THE BRIEF
Scope of Work
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Creative Direction
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Brand Development
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Brand Identity Design
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Book Design
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Copyediting
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Engraving Design
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Photo & Imaging
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Print Design
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Web Design & Development
Cloister oversees the disassembly and customization of luxury watches with restoration and re-assembly executed by specialists across the globe. Each piece is designed to spec—a collaboration between founder Cooper Zelnick & his clientele. Cloister also sports a museum-like vintage collection unavailable for purchase.
At first, Cloister watches were a hobby, purchased "off the wrist" if someone liked what they saw and inquired. Over time, word got out that luxury brand watches such as Rolex® and Jaeger LeCoultre® could be customized.
Aesthetically, Cloister favors mid-century watches, so our goal was to design an identity that could sit comfortably next to legendary brands while maintaining what is unique about the Cloister mindset.
Messaging
Mission
Cloister exists to transform rare + historic wristwatches into custom tailored timepieces. Collaboration and craftsmanship fuel successful men and women to see their visions realized.
Vision
Honor the past; shape the future.
Promise
Reshape Time.
Pitch
Re-imagine rare wristwatches.
Product Photography
To capture the details of these wristwatches, we brought in specialist Lillian Przedecki to make art of the product shots. Every watch was painstakingly positioned and lit to reduce glare and showcase the pieces in tactile environments. Our team completed additional imaging to set the photos into the Cloister brand, for use in print and web.
The word Cloister is defined as a covered walk in a convent, monastery, college, or cathedral, typically with a wall on one side and a colonnade open to a quadrangle on the other. To speak to this, we designed a logomark that emulated a cloister archway that opened on four sides toward the middle, signifying both the open quadrangle courtyard and the four primary positions of the watch face; 12, 3, 6, 9.
The logotype was both a nod to classic watch brand typography and an opportunity to incorporate the cloister arch, hinted at in the E and R letterforms.
Visual Identity
The brand anchor of ”Midcentury Medieval” informed an aesthetic that felt both patient and alive. The only given was a color—Just Orange. Cooper had mixed this color for the first custom watch he built for himself.
Given that Cooper himself is such an integral part of the Cloister process, we designed a signature “Zelnick” mark fusing the letters C & Z with an hourglass shape, used to prove the final product has the Zelnick seal of approval.
Cloister exists to transform rare & historic wristwatches into custom tailored timepieces. Collaboration and craftsmanship fuel successful men and women to see their visions realized.
"Blacksmith forged a brand that seamlessly aligns with our core design principles and, crucially, resonates with our increasingly discerning clientele. Their work not only serves as a stunning showcase for our products but also plays a pivotal role in guiding our product roadmap and shaping the overarching design language across all aspects of our work.
Their steadfast support has been instrumental in achieving an outstanding return on investment. It has empowered us to nurture and share our brand with an ever-expanding community of watch collectors and enthusiasts, thus propelling the successful evolution of our brand on a national scale."
— Cooper Zelnick, Founder
Book Design
In addition to the traditional digital presence that we work with, Cloister also requested a physical portfolio in the form of a 130 page 12"x12" coffee table book with custom binding—a gift and source of inspiration only available to Cloister clientele.
Web Design & Development
The Cloister website serves only to inspire future clientele to develop ideas of their own, with an option for collectors to read more deeply into featured stories of watch metamorphosis. This online portfolio serves as a point of reference when new watches are being designed, inspiring clients to come up with their own unique ideas about how vintage and luxury timepieces can be reimagined.
