By Chris Melchior.
Introduction
Welcome to UnconstrainedTime.
This article introduces our unusually unique artistic watches, and summarizes:
- what we stand for as a brand
- how we got to this point
- talking points about our conversation-starting watches
- who we are
- The shared journey – a synergy of art, and time, and . . . you
Our watches inevitably spark conversations: At UnconstrainedTime, we anticipate the questions that arise when encountering truly original artistic expression—and we provide pathways to deeper appreciation through thoughtfully crafted content and experiences.
We provide collectors with the language and context to talk about their UnconstrainedTime pieces through concept documentation, collector stories, and informational content about our talking points.
I’ll briefly touch on a lot of different points about our watches in this initial article, linking to other articles for a more in-depth investigation of relevant topics. Let me know if there’s anything about our watches that you want to know more about, and I’ll add the information when I can.
This blog post is about a 20 minute read. If you’d prefer shorter versions of the main points about our brand,, see our HomePage, and Our Story / About Us.
Before I get into all the details, since our brand is exceptionally aesthetics-focused . . . what do you think of our current range of limited-edition watches?
I’d genuinely like to know what you think (comment below or on our social media).
What we stand for as a brand:
UnconstrainedTime – A Synergy of Art and Time.
For watch collectors who seek genuine artistic expression beyond conventional timepieces, UnconstrainedTime creates small, numbered quantities of wearable sculptures that unite fine art with horology. Each piece is conceived and crafted as a unified artistic vision, and made accessible at entry-level luxury prices – bringing museum-worthy art from gallery walls to the wrist.
- Art Without Walls: UnconstrainedTime liberates fine art from gallery confines, creating wearable
sculptures that transform timekeeping into an intimate artistic experience. Each piece invites you to
carry profound creative expression through every moment of your day. - Creative Evolution: From ancient Near Eastern time rings to contemporary artistic vision – we honour
horological heritage while advancing its boundaries. This is not revolution, but natural evolution: the
moment where fine art and timekeeping become one. - Personal Resonance: More than a timepiece, each UnconstrainedTime creation becomes a physical
anchor to profound moments. Your choice reflects not just aesthetic preference, but a chapter in your
own story – marking time through both its display and its significance. Each piece not only represents
artistic vision but becomes uniquely yours through personalised material selection. Your choice of
metals transforms these small numbered release sculptures into individually crafted expressions that
reflect both the creator’s artistry and your personal aesthetic. - Authentic Expression: In an era of mass production masquerading as art, we stand for
uncompromising vision of authentic fine art.
Every meaningful collection begins with curiosity and deepens through understanding. At UnconstrainedTime, we anticipate the questions that arise when encountering truly original artistic expression—and we provide pathways to deeper appreciation through thoughtfully crafted content and experiences.
Authenticity & Provenance
The question of artistic authenticity has challenged collectors since the Renaissance. We honour this concern through transparent documentation of creative genesis—from initial concept sketches to final execution. Each timepiece carries a recent innovation in authenticity verification alongside the complete narrative of its creation. Our small curated releases exist as artistic necessities rather than marketing strategies—each numbered piece representing a moment in the evolution of horological art. Through creator profiles and studio insights, we invite collectors to witness the authentic artistic process behind each creation.
Material & Craftsmanship
The materials chosen for each UnconstrainedTime piece reflect artistic intention rather than convention. We provide informative content that illuminates these choices—detailing how we combine traditional approaches with innovative techniques, demonstrating how each serves the unified artistic vision. Technical specifications appear alongside videos of craftspeople at work, while our lifetime repair commitment ensures these wearable sculptures remain functional timepieces for generations. This transparency around materials and methods reflects our commitment to artistic integrity.
Value & Legacy
Small numbered releases in both art and horology have historically represented watershed moments for collectors. Our detailed exploration of these parallels provides context for understanding UnconstrainedTime’s position at the intersection of these worlds. Through transparent production numbering and secondary market support, we establish the foundation for long-term collection development. Each piece becomes simultaneously an emotional investment and a material one—a significant chapter in an emerging artistic movement.
