown internal bezel controlled by distinct clicks, in a slim 11mm case. The patented Unicrown system solves the historical limitations and quietly redefines everyday practicality.
Precision as Poetry
Each bezel click on Chapter 1 was engineered and iteratively prototyped for intuitive precision. Chamfered edges were refined through testing, aided by AR visualisation and metal 3D printing. Each detail reflects a belief that real precision is quietly poetic: carefully considered, subtly experienced.
Join the Quiet Revolution
Kintao is more than watchmaking. It’s a community rooted in subtle innovation. Your insight, curiosity, and feedback continue to guide us. We warmly invite you to join the journey.
— Sam McMorran, Founder