A new timepiece project by Anicorn Watches, the company behind the successful Series 000 and Series K452 watches, has more than doubled its Kickstarter target and is heading into production. The watch itself is called the Hidden Time watch, and is part of the Trio of Time concept, a world-spanning design project.

The Trio of Time is a plan that involves three cities – the first one being Seoul, South Korea – and in each city the company will collaborate with a local designer to create a new timepiece based on their unique interpretation of time perception. Jiwoong Jung is the industrial designer behind the first unit, which is designed to hide time outside the moment, to keep users in the “now”, so as time slips by the numbers fade out, and as it approaches the numbers appear.

“My research on how to naturally pass time began with how hiding occurs in nature, which led me to one of the best known examples, the chameleon’s protective color” explained Jiwoong.

A pledge gets customers a watch for USD 128 (compared to the eventual retail price of USD 283). Units will come in black, silver or rose gold, all with a 39mm stainless steel encasing which has been designed as a multisex piece (there’s also a range of straps to pick from). Backers of the first watch will then eventually be able to vote on which city the Trio of Time visits for the next design.

Most wrist watch innovations these days usually offer a high tech functionality, like the hydration tracker and the smart wristband which tests for alcohol levels in the blood. Are traditional watches becoming a thing of the past?