Designing the Perfect Apple Watch Dock
This article explores the design process, thought process, and the motivation behind the Proper Apple Watch Dock. Available for purchase here.
The Apple Watch was one of the most talked about tech products when it first launched back in 2015, causing everyone to jump on the wearables bandwagon; from the luxury Rolex Oyster-Tron to the controversial Snapchat Spectacles.
But while Apple Watch sales have continued to thrive, we noticed the lack of well-designed accessories to support the device while it’s not in use. The team at Studio Proper began to collect notes on what we wanted from an Apple Watch dock, issues we could address, problems we could solve.
Then we solved them…
Meet the Proper Apple Watch Dock
A simple and elegant companion for your Apple Watch, designed with premium materials.
We realised that we had a hook for our keys, a shelf for our wallet, and a stand for our phone, but nowhere to safely and securely rest and charge our Apple Watch. So we designed one. The Watch Dock is designed to be a home for your Apple Watch, a reliable place to securely charge your watch overnight at your bedside, or at your desk throughout the work day.
It is small, sturdy, and machined from solid aluminium; making it a beautiful, sculptural object both while in use, and also while idle.
The Design Process
Taking our first baby steps towards a range of Proper charging accessories, the Apple Watch Dock was a huge passion project for the team.
It has to be simple, it has to be sturdy, it has to be reliable, and it definitely has to be cute. Like a tiny Iron Giant — an Aluminium Small?
You Better Shape Up
We started with a basic idea of shape. An angle that kept the Apple Watch in place soley with the strength of the magnetic charger, and a form that gives the object enough visual strength to stand firmly on its own.
It looked something like this.
The ‘legs’ were eventually removed to allow for an adhesive base, and cable routing was amended to the rear of the dock.
The result was this curvaceous cutey, with only two flat faces and a soft silicone landing for the Apple Watch to rest against comfortably.
Just Scratching the Surface
The Watch Dock was designed alongside the Proper iPhone Desk Stand, and came at the beginning of an era for us to look at potential colourways, broadening our horizons (ever-so-slightly) from our previously stark solid silver-only aluminium finishes.
We trialled every different finish and material that we could imagine, ultimately striving to find the balance between something eye-catching & interesting, and something timeless; something that you won’t get tired of looking at in a year’s time, and something that will fit synonymously into every decor.
We settled on two colour ways for both of these products. Gold / Navy & Silver / Black.
Small Things Considered
Your Bedside Bestie
Most Apple Watch chargers out there are good at doing one thing; charging your watch. This felt like a huge missed opportunity.
The Apple Watch Dock is angled perfectly for the watch’s built in Nightstand Mode. Use your Apple Watch as a compact alarm clock, for weather alerts, and a handy notification centre.
Cables Managed
The Apple Watch charging cable fits perfectly into the body of the Watch Dock with a super simple installation.
Just thread your Apple Watch Cable through the Watch Dock, plug it in, and you’re ready to go.
A Friendly Face
It was important to us that the stand looked just as friendly without the the Apple Watch on it as it did with it, so while you’re wearing your watch throughout the day, the Apple Watch Dock remains a beautiful, friendly object, and a permanent addition to your space.
In The Flesh
The Proper Apple Watch Dock is now a proud member of the Studio Proper family (and also the cutest). Available for purchase here.
You can purchase the Apple Watch Dock on our website →
Visit Studio Proper to find more iPhone and Apple Watch products, and follow @StudioProper on Instagram to stay in the loop.