Heritage & Innovation
We honour horological tradition through informational content that traces the lineage from ancient timekeeping to contemporary artistic expression. Articles exploring the evolution of horology, society, and the arts create context for understanding how our pieces both respect and expand the boundaries of watchmaking. Community engagement with established collectors creates dialogue between traditional horology and emerging artistic approaches—a conversation that enriches both perspectives and places UnconstrainedTime within the continuing narrative of timekeeping evolution.
Recognition & Connection
The most meaningful collections spark conversation. We provide collectors with the language and context to share their UnconstrainedTime pieces through concept documentation, collector stories, and conversation starter content (below). Our community platforms allow owners to share experiences, creating a collective narrative around these artistic expressions. Every UnconstrainedTime piece becomes part of a shared journey—connecting collectors who recognise that true artistic innovation transcends conventional categories.
How we got to this point
In 2013, a dream revealed something extraordinary: a vision of how timepieces could transcend their traditional bounds and become pure artistic expression. Not by decorating existing watch designs, but by liberating the entire form to facilitate creativity.
This vision became UnconstrainedTime – where horology meets fine art in its truest sense.
Traditional watchmaking emerged from two primary sources: engineering and fine jewellery. While these roots have produced extraordinary timepieces, they’ve also created invisible constraints around what a watch can be.
We chose a different path.
Drawing from the ancient tradition of the 12-point time ring – a concept that dates back to ancient Near East timekeeping – we stripped away conventional limitations. What remained was the simple heart of a time display that freed the rest of the watch to become a canvas for genuine artistic exploration.
Each UnconstrainedTime piece is conceived and developed as a unified artistic vision. From our world-first 3D fractal concept to interpretations of musical genres, every watch represents a unique creative journey. These aren’t simply timepieces with artistic elements – they are wearable sculptures that tell the time. Each one including its creator’s signature and produced in small, considered quantities.
Like the abstract paintings that inspire us, our watches evoke strong reactions. They speak to collectors who think independently, who value genuine artistic expression, who understand that true creativity can’t be mass-produced. Our pieces become more than objects – they’re physical anchors to moments of choice, sparking conversations and marking significant chapters in their owners’ stories.
While our initial pieces emerge from my own artistic vision (I am Chris Melchior, the founder), UnconstrainedTime is more than a single creator’s expression. We’re building a community of collectors and creators who will help shape the evolution of artistic horology. Your feedback, your choices, your passion for unique creativity – these guide our journey into unexplored aesthetic territory.
We’re not here to replace traditional watchmaking – we’re here to expand its possibilities. To create something new at the intersection of fine art and horology. To offer collectors like you the opportunity to wear genuine artistic expression. Join us in writing the next chapter of horological history.
A new beginning.
In late 2023 I came back to this project with a passionate commitment to develop some of our watch creations into physical form and get them out into the world to be seen and appreciated. As often happens, as soon as I was committed to that aim, everything fell into place with strong coincidences such as the right people coming along at exactly the right time, enabling me to move forward with the project (more on that below).
For details on my creative journey as an artist, see the Chris Melchior artist page.
I had six initial watches rendered in 3D, some based on the older designs, some new, to show examples from the range of aesthetics and influences which can make sense for UnconstrainedTime as an art project, and showing how our watches are typically available in a selection of different materials.
As the brand evolved towards the launch, I added a seventh watch, which had several factors making it the ideal launch watch for us: our Fractal Emergence (above).
Talking points about our conversation-starting watches:
- art (below)
- UnconstrainedTime is not fine jewellery
- Conceptual-art-jewellery
- Part of a revolution, part evolution
- We’re a microbrand
- How UnconstrainedTime evolved partly from my own background
At UnconstrainedTime, we anticipate the questions that arise when encountering truly original artistic expression—so we provide pathways to deeper appreciation through thoughtfully crafted content and experiences.
It’s obvious from looking at our watches (above) that what we’re doing is different from other watch brands.
UnconstrainedTime’s radical innovation in creating a simple, small-footprint time-display with neutral styling, based on ancient horology, is a significant part of what allows our watch creations to focus primarily on freely chosen aesthetics and personal creative exploration. There’s a definition which applies to a focus on those things . . . it’s called . . .
