Why Circles?

December 22, 2020 1 Comment

We recently received an amazing review from well know watch expert, Patrick Kansa over at Wrist Watch Review. If you haven’t had a chance to read it, I highly suggest you take a look when you get a chance. Patrick was able to touch on a handful of the traits that we pride ourselves with - the high quality materials, automatic movement, reasonable price point, etc. But interestingly enough, after spending time with the watches, he decided to title the article, “Going in circles with Jon Oscar Vanguard” because of the extensive use of circles in our product.

We have had a number of people ask us about the circular theme, but until now, we haven’t spoke about it publicly. Upon looking at the watch details, you’ll notice how prevalent the circle theme is with the Vanguard Collection. Starting with the overall feel - a rounded case with soft edges draws you in and from there we have the spherical shape all over the watch. From the crown, to the hands, the slope of the dial and even into the foundation of our company with the logo - there are circles everywhere. Why did we decide to go this route?

Symbolically speaking, a circle is a universal symbol with a plethora of different meanings. It can range from protection, to perfection, to eternity, or timelessness. When deciding the basis of Jon Oscar, we thought all of these represented our brand image quite well, and decided to push the theme throughout our entire company. I’m sure you’ve read about our legacy and what we are striving to create, and stemming off that, we believe that a circle represents that vision and goal.

Nadia Julien from The Mammoth Dictionary of Symbols: Understanding the Hidden Language of Symbols described it perfectly:

“It implies an idea of movement, and symbolizes the cycle of time, the perpetual motion of everything that moves, the planets’ journey around the sun (the circle of the zodiac), the great rhythm of the universe. The circle is also zero in our system of numbering, and symbolizes potential, or the embryo. It has a magical value as a protective agent, and indicates the end of the process of individuation, of striving towards a psychic wholeness and self-realization” (Julien, 71)

But then, we have another hidden message associated with our logo and overall aesthetic of the timepiece. The Jon Oscar character is a world traveling gentleman that pursues his passions ardently, stopping at nothing to reach the goals that he sets out to accomplish. The watch was designed and branded as a coexistence between different societies, and the overlapping circles of our logo mimics this symbiotic relationship of various communities and cultures around the world. By creating this baseline of our company, we hope to encourage others to live by and replicate the ideals and goals that we so passionately strive to achieve here at Jon Oscar.

We’d love to hear what you think of our watch, the circles, and everything we’ve spoken about thus far. Please leave a comment below or get in touch! And don’t forget to create your own legacy.