UAE watch designer Amjad Al-Haj called himself a time sculptor – News

Time has endless possibilities. It can hurt. It can heal. It may be liquid. Sometimes it can feel fixed. Philosophers in the Western and Arab world have written numerous works about time and how we map our evolution, keeping it at the center of our existence. Taking this idea further, UAE resident and clock sculptor Amjad AlHaj has designed an intricate clock that speaks to how we understand time in all its forms.

Take, for example, his creation Big bang it’s part of the “Secrets of the Universe” collection that Amjad will be showing at Downtown Design from November 6 to 9. Blending art and science, this exquisite timepiece is inspired by the cosmic event that shaped the universe. Another Supernova watch that will be on display at Downtown Design perfectly captures the majesty of a star exploding. In short, Amjad’s work speaks of time as something that witnesses the evolution of the cosmic world.

“It started from my childhood,” says the Jordanian when we ask him about the reasons for his interest in watches as works of art. “I was lucky to have an environment where I could showcase my talent in art. I was allowed to draw on the walls. They gave me paints and brushes so I could express myself. In fact, my father also taught me how to use construction tools, such as a hammer or a screwdriver, and my mother was an artist herself.” This, along with an early education that prioritized art, helped Amjad become immersed in architecture, which eventually paved the way for his work making watches.

An important caveat to all of his watches is that they are designed from an aesthetic rather than a functional point of view. “I’m not a watchmaker,” he says. “Technically, I cannot design a watch that will tell time. But I can create a watch aesthetic. I use a Swiss supplier who provides me with the mechanism to start my watch. We also use other specialist services to help solve complex horological aspects of watches. What I create are essentially watch sculptures.”

One such complex and evocative piece of art is the NAFFCO Clock Tower. The 13-metre tall clock, which now stands firmly in the heart of Jebel Ali, was commissioned by then NAFFCO chairman Khalid Al-Khatib, who “wanted a monument that would reflect the spirit of his company.” Amjad created the clock using steel and granite and the numbers were created using the former. It represents time as a never-ending phenomenon that transcends all human endeavor.

The Downtown Design exhibition will feature his latest creations dedicated to cosmology. “Every creation has a story, a certain feeling and a connection with people. I want to be able to create the Dubai Clock, to have at least one of my clocks in the center of every city in the world,” says Amjad.

The NAFFCO clock tower is 13 meters high.

This would be a time-consuming task, given that each of his watches takes at least six months to create, and discussions continue over whether they should be solo pieces or a limited-edition collection. As for what actually goes into designing a watch, he says it all starts with an idea—a “concept.” “It can be inspired by flowers, the sky, nature or history. This moment is magical and therefore inexplicable because an idea begins to speak to you. Then I start drawing out the layouts and then start working on the details. Technical details, although taken into account, remain largely secondary.” Sometimes an idea remains vague for months before it takes fuller shape, but Amjad says most of his projects, which typically cost $30,000 or more, are completed within six months. “I have to look at details from different angles. It’s not always about being big, it’s about saying something deep.”

In Big Bang, Amjad used hidden elements.

For example, one of his upcoming works called “Illusion” is a clock that Amjad wants to consider unreadable. In other words, it will be a watch that does not tell time. “There is a concept in science that time is an illusion. Then this function becomes secondary to what I’m trying to do here. Let’s be real: if people really want to know the time, all they have to do is look at their phones or watches. So, a large watch should serve a function that combines art and science,” says Amjad.

And sometimes he deliberately hides motives so that the viewer can notice more subtle nuances. IN Big bang, for example, there are hidden numbers. “The cosmology collection has hidden design elements that make it more interesting,” he says. “The theme of all my projects is centered on time, which later turns into sculptures that do not indicate time. But time is an extremely deep topic. I’m told it’s the most commonly used pronoun in the English language.”

Origin is a simple, well-measured piece of concrete.

Making a watch into art is a rare endeavor. Amjad says he is yet to meet anyone involved in a similar case. “Even when I went to Switzerland to do this collaboration, they told me that they had never seen anything like it before. I think this is largely due to the fact that through my clock sculptures I answer more serious existential questions: where did we come from, where are we going?”

In this sense, what project was the most difficult for him? “Illusion complex because it is organic. Each job has its own challenge, and that’s really the fun part. But I am a firm believer in minimalism as a design philosophy. Sourcefor example, is a simple, well-measured piece of concrete. But a lot of work went into getting the proportions and finish right. Many people will look at it and think it is a simple rectangle. It’s not.” That’s why they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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Anamika Chatterjee

Anamika Chatterjee is Deputy Editor of Khaleej Times. A senior journalist, she leads the arts, culture, entertainment and lifestyle teams across the publication’s print and digital platforms.