Giving shape to time

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“MY soul burns ardently to understand this most intricate enigma,” said St. Augustine in his Confessions, making an inquiry about the nature of time. For centuries, philosophers and scientists have struggled to give shape to the nature of time. A smartwatch campaign by tech company Garmin throws its hat into the ring, and its contenders are a dancer, an artist, and a model.

The watch in question is the Garmin Vivomove Sport, with a case of fiber-reinforced polymer and silicone straps. Measuring 40mm, it combines the look of an analog watch with a smartwatch, with several apps designed to track the user’s body in its movement through time (and also to sync with their phone).

The movement of the body through time is essential in its discussion. Eva Hoffman, in her 2009 book Time (under the Big Ideas, Small Books series) condenses the thoughts of philosopher Maurice Merleau-Ponty on time: “Merleau-Ponty stressed that we construct time not through pure perception but through motility and action, through our bodies’ motions in space and through acting within and upon the world.”

Dancer Ella Fortun seems to think so. In a series of videos shot by Garmin in Intramuros, streamed through Facebook on Feb. 8, Ms. Fortun says, “When I imagine what time looks like, I see an elegant and precise dance move.”

“I can imagine myself centerstage with a long, silky skirt. My arm propels forward and in an upward motion, because time for me isn’t linear. It’s circular, and it flows,” she said. “I love contemporary dance because it’s a reflection of how I move with time. The song creeps in, and I move slowly at first, finding my footing.”

“Time just flows by so quickly when I’m onstage. In these ecstatic moments, time dissolves and I feel almost weightless,” she said.

Ms. Fortun tested out the Garmin Vivomove Sport in Cocoa, showing how she taps the screen to see the apps. The apps include a Pulse Ox to check blood oxygen saturation, a fitness tracker, a hydration tracker, a sleep tracker, and even a menstrual cycle and pregnancy tