The Millimetro by Trifoglio Italia: An Italian Mechanical Watch Where the Dial Rotates to Tell Time

Trifoglio Italia

Displaying Time, Minutes, and Seconds with Rotating Discs
The Unique Mechanical Watch: "Millimetro"

Trifoglio Italia is a watch brand founded by Alessandro Baldieri, who transitioned from interior designer and architect to watch design. Since its inception, the company has focused on manufacturing rotating disc watches inspired by Baldieri's diverse career. Among its offerings, the "Millimetro" series, which seamlessly integrates into any setting, from the office to everyday life, has garnered significant acclaim.

Text by OZAKI Sayaka

A Novel Style Where Time is Expressed Through a "Moving Dial"

Trifoglio Italia's "MILLIMETRO" is a watch that utilizes a unique rotating disc system. Three discs, each indicating hours, minutes, and seconds, rotate, and the time is read by the numbers indicated by the red line positioned at the 12 o'clock position.

This distinctive timepiece is based on inspirations drawn from Alessandro Baldieri's career, which spans architecture, interior design, and various other fields. While working in architecture, Baldieri discovered that the world's oldest mechanical watches featured rotating discs, and that mechanical watches depicted in Renaissance paintings also used this format. This led him to establish a brand centered around the rotating disc watch.

Regarding his sources of inspiration, Baldieri shares, "I believe part of the 'Millimetro' design originated from motorcycle speedometers. However, a significant portion of the design hints come from the image of a tool I frequently used as an architect: the road measurer (a wheel-shaped distance meter)." The road measurer, though invented in ancient Roman times, disappeared during Europe's Dark Ages. It was rediscovered and reinvented by Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century and has since been used in architecture and surveying.

Baldieri himself used this road measurer to measure distances on interior design and architectural projects. Inspired by how the dial on the gauge rotated to display distances in millimeters, he named the watch "Millimetro," which means millimeter in Italian.

This model features a case crafted from 316L stainless steel and is powered by a Miyota Cal. 8215 automatic movement. The crystal is K1 glass, which is more scratch-resistant than standard mineral glass, enhanced with a sapphire coating for increased durability. Additionally, a sector-shaped magnifying lens at the 12 o'clock position ensures easy readability of the time numerals. The dial is available in three colors: black, white, and vintage white. These can be paired with either a leather strap or a stainless steel mesh bracelet, offering a wide range of variations.

In the United States, the watch gained popularity among car and motorcycle enthusiasts after being featured in the automotive magazine "Jalopnik." Meanwhile, in Italy, it has become a fashion item, particularly among young women. Its unique design allows it to complement the wearer's individuality, blending seamlessly into any occasion, whether at the office or in casual settings.