Tools for modern watch design
Sign upThis course is for designers and watch enthusiasts who are frustrated with traditional workflows, who care deeply about typography, and who want to uplevel their craft while building flexible systems for rapid ideation.
What you'll learn
Dial design
Layout, hands, and visual systems that scale across concepts.
Rapid prototyping
Iterate dozens of variants quickly using Figma and components.
Watch typography
Build custom variable fonts with ink traps optimized for legibility at small sizes.
Tools & plugins
Build radial systems and speed up iteration with custom tools.
Efficient sketching
Explore many directions fast with lightweight sketch workflows.
Test sizing & spacing
Real time previews at 1:1 scale to test sizing before production.
Approach
This is a visual design course focused on dial design. We'll learn to use two different pieces of software. Figma to build a component system for watch design and Glyphs to create a custom variable typeface for watch dials. We'll work together live, sketching, iterating, building a watch dial from scratch. The emphasis of this course is on craft, and establishing a repeatable system for building watches efficiently.
Watch typography
We design numerals and scales specifically for dial sizes, using ink traps, spurs, and softened terminals that hold up when printed small. You’ll learn how to size, space, and test typography for real-world production.
- Draw custom numerals optimized for small sizes
- Build consistent hours and minutes systems
- Legibility testing and production considerations
Component-based systems
We assemble dials as reusable components in Figma. Markers, numerals, tracks, and hands become a modular kit so you can explore dozens of variants in minutes.
- Radial components with rotation offsets
- Library setup for hands, tracks, and markers
- Fast iteration with custom plugins
Who is this class for?
- Professionals frustrated with slow repetative tools like Illustrator
- Designers who want to explore custom watch typography
- Enthusiasts curious about watch design who want a clear starting point
- Designers already making dials who want to iterate much faster and with greater efficiency
What is the format of the class?
- 1:1 sessions over Zoom, 60 minutes
- We will work directly in Figma using a custom plugin to build radial design systems
- You leave with a working file, countless iterations, and an understanding of how to build your own custom watch design system
Outcomes
- A modular dial system you can reuse across concepts
- Confidence sizing hands, markers, and type for real-world production
- Technique for creating custom numerals optimized for small sizes
Selected work
My background
My name is Ian Cox and I’m a watch designer and product designer based in New York City. I began my watch design career at HODINKEE, where I designed limited‑edition watches and collaborated with well‑known Swiss, German, and Japanese brands.
I have a background in graphic design and typography, and studied graphic design and type design at RISD. I bring typographic rigor and systems thinking to dial design.
Collaborations include Grand Seiko, NOMOS, TAG Heuer, Swatch, Merci, Laurent Ferrier, Flik Flak, Oris, and Timex.
Classes are limited
Join the waitlist to be notified when new workshop opportunities become available.
Prefer email? Write to ian@iancox.com.