AndoAndoAndo Vintage Computer Automatic Watch

AndoAndoAndo Vintage 9-Track Computer Automatic

An old mainframe computer on your wrist? Exactly.

AndoAndoAndo proves once again that inspiration for a watch can be found practically anywhere. This time, designer Yu Ando returned to memories of old sci-fi films and series filled with massive computers, blinking indicator lights, and rotating magnetic tapes.

The result is a watch inspired by the 9-track magnetic tape drives used in computer systems like the IBM System/360. And the similarity definitely doesn't end with just the colors.

What time is it, really?

Don't look for classic hands here. Time is displayed by three separate rotating discs, whose movement recalls the reels of old magnetic tape drives.

The largest cream-colored disc with three openings displays the seconds, and its shape directly resembles a magnetic tape reel. You read the minutes using the cream element on the outer side of the dial, while the hours are shown by a separate silver disc in the center.

The final version features a silver electroplated hour disc with a longer matte marker, which differs from the first photographed prototypes.

It takes a moment to get used to this way of reading the time. And that is a huge part of this watch's charm.

Details like an old computer

The cream color is no coincidence. It refers to the typical shade of plastic parts from old computing technology. We find the same inspiration on the dial ring, where the individual markers are designed based on the buttons and indicator lights of period computer panels.

At the 12, 3, 6, and 9 o'clock positions, we find white elements complemented by small red, green, and blue indicators. Moreover, these color details are hand-painted.

The result is not a literal miniature of a computer, but a clever interpretation of its visual language.

Miyota 9039 Premium Automatic

Powering the unusual time display is the proven Japanese automatic caliber Miyota 9039 Premium Automatic.

The movement operates at a frequency of 28,800 vibrations per hour and offers a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Thanks to the sapphire case back, you can watch it at work.

The case has unconventional proportions of 41 mm in width and just 36 mm lug-to-lug, so despite its bold design, it remains very compact on the wrist. The height is 10.7 mm.

The top of the case is fastened with four visible screws, the front is protected by sapphire glass with an internal anti-reflective coating, and we also find sapphire on the back. Water resistance is 5 ATM, and the watch is delivered on a leather strap.

Why choose the Vintage 9-Track Computer?

Because this isn't another watch trying to resemble a famous model from the 60s or 70s. AndoAndoAndo took completely different inspiration from the same period – the technology itself.

Rotating discs instead of hands, a seconds disc resembling a magnetic tape reel, hand-painted "indicator lights," and the color scheme of old computer terminals create a watch with its own story and, above all, its own identity.

And yet, this is not just a design experiment. Inside, a high-frequency automatic Miyota 9039 is at work, there is sapphire on both sides, and thanks to the short 36mm lug-to-lug, the watch remains very wearable.

It's a bit retro, a bit sci-fi, and a lot of AndoAndoAndo. An old computer on your wrist that stores time instead of data.

AndoAndoAndo is a watch brand founded in 2020 by Yu Ando, a Japanese designer living in Finland.

Yu founded the brand with the goal of creating watches that are gender-neutral, timeless, and fun. The brand focuses on mid-sized watches suitable for both men's and women's wrists. In addition, it offers watches that can be worn hands-free, and even dials decorated with crystals. AndoAndoAndo strives to make the watch industry inclusive and offer products for everyone.

AndoAndoAndo seeks to impress with its versatility and attention to detail, refreshing the traditional concept of watch design.