. . . art.
While the word is often misunderstood or deliberately misused (commonly by marketing), experts in the authentic definition of art to a large extent agree on a set of factors which, together, determine whether something is art or not. I look at how those factors relate to our watches: UnconstrainedTime and the definition of art.
Each of our watches is conceived and developed as a unified artistic vision by a single creator (rather than being some art added to an unrelated conventional watch design).
We are being what some other luxury watches say they are . . . made by an individual creator as an expression of personal aesthetics, concepts or emotions.
We’re a fine art project unified with a fundamental principle of horology. Aspects of fine art include inspiring others and reaching towards higher ideals . . .
Other brands say how open and transparent they are (because that fits current marketing concepts) while patenting their inventions to prevent others from benefiting from them. This relates to their basis in engineering and traditional manufacturing perspectives.
We chose to do the opposite of other watch brands who patent everything they can in order to limit others . . . we make our unique time-display easy for anyone to use in their projects. We choose a win/win philosophy, facilitating and inspiring creativity and artistic exploration, pointing to higher ideals in our actions as well as our words, for the ongoing benefit of all.
UnconstrainedTime is not fine jewellery
Almost all of the influences on watch design aesthetics until recently, were from engineering and fine jewellery.
Most of the jewellery in the world today is fine jewellery (or the fashion/costume jewellery which imitates it with less expensive materials).
To somewhat over-generalize, fine jewellery is designed by committee, based on the mechanical criteria needed for mass-production, and valued because of the materials it uses (and the brand). Even when the piece is marketed (as some watches are, these days) as “being made by an individual, with artistic influences”, the majority of the real (subconscious) influences are still firmly rooted in mechanical design for mass-production.
Most of the watches which look significantly unusual, even when they use some different methods of functional engineering (like Devon Watches do), are still based on engineering with influences from fine jewellery.
UnconstrainedTime watches have little influence from engineering and almost no influence from fine jewellery. Our watches can be seen as being fully based in another conceptual space . . .
Conceptual-art-jewellery
By stark contrast with fine jewellery, what might be called conceptual-art-jewellery (there are various overlapping and somewhat vague terms used in the overall field of art jewellery), is fundamentally about an individual artist exploring conceptual areas, and their own personal journey, creating unique individual pieces etc., i.e. conceptual-art-jewellery genuinely fits the definition of art.
Comparison of fine jewellery with art jewellery:
| Fine Jewellery: | Art Jewellery: |
| materials: precious metals, precious gemstones | can include any material |
| simple symbolized forms | can include complex forms (organic, broken, fractal etc.) |
| highly polished surfaces | surfaces can be complex, rough, organic, broken, fractal etc. |
| design | some sub-categories (including conceptual-art-jewellery) are art |
| symbolized, polished, decorated & decorative | can use materials, forms and surfaces as what they are |
| valued by materials and brand | valued as art |
Here are some examples of what I call conceptual-art-jewellery:
For more on this subject see my article: art jewellery and watchmaking.
Part of a revolution, part evolution:
UnconstrainedTime is part of the fascinating evolution of the arts in general, relating to the development from fine jewellery (with its simple forms and highly polished surfaces) to art jewellery which includes use of much more complex forms and textures, making us part of the fascinating (although little known) revolution in the arts which resulted in abstract art and ambient music.
In terms of horology, UnconstrainedTime can be seen as a creative evolution, combining an ancient Near Eastern 12-point time ring with contemporary artistic vision – we honour horological heritage while advancing its boundaries. This is not revolution, but natural evolution: the moment where fine art and timekeeping become one.
Some watches say they are for people who “want to be different,” and there are various so-called “outsider” and “outlier” watches, whose design is obviously very much influenced by traditions. We are a genuinely new branch of horology, with our watches using a different basis from other brands while still being fundamentally part of the evolving horological tradition.
Our unique, simple, small-footprint 12-point time-display, based on ancient horology, facilitates our artistic focus. It is a big benefit from simplicity in an age of complexity. Which relates to . . .
