The Snapback Watch reimagines traditional timepiece design, addressing the saturation of recycled watch designs for millennials. In a market of redundant styles, the focus shifts from the watch face to the band, creating a distinct identity that combines minimalism with the Snapback hat design. Branded as “Luku,” this product is the world’s first Snapback Watch—an interchangeable timepiece inspired by minimalist styles and 90s urban hip-hop. The project aimed to develop a customizable hybrid watch addressing millennials’ desire for authentic self-expression. Rather than creating another conventional timepiece, the team envisioned a watch that would become a versatile fashion statement with endless personalization options.
I lead concept, development, and manufacturing, focusing on creating a minimum viable product for testing with the target demographic to gather insights for future iterations.
Project Duration: October 2017 – February 2018
Key Partners: Fas Lebbie, Colby Smith, Acrivia Innovations
Problem Context
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The team created numerous sketches exploring different watch face designs, band configurations, and methods for component interchangeability. The design evolution ultimately led to a system where every element—from the face to the band to the hardware—could be swapped with simple pop-up spring pins.
Material exploration focused on premium athletic silicon for the bands, providing comfort, durability, and flexibility. At the same time, the watch case was developed with 316L carbon stainless steel for durability and a premium feel. The watch maintains a sleek, contemporary aesthetic while incorporating the unique snapback mechanism that sets it apart from conventional watches.
The design successfully shifts focus from the face to the band, creating a distinctive visual identity. Available in multiple color combinations and style variations, the final product offers extensive personalization options:
Six distinct watch faces showcasing minimalist design targeting millennials who value self-expression in an oversaturated market.
Innovative snapback mechanism that shifts focus from watch face to band, creating a distinctive visual identity.
Multiple color combinations featuring premium athletic silicon bands with the unique interchangeable 20mm width design system.
Sleek white packaging with rounded edges echoing the watch's minimalist design for an enhanced unboxing experience.
Twelve interchangeable band colors with distinctive snapback-inspired perforations, offering extensive personalization options for users.
Tool-free popup spring pin system allowing easy component swapping without professional adjustment, enhancing product versatility.
40mm case diameter with minimalist 2mm bezel width, showcasing the 316L Carbon Stainless Steel construction.
Technical details featuring Seiko VX19 Japanese Quartz movement, date function, and the distinctive snapback closure system.
In an oversaturated market with conventional watch designs, millennial consumers increasingly sought products that allowed for personalization and authentic self-expression. The history of the snapback hat design began in the 1980s and spanned through the 1990s in urban cities like Los Angeles and New York. It started to be adopted as an urban symbol of soul and artistry. This cultural artifact represented individual expression and symbolized urban style that transcended demographics. Not only were snapback hats wildly collected with urban styles, but they also became a fashion accessory for people from all walks of life. The snapback watch reflected our target user’s style while offering flexibility to change their accessories based on outfit or mood. Users were drawn to minimalist design aesthetics with unique differentiating features.
The primary target audience was style-conscious millennials who value individuality and self-expression while appreciating products with cultural references. These consumers seek versatility in their accessories and are willing to invest in distinctive designs that set them apart from mainstream fashion.
The design needed a functional snapback mechanism while ensuring all components remained easily interchangeable without tools. Durability was paramount, with the watch needing to maintain structural integrity through frequent band changes. Water resistance to 3 ATM was specified to provide everyday practicality, and a Japanese quartz movement was selected for reliability and accuracy.
The inherent customizability promotes sustainability by extending product life through a refreshed appearance with new components. This approach reduces waste by allowing the replacement of individual components rather than the entire watch when styles change, or parts wear out. The modular system creates a platform to evolve with changing trends, ensuring the product remains relevant and desirable.
The initial product run included six watch faces and twelve bands to test with the target demographic and gather insights for further product iterations. This approach allowed the team to validate the concept and refine the design based on real-world user feedback.The production strategy focused on creating high-quality components that maintained consistent interchangeability across all variations. Working with manufacturing partner Acrivia Innovations, the team established quality control processes to ensure reliability.
The product was packaged in a sleek white box. The team worked with Acrivia Innovations, a company in Shenzhen, China, to develop minimum viable prototypes and establish production processes to ensure the final product would meet durability standards while maintaining the design.
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The Snapback Watch successfully reimagined traditional watch design by shifting focus from the face to the band, creating a unique hybrid of snapback culture and watch design, Establishing a platform for endless customization, and providing millennials with a means of authentic self-expression.
The provisional patent design combines comfort, durability, and adjustability while maintaining a fresh style. Its one-size-fits-all approach and customization options make it accessible to a broad audience.
By combining cultural references from the past with innovative design approaches, the Snapback Watch created a distinctive position in an otherwise saturated market. The design’s success lies in its fundamental rethinking of watch architecture, prioritizing the band as the key distinctive element rather than the traditional focus on the watch face. This shift created new opportunities for personalization and style expression previously unexplored in watch design.
“Combining a tribute to the old with the innovation of the new, it stands apart: just like you. It’s a better product — a better style. It’s the watch for the trendsetter in everyone.”
