Body Max by Kansai Yamamoto - large LCD

I've concluded that the Body Max watches are full of strange contradictions. They are designed by a famous fashion designer but they feel quite cheap, and their designer is known for his outrageous designs (such as David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust phase) but the watches are pretty plain and normal.

The full title of the range is Body Max designed by Kansai Yamamoto. The designer Kansai Yamamoto is very famous in Japan, especially known for eyewear, and has designed the train from Tokyo to the main airport. The Body Max range encompasses hats and coats as well as the watches, and all of the watches I've seen so far have a sporty feel.

This model is an LCD model which looks like it could be complicated, but is really very simple. It has a large 4 digit LCD display in the centre of the round face, surrounded by the brand name. The bezel around the display has a cog-like design, and the way the button information is printed, it looks like you should turn the cog to activate the indicated option. In reality, the cog design is just for show and it's the buttons on the side which activate the actions. It has a very simple module which only has time, date, and seconds displays.

As mentioned on my earlier Body Max post, there is mention online that the watches were from the 90s or 2000s, and I think that sounds reasonable.

Body Max by Kansai Yamamoto - White Dial

Today's watch is another by the avant garde Japanese fashion designer Kansai Yamamoto.

Kansai Yamamoto is a  very famous designer in Japan, and known around the world as the designer for David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust outfits.

This watch is part of a range of watches called Body Max, which seems to have been a little sportier than the other watches, but the range also includes other accessories such as scarves and coats. Both the back and the strap have the statement 'Body Max designed by Kansai Yamamoto', and the watch face just has the words Body Max (although the text actually reads BodY Max as the Y doesn't go below the line).

The watch is a large and deep 3 hand dial design. The glass appears quite thick, with a slight magnification of the white face with clear black text. The crown is hidden under a screw cap that is fastened to the watch case with a chain, so although the watch doesn't say it, it looks like it should be quite water resistant. Inside is a Japanese quartz movement, but I haven't checked on the brand.

I'm not sure when this are out, but some sites have mentioned the 90s or 00s, and I have no reason to disagree.

Sissy by Kansai Yamamoto E111 watch

I have problems with a lot of watches I receive in that some arrive with the alarm set and I forget to check. I'm off to the theater later so wanted something both smart and silent, so chose this analogue watch today.

The watch is part of a line of designer gear called Sissy by Kansai Yamamoto. Kansai Yamamoto is a contemporary Japanese fashion designer and one of the leaders in his field. He is known for his  avant garde take on classical designs, and was the designer for David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust phase (where he had some of his most outrageous and memorable outfits). Since 2001, he has been most known for his eye wear, but has also designed the Skyliner train which connects Tokyo and the Narita airport.

As part of his Sissy line, he made a collaboration with Citizen watches to make his timepieces. This watch uses Citizen Solar Tech technology with an E111 module. It is a 3 hand dial design with a date window at the 3 o'clock position. The solar panel is built into the watch face such that it is not noticeable, except by the solar tech name in small writing.

The watch design isn't too unusual, but there is a nice curve to the face and glass, and the numbers are stretched to fit their placement. Unusually, it only has numbers between the main 3, 6, 9, and 12 positions which are marked by lines (as most watches which skip numbers keep the main positions and skips the others).

The full model number is E111-S024072, and the watch was made in 1994 or 2004. It has a 5 bar water resistance, and was cased in China (but has a Japanese movement).