In terms of art jewellery, it seems to me that the evolution of the watch industry has made art-jewellery based watches inevitable. There are some watches with an art-jewellery influence, and the use of new materials can be seen as starting to move from the fine jewellery space to the broader possibilities of the art jewellery space, as I illustrate in my Infographic: Art and Conceptual-art-jewellery Influence on Watches.
UnconstrainedTime can be seen as having made the leap to being based fully within the art jewellery space, becoming free from almost all of the engineering and fine jewellery influences, combined with being also based on an ancient horological concept. Truly a synergy of art and time.
We’re a microbrand
For anyone who doesn’t know, “microbrand watches are wristwatches produced by small, independent watch companies.” (Wikipedia).
The small size and independent nature of microbrands allows them to be much more innovative than the mainstream watch brands, as well as to offer unparalleled value for money. Some of their recent successes align with an industry where right now a genuinely new branch of horology is what a lot of the enthusiasts are craving.
People also love having some personal influence on the brand, which is something that doesn’t happen with the big watch brands controlled by a board of directors focused on profits . . .
We invite you to become part of the shared journey, directing the evolution of our project:
Art is inspired by relationships with the world outside the creator’s mind. Our community platforms allow watch owners, creators and fans to share experiences, creating a collective narrative around our unique artistic expressions.
Community engagement creates dialogue between traditional horology and emerging artistic approaches—a conversation that enriches both perspectives and places UnconstrainedTime within the continuing narrative of timekeeping evolution.
Every UnconstrainedTime piece becomes part of a shared journey—connecting collectors who recognise that true artistic innovation transcends conventional categories. Your involvement, along with creative explorations from myself and others (we welcome collaborations and creative ideas), direct our exciting adventure into the unknown. . . .
Comment on our articles and/or social media (see the links below), become part of this unique, fascinating shared journey evolving out of a synergy of art, time, and . . . you.
How UnconstrainedTime evolved partly from my own background
When I started creating the small-scale sculptures which became UnconstrainedTime, I had no training in watch-design, and most conventional-looking watches didn’t appeal to my aesthetic interests.
My training and experience was in fine art, cutting-edge contemporary music composition, and philosophy.
It’s unlikely I would have been able to create these watches if I had trained as a watch designer. With such in-depth training, the community which has built up around such a specialism, and with all the momentum of its long history behind it, comes with a lot of unquestioningly accepted “ways of doing things” (i.e. sub-conscious limitations).
To begin a conventional career in such a space, it’s essential to agree with the way things are, even if those much further along in their career development are allowed to push the boundaries slightly.
Most microbrands have been started by designers who are dedicated enthusiasts of existing watches, and/or trained in conventional watch design. Unusual watch brands, as they explain on their websites, are pushing the envelope from that basis.
Not that I’m saying there’s anything wrong with pushing the envelope of an existing tradition, of course. Some other microbrands produce undeniably beautiful, creative and fascinating watches, and are rightly proud of their obvious relationship to the history of watch design and its influences. UnconstrainedTime has a different basis, resulting in a new branch of the horological tradition, originating in free creativity and personal exploration, combined with our 12-point time-display concept that makes us part of the continuing evolution of horology, unrelated to conventional watchmaking with its obvious roots in engineering and fine jewellery.
It was only after I’d created the initial series of UnconstrainedTime watches that I was amazed and fascinated to find out that what I’d manifested has a place in this era, aligning with the independence and creative freedoms of microbrands, the enthusiast’s desire for something genuinely unique, and conceptual-art-jewellery as a personal exploration of concepts and freely chosen aesthetics (which is the fine-art process I love).
Our watch creations each use very different aesthetic influences from each other, which is also unusual for a watch brand, but which makes sense with our philosophy of freely chosen creative exploration welcoming input from others as well as the creative obsessions of the founder. It is our unique use of art in combination with an ancient horological principle that unifies our brand.
More on this topic in my article: UnconstrainedTime: Timepieces By A Watchmaker Who’s Not “A Watchmaker.”
It’s hugely encouraging to me, in the development of UnonstrainedTime, how excited enthusiasts are to be getting in on the ground floor of something significant, like the watch and jewellery expert Evan Fry (more about him below), who is now a hugely valuable part of the UnconstrainedTime team.
For more talking points about our conversation-starting watches, see our articles, each of which relates to our brand in some way.
Who we are:
I’m Chris Melchior, the founder of UnconstrainedTime and creator of the original range of wrist-worn sculptures of this unique artistic adventure (and author of this article).
I have extensive knowledge and experience of creativity, including fine art and cutting-edge contemporary music composition, and was awarded a First Class Honours Degree in fine art and music with a minor in philosophy.
My life-long artistic obsessions include organic forms and textures, abstraction, fractals, and the aesthetic essence of musical genres.
I have developed unusually deep insights into the elemental concepts underlying areas including Eastern and Western philosophies, science and technology, creativity and the arts, as well as advanced empirical spirituality in which I am acknowledged as a leading authority.
I have a profound fascination and love for the unique and synergistically creative combination of fine art with the ancient essence of time-keeping which evolved into the UnconstrainedTime project.
As soon as I genuinely decided to go ahead with this project, I got the usual serendipity which happens when you’re fully committed to, and thoroughly passionate about, a deep goal . . . the right people come along at the right time . . .
After ten years of not doing anything with this project, as soon as I really started to get into it again, suddenly, “out of the blue” I got a message from an old school friend saying that his nephew, Evan Fry (below), a young but very knowledgeable watch enthusiast, wanted to look at my UnconstrainedTime watches . . .
Evan Fry is a young and passionate watch and jewelry enthusiast who has spent the last handful of years falling in love with the art and science of watch and jewelry creation.
His love began in high school, around the age of 17, where he would watch interviews of popular musicians sharing their high-value collections, discussing the significance and exclusivity of each piece.
Evan’s love of watches and jewelry has quickly led to him being considered a local expert, with many people coming to him with questions and for advice.
As his tastes developed, he became entranced with the artistic aspects of watches and jewelry as they both have unlimited possibilities of style, execution, and most importantly: expression and the celebration of oneself.
Evan is himself an aspiring artist and is currently pursuing an art degree which he hopes to use to create wearable art in many different forms.
He currently works at a jewelry and watch shop, as well as contributing his expertise to UnconstrainedTime.
More on Evan, on the Our Story page.
Evan loved our brand and its concepts, and is now a hugely valuable part of the UnconstrainedTime team, and for him, being an important part of the development of a fascinating new microbrand is, in his words: “a dream come true”.
The shared journey – a synergy of art, and time, and . . . you
Art is inspired by relationships with the world outside the creator’s mind.
More than a timepiece, each UnconstrainedTime creation becomes a physical anchor to profound moments. Your choice reflects not just aesthetic preference, but a chapter in your own story – marking time through both its display and its significance. Each piece not only represents artistic vision but becomes uniquely yours through personalised material selection. Your choice of metals transforms these small numbered release sculptures into individually crafted expressions that reflect both the creator’s artistry and your personal aesthetic.
Our community platforms allow watch owners, creators and fans to share experiences, creating a collective narrative around our unique artistic expressions. Community engagement creates dialogue between traditional horology and emerging artistic approaches—a conversation that enriches both perspectives and places UnconstrainedTime within the continuing narrative of timekeeping evolution.
Every UnconstrainedTime piece becomes part of a shared journey—connecting collectors who recognise that true artistic innovation transcends conventional categories. Your involvement, along with creative explorations from myself and others (we welcome collaborations and creative ideas), direct our exciting adventure into the unknown.
Launch preparations
We’ll be continually updating our brand launch schedule, as our project develops.
One of the most important things we need to do is, of course, getting the word out to people who will like our watches, and getting feedback as part of our ongoing evolution and development . . .
Don’t miss our launch!
. . . make sure you subscribe to our Priority List, so you receive notifications by email when anything is updated as well as getting early access to our small numbered releases of unique artistic watches, plus behinds-the-scenes brand secrets.
And, of course, if you know anyone else who might be interested in our watches, let them know!
So . . . as I asked near the beginning of this blog post . . . what do you think of our current range of limited-edition watches? I really would love to know (tell us in the comments below or on our social-media channels).
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