Design house Cloister Watch Company™ crafts custom timepieces from watches of both vintage and modern origin.
Cloister oversees the disassembly and customization of luxury watches—some valued at over $100,000—with restoration and re-assembly executed by by specialists Cloister hires from across the globe. Of course, watches are designed to spec—a collaboration between founder Cooper Zelnick & his clientelle.
Cloister™ also sports a museum-like vintage collection that remains gleefully unpurchaseable.
The Brief
Scope of Work
︎ Creative Direction
︎ Brand Design
︎ Web Design
︎ Imaging
︎ Copy Editing
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 Rolex’s and JLC's could be customized to client spec.
Marketing remains word-of-mouth; Cloister needed a space to showcase their portfolio, build trust, and spark inspiration for clients.
Marketing remains word-of-mouth; Cloister needed a space to showcase their portfolio, build trust, and spark inspiration for clients.
To start, Cloister founder Cooper Zelnick and I developed the messaging and identity. Wristwatch enthusiasts like to know the history of timepieces, to fawn over their mechanics, rarity, and beauty. We wanted to provide in all those areas.
The Cloister website serves only to inspire future clientele to develop ideas of their own, with an option for collectors to read deeper into
featured stories of watch metamorphosis.
Photographer Lillian Przedecki made art of the product shots, bringing to life a sense of timeless luxury and tactile originality.
The Cloister website serves only to inspire future clientele to develop ideas of their own, with an option for collectors to read deeper into
featured stories of watch metamorphosis.
Photographer Lillian Przedecki made art of the product shots, bringing to life a sense of timeless luxury and tactile originality.
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.
Brand Promise
Reshape Time.
Pitch
Re-imagine rare wristwatches.
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.
Brand Promise
Reshape Time.
Pitch
Re-imagine rare wristwatches.
For the brand identity, we wanted something 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; when someone bought it straight off his wrist he was forced to make another. And another. Just Orange became the accent color, a constant reminder of the true reason Cloister exists—creative expression.
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Cloister contains a world of content, every timepiece bearing personality of it’s own—a taste & quality guaranteed by collaboration with Cooper Zelnick.
Check out the Cloister website here.
Signature Sigil displays Cooper’s initials
within an hourglass shape
