The technology incubator and the designer show the 4N by developing a new Sapphire case with Dassault Systèmes 3D Design software.
As part of its incubation program, the FashionLab – Dassault Systèmes innovation laboratory dedicated to luxury – has renewed its collaboration with the well-known designer François Quentin for his 4N Brand to introduce a new 3D experience during BaselWorld 2015.
A new Sapphire case
This season, the designer François Quentin wanted to bring a development in the design of the watch MTV 4N-01 through a new Sapphire case. The concept was to display the movement of this exceptional timepiece with transparency.
“I wanted to create a new Sapphire case to magnify the three-dimensional movement of the watch. The idea was to highlight the mechanism. Transparency was the key of this new project”, explains François Quentin.
François Quentin then worked closely with the FashionLab to develop this new model, thanks to Dassault Systèmes 3D design software. The aim was not only to manage this material and its impact on visual effects, but also to calculate the impact generated on the shape of the case.
An evolution of design
The project became live in two steps: a first step dedicated to the design of the new case in 3D, based on the new material (Sapphire) and the impact on the overall shape of the case. François Quentin used the Dassault Systèmes 3DEXPERIENCE platform on Cloud to imagine, design and build this new version of the watch. “My Product Portfolio on Cloud” technology enabled fast deployment and fully integrated 3D digital continuity to cover all stages of development of the watch.
The second step was to validate the effects of transparency while maintaining an extremely reliable rendering quality. For that, the FashionLab and François Quentin combined forces with the company’s NVIDIA experts in visual computing, to adopt a high-performance tool dedicated to graphic quality and faster calculation time.
“It was a real technical challenge because a Sapphire case requires hundreds of hours of processing. The Sapphire is almost as complex as the diamond. It was therefore essential to digitally validate the shape before starting manufacturing. In addition, 3D modeling of transparency is a real challenge because it brings calculation complexity”,said François Quentin.
FashionLab and NVIDIA have therefore worked with François Quentin to reach a quality similar to reality.
Thierry Rouf, 3D Expert at the FashionLab by Dassault Systèmes explains:
“The Visual Computing Appliance (VCA) tool provided by NVIDIA is materialized by a 3D calculation server installed in our office near Paris. During Basel World, we will access this tool through a simple Internet connection. Through this physical calculation platform and the developments in our 3D CATIA design software, we will be able to remotely and dynamically view, in photorealistic quality, all components of this new watch.”
Discover the new 4N at BaselWorld
The new Sapphire cased watch will be presented during the BaselWorld 2015 through a physical prototype and a 3D photo realistic display. 4N will be exhibited at the Ramada Plaza hotel, on the top floor, from 18 to 26 March 2015.