Designer Stories: OMG Watch Faces™

Blending a foundation in fine arts with a deep appreciation for thoughtful product design, OMG Watch Faces™ approaches watch face creation as both craft and discipline. With a sketchbook always close at hand, his ideas often begin off-screen, shaped through observation, iteration, and a strong visual instinct.

That process comes through clearly in OMG 91 - Upgrade, the People’s Choice Award winner in the WearOS category at the 2025 Facer Awards. The design stands out not just for how it looks, but for how naturally it fits into everyday use, balancing clarity, function, and style in a way that resonates with the Facer community.

In this month’s Designer Stories, OMG Watch Faces™ shares more about his creative journey and how he approaches building watch faces that push beyond his comfort zone, allowing him to continuously evolve and grow as a designer.

Tell us about yourself! 

Hi! My name is Orlando Manu and I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. Art has always been part of who I am. I studied Fine Arts in high school in Cluj-Napoca, Romania and later graduated in Traditional Art – Graphics.

After finishing university, I felt like I needed a short break from drawing, so I moved into graphic design. I started working on a graphic design job in my hometown.

After some time, I wanted to move back to Cluj-Napoca, so I went to several job interviews and, by coincidence, one of them was focused on watch face design. That’s how my journey started. I discovered a completely new passion and a niche with huge potential.

After three years, I decided I wanted more freedom and to build something of my own. That’s how OMG started and it’s been active for 4 years now, constantly growing. Slowly, I brought drawing back into my life, this time through watch face design.

If you’re wondering where OMG comes from, it’s from my full name: Manu Marius Gregorio Orlando. Not the reaction… although I hope some of my designs create that reaction too.

Fun fact: I always carry a sketchbook with me wherever I go, it’s a part of me and it’s hard to just leave it at home.

What sparked your interest in watch face design, and how did you discover Facer?

Working at that watch design company showed me how powerful this product can be. I was always interested in product design and this felt like a good product because it’s something you can start with just a computer and your imagination.

Also, I’ve always been very good at estimating time, I joke that I’m a human timer so in a way, working with time just makes sense.

I was looking for a platform where I could publish my designs, and that’s how I found Facer. I started by uploading free watch faces. Slowly, my followers grew, the designs started performing better and better and eventually I became a Facer partner.

How does it feel to have your work recognized in the “People's Choice” category for the 2025 Facer Awards?

It feels really good to see that the work I put in is appreciated and recognized. Knowing that people genuinely like what I create gives me even more fuel to design better and push further.

Honestly, I didn’t expect the design to win. I prefer to keep my expectations low and be pleasantly surprised. This one was a very beautiful surprise.

Which of your watch face designs (or collections) are you most proud of and why?

Not all the designs I personally love perform the best and that’s something I’ve learned over time.

Sometimes, a watch face I’m not 100% confident about ends up getting more downloads than one I truly love. So even if I’m not very proud of a design at first, I still release it because I know it might connect with someone else.

It’s also very hard for me to choose just one favorite. I see all my designs as part of my evolution. Naturally, I tend to like my latest designs more because they reflect my current skills and mindset.

But when I look back at older ones, I can still feel their charm. They represent who I was at that moment as a designer and I appreciate them for that.

In general, the designs I’m most proud of are the ones that pushed me out of my comfort zone. The ones where I challenged my skills, tried something new and aimed to push the design further. I feel like the watches shared below really express that part of me.

What inspires your watch face designs? 

Inspiration comes from many places.

I love retro watches, both classic and modern watchmaking, UI design, cars and almost anything related to product design. I also enjoy mixing styles and functionalities. Sometimes I like adding a lot of information to a watch face and sometimes I prefer something very clean and simple.

Often, I start a design directly on paper and just let the ideas flow. Since I’ve been doing this for a long time, I’ve already built a kind of mental library that I can draw from.

To be honest, sometimes I feel like I’m drawn to too many directions and it’s hard to stick to just one direction, but that’s also what keeps things exciting for me.

What’s your design process like? Any specific tools or habits?

Sometimes I start with a sketch on paper. Other times I go straight into Illustrator.

But usually the process looks like this:

Sketch → Illustrator → Photoshop → final effects and refinements.

And of course, lots of small adjustments until everything feels right.

How do you stay inspired when you hit a creative block?

When I hit a creative block, I sometimes revisit older watch faces and try to reinterpret them in a new way. If nothing comes out of that, then it’s usually a sign that I need a break and do something else. Stepping away for a while almost always helps reset my creativity.

Are there any designers in the community you love following or find especially inspiring?

There are many designers I admire but I’ll mention just a few: MIKEOB, JN-WatchFaces, Bruno Amadori,  Almarinov, B Sharp Watches, DigitX.

Each of them brings something different and unique to the Facer community and I really respect that.

What’s next for you as a designer? Any exciting future projects?

Until now, OMG designs were generally more sporty, informative and sometimes colorful.

Recently, I started QuanTick, which moves in a more minimalist direction. Some designs are still informative but the direction is cleaner and more defined.

I’m also launching a new brand under the OMG umbrella: AMOON. This one will be more elegant and classic, with influences from art and nature.

Of course, I’ll continue creating new designs for all three brands. I want to improve each direction as much as possible.

Anything else you would like to add?

I’m really glad I discovered Facer. It gave me more freedom as a designer.

I’m happy to be part of a community that keeps growing, keeps pushing boundaries and constantly raises the standard of watch face design.

A big thank you to OMG Watch Faces™ for sharing his story and creative perspective with us! We’re always inspired by the passion and dedication within the Facer community. And to our readers, thank you for following along. We look forward to bringing you another Designer Stories feature next month.