The renowned British designer Jony Iveresponsible for some of the products Apple as iconic as the iPhonehas created a new flashlight for navigation at sea. He has done it together with the Japanese firm Balmudaknown for its minimalist design appliances. The result is the Sailing Lanternan exclusive nautical lantern that is only available for sale 1,000 unitsat the price of 3,200 euros each one.
The idea arose, according to Ive, from a personal need. Sailing enthusiast for years, looking for a portable LED flashlight for his yacht. ‘I would have bought one, but there is simply nothing like it on the market. So I spent two years designing it‘, he explained to Boat International.
The design recovers the essence of the old Fresnel lampscommon on ships of yesteryear and used both for general lighting on deck or interior and as a means of maritime signaling. Ive’s has a faceted screen that projects light over long distances and a metal protector that protects the glass from impacts. But the designer has reinterpreted the set with current materials: marine grade stainless steel, gold finishes and one textured polyester webbing Able to resist sun, salt and oil.
‘Our flashlight was created to withstand maritime conditions. Although the materials and architecture are new, it maintains a comforting familiarity with nautical lamps of the past, designed to survive demanding environments,’ notes Ive.
The biggest challenge was light. I’ve wanted you to convey the same warmth and emotional resonance of a real flame. To achieve this, the team combined Red and white LEDs that are mixed in different proportions. Thus, with a single flower shaped buttonthe flashlight can go from a warm, dim glow to a bright white light. When turned off, gradually fadeslike a candle that goes out. The Sailing Lantern has been designed to last a lifetime and it’s easy to dismantle, repair and maintain.
Since he founded his studio LoveFrom In 2019, after almost thirty years at Apple, Ive has applied his approach sober and meticulous to projects of all kinds: record players, Moncler jackets or even origami clown noses for Red Nose Day.
His most recent work has put him in the headlines again: a collaboration with OpenAI to develop a new artificial intelligence device.