Skip to content
mobile static header
 

Google Pixel Watch

custom typefacetechnology

Launched at the Made by Google event in October, 2022, Google's first foray into smartwatches required an equally intelligent type system to go alongside it. Designed to complement the primary typeface, Google Sans, Colophon designed a limited 0-9 character set variable font which would be exported as four static instances for four corresponding watch face design variations. 

Typeface
GW Variable
Comissioner
Google
Year
2022
Styles
Variable
Coverage
Redacted Number Set
Classification
Display
URL
store.google.com
Heavily inspired by traditional pilot-style watches, the type used a uniquely flexible design system ranging from a narrow, gas-pipe style typeface to a wide and bubbly type. Three variable axes — Weight, Width & Rounding — allowed the Google design team to test the parameters of each customizable style, finally landing on four different watch faces available to users, all using a static cut of the variable typeface:
1 — Luxury
luxury1
luxury2
luxury3
luxury4
A classical watch face displaying all twelve numerals. Additional “complications” (set in Google Sans) include localised times, heart rate, pedometer and weather.
watch outline overview
watch outline closeup
watch outline closeup
watch outline overview
2 — Field
field1
field2
field3
field4
A contemporary, quick-view design with a focus on accessibility. ‘Field’ includes a 24 hour variant that switches between numerals 1-12 and 12-24 as it moves from AM to PM.
3 — Modern Pilot
pilot 1
pilot 2
pilot 3
pilot5
pilot4
A contemporary take on the traditional pilot watch face design — even including smaller, rotated numbers in between 12, 3, 6 & 9.
4 — Diver
diver 1
diver 2
diver 3
diver 4
“Diver” uses a set of custom designed indices and contains almost no typography, with some variants including small tertiary numbers in a bold and rounded cut. An AOD (Always on Display) variant uses inline indices to save on battery (thinner lines = less pixels activated = more battery saved)

Recent Custom Projects

View all
canva cover
Canva
Let’s Work Together

To talk to us about your project, please get in touch.

Get in Touch
Contact illustration