ReMastred

ReMastered (formerly Manawa) is a watch concept created entirely from recycled CDs. As the music industry has shifted toward digital platforms and streaming services such as Spotify®, physical media like CDs are being used less and less. As a result, millions of discs are slowly turning into a new type of waste product, even though they once carried music, memories, and cultural value. At the same time, many people still have albums that mean something to them. A favorite CD might remind you of a certain period in your life, a concert you attended, or simply music that shaped your taste. Even if the disc is no longer used for listening, it often feels wrong to simply throw it away. ReMastered was created from this idea: giving old CDs a second life by transforming them into something personal and meaningful. Through the ReMastered service, a customer can send in their favorite CD and have it turned into a fully customized watch. In this way, a piece of that album can stay with them every day, not as something stored on a shelf, but as a wearable object. The goal is to combine emotional value with sustainable design by reusing a material that would otherwise be discarded. Each watch is carefully designed so that it subtly reflects the identity of the original album. Elements from the cover artwork, colors, or graphic details can be incorporated into the design of the dial or other parts of the watch. This allows the watch to represent the character of the album while still maintaining a clean and timeless aesthetic. The result is a personal object that feels refined and unique, rather than looking like typical band merchandise. The production process is carried out in-house. The CDs are first melted down and reworked into new forms that can be used for the watch components. From there, the parts are fabricated and assembled with care to create the final product. To ensure precision and reliability, the watches use high-quality Japanese watch movements. ReMastered is not only about creating a watch, but also about telling a story about music, memory, and material reuse. By transforming an outdated medium into a functional and meaningful object, the project explores how design can extend the life of materials while preserving the emotional connection people have with them. At the moment, the project is still in development.