This Is STUND, a Gorgeous Timepiece That Doesn’t Tell Time

Time is a hot commodity we can never have enough of. Not to be too dramatic or anything, but all this tech supposedly helping us be more productive and make the most of our free time, little as it is, is doing the contrary. All our gadgets and devices and apps are only helping with keeping the mind always racing, always overwhelmed under a bombardment of useless information.

So, maybe now's a good time to return to the basics. Simple is always best, as an age-old saying goes, and simple is the highlight of what could be described as the most beautiful and – if you'll pardon the French – the ballsiest timepiece there ever was. It's a timeless watch, not so much in the sense that it's a classic (though it has serious potential for it), but in the sense that it doesn't tell time.

This is STUND from Danish startup Naerwear. Both names are intimately linked to the group's mission of offering a unique product, one that doesn't tell the time but will make the wearer more aware of its passing. "Stund" means "a brief moment in time," while "Naerwear" means "the act of being present with all your being, in this exact moment."

The idea behind STUND is that all our modern tech, from smartwatches to smartphones, apps, computers, you-name-it, is telling time but in a way that makes us forget to live in the present. Instead, we're always looking ahead to the future or completely disengaged from everything, not present in the moment.

Mindfulness, the team at Naerwear says, is a muscle and, like all muscles, it needs constant training to be in top shape. Work the muscle and offer it the right kind of nutrition, and you're Schwarzenegger; be a couch potato and throw fitness and nutrition out the window, and you're Spongebob Squarepants. The same applies to the "muscle" of mindfulness.

Just to be clear, STUND does keep time, so calling it a watch isn't a misnomer. It just doesn't tell it. Instead, the piece offers four cycles to choose from (15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes), each marked on the dial with a small hole and an LED light, and a single crown button allowing you to choose your favorite. This button is also the on and off button, so you can turn off your STUND at night.

You choose your cycle depending on the activity you're doing or whatever mood you're going for, and the piece will gently vibrate on your wrist once the time is up. Say you want 15 minutes of mindless scrolling on your phone: you set up STUND at 15 minutes, and it will vibrate when you should put the phone down. You're working on a deadline, so you set a 60-minute cycle so you can get about your job uninterrupted.

If this rings familiar, it's because it’s the same principle behind the Pomodoro app on Windows, which is meant to enhance productivity by allowing you to set tasks and allot time intervals for them. The difference, though, is startling in that STUND does it by stripping all the tech and the "fluff" off.

The piece is milled from a single piece of high-grade 316 stainless steel, smoothed to a mirror finish, and treated against corrosion. This single block is cut with geometric tolerances for the ideal weight ratio and to amplify the vibrations at each set cycle, and the styling evokes Scandinavian minimalism.

STUND sits on a genuine leather strap (but vegan options are also available, so don't fret) that goes under the piece to create the impression that it's floating on your wrist. Its 41mm diameter and 50g (1.7 oz) weight make it a unisex piece, while the various color options for the strap allow you to mix and match. That said, you will need a screwdriver to replace the strap.

Each piece comes with a 3V coin cell battery CR2032 that's good for five months and can be easily swapped. The piece itself is rated IP54, so it can withstand the occasional splash and is dust-protected. Once you set a cycle, you can't pause the watch because, what do you know?!, you can't pause time either. Turning off the piece is the only way to make the vibrations stop.

Described as "a timepiece that doesn't just mark time; it makes you feel it," STUND aims to make you "be present, not just punctual," offering you an exact appreciation of the time passed so you can make the most of it. The idea of not telling the time ties in with the fact that awareness – and ultimately mindfulness – is the sole goal of the piece. Telling time would just put pressure on the wearer, and that's not conducive to attaining mindfulness.

STUND launched with a very successful crowdfunding campaign this month with a special price of $199/€185. Naerwear estimates deliveries for backers will start in February 2024 and will conclude in March, after which the piece should go into mass production for wide availability.