Field Notes
September 22, 2026
Field Notes #003
Tahoma is here.
Tahoma, in the metal
The first assembled prototype has now arrived here in Seattle.
I’ve spent so much time with this design that its shape already feels familiar. Still, winding it for the first time and seeing the seconds hand move across the dial was a moment worth pausing for. All those small decisions now belong to something I can pick up, wear, and get to know.
The first assembled prototype has now arrived here in Seattle.
I’ve spent so much time with this design that its shape already feels familiar. Still, winding it for the first time and seeing the seconds hand move across the dial was a moment worth pausing for. All those small decisions now belong to something I can pick up, wear, and get to know.
The first impression
The first thing I wanted to understand was how the watch would feel as a whole. I had already checked the dimensions through drawings and printed models, but those could only tell me so much about the finished piece.
At 36 mm across and 44 mm from lug to lug, Tahoma was designed to sit comfortably within the wrist. My first impression is that the compact proportions have carried through well. There is enough detail to hold my attention up close, while the overall watch stays simple at a normal viewing distance.
The first thing I wanted to understand was how the watch would feel as a whole. I had already checked the dimensions through drawings and printed models, but those could only tell me so much about the finished piece.
At 36 mm across and 44 mm from lug to lug, Tahoma was designed to sit comfortably within the wrist. My first impression is that the compact proportions have carried through well. There is enough detail to hold my attention up close, while the overall watch stays simple at a normal viewing distance.
The dial, revisited
In the previous edition, I wrote about the uncertainty around the dial texture. The reference was pavement after rain in the Pacific Northwest, and the question was whether that character would survive the move from a render to a manufactured surface.
Seeing it in person has been reassuring. The texture is present without overwhelming the dial. As the light moves across it, the grain becomes more visible, then settles back into a quieter black surface. It gives the watch something to look at without making the face feel busy.
The applied numerals and markers also look clean to the naked eye. Their reflective edges bring definition to the textured background, and the contrast feels more natural in person than I could judge from the factory photographs.
Some of those earlier photographs raised questions about alignment and lume application. I still want to examine those details carefully before drawing conclusions. For now, the encouraging part is how cleanly the dial reads when I simply look down to check the time.
In the previous edition, I wrote about the uncertainty around the dial texture. The reference was pavement after rain in the Pacific Northwest, and the question was whether that character would survive the move from a render to a manufactured surface.
Seeing it in person has been reassuring. The texture is present without overwhelming the dial. As the light moves across it, the grain becomes more visible, then settles back into a quieter black surface. It gives the watch something to look at without making the face feel busy.
The applied numerals and markers also look clean to the naked eye. Their reflective edges bring definition to the textured background, and the contrast feels more natural in person than I could judge from the factory photographs.
Some of those earlier photographs raised questions about alignment and lume application. I still want to examine those details carefully before drawing conclusions. For now, the encouraging part is how cleanly the dial reads when I simply look down to check the time.
Steel and leather
The assembled prototype also answers a question I left open last time: how the materials would feel together.
The brushed case and textured dial give Tahoma much of its character, while the leather strap keeps the overall combination understated. I’m pleased with how those parts sit alongside one another now that I can see them in the same light.
The strap is still quite stiff, though. It needs some time on the wrist before I can properly judge how it settles and whether its thickness feels right for the case. That is one of the details I’ll be paying attention to over the next couple of weeks.
The assembled prototype also answers a question I left open last time: how the materials would feel together.
The brushed case and textured dial give Tahoma much of its character, while the leather strap keeps the overall combination understated. I’m pleased with how those parts sit alongside one another now that I can see them in the same light.
The strap is still quite stiff, though. It needs some time on the wrist before I can properly judge how it settles and whether its thickness feels right for the case. That is one of the details I’ll be paying attention to over the next couple of weeks.
What happens next?
The next step is to spend time wearing Tahoma through ordinary days. I’ll be checking comfort, legibility, winding and setting, and how the strap breaks in. Alongside that, I’ll inspect the finishing and assembly more closely and put together one consolidated feedback list for the workshop.
The first impression is encouraging, but I want to give myself enough time to notice the things that are easy to miss when a prototype has just arrived. Those observations will help determine what needs to be refined before production.
In the next Field Notes, I'll share what I've learned from wearing Tahoma and the details I plan to refine. As a subscriber, you'll continue to receive these updates before they're shared publicly.
Thank you for following along. If there's a detail you'd like to see more closely, just hit reply. Every email comes directly to me.
See you in the next Field Notes!
Sanggil
The next step is to spend time wearing Tahoma through ordinary days. I’ll be checking comfort, legibility, winding and setting, and how the strap breaks in. Alongside that, I’ll inspect the finishing and assembly more closely and put together one consolidated feedback list for the workshop.
The first impression is encouraging, but I want to give myself enough time to notice the things that are easy to miss when a prototype has just arrived. Those observations will help determine what needs to be refined before production.
In the next Field Notes, I'll share what I've learned from wearing Tahoma and the details I plan to refine. As a subscriber, you'll continue to receive these updates before they're shared publicly.
Thank you for following along. If there's a detail you'd like to see more closely, just hit reply. Every email comes directly to me.
See you in the next Field Notes!
Sanggil
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