Who ever said that time travels in a straight line? This Italian-designed timepiece is a unique and affordable addition to any contemporary wardrobe.

 Ora Unica is Italian for “unique time”, and the appearance of this wristwatch does not belie its name.

What catches the eye immediately with the Ora Unica is the quirky dial layout. At first glance, it looks like a toddler took a pen to the dial and squiggled a line onto it. Or a piece of spaghetti fell onto it. But there is a method to the apparent madness.

One end of the line marks the hour, while the other end of the line marks the time. How can these two ends move independently, you might ask? You’d be right to ask the question, because they can’t.

What looks like a single squiggly line is, in fact, the result of two independent lines that have been combined. Each is printed on a transparent disc that sits on the dial, thus allowing for the keeping track of the minutes and hours independently.

As impressive as the dial is on the 36mm stainless steel Ora Unica, the price is also very appealing. You can get your hands on one – or even two if you opt for the while model – somewhere in the low 100 euro range each.

The unique timepiece is the creation of Italian designer Denis Guidone, and is manufactured by the equally Italian brand Nava Design. For those unfamiliar, Nava has been around since 1970 and has developed into a lifestyle brand that also makes bags, accessories, stationary, and of course watches.

What I like about Nava is that the company has successfully leveraged the expertise of fresh designers, much like with Denis Guidone and the Ora Unica. That has resulted in a diverse and eye-catching product line that goes beyond mere fashion and puts contemporary design at its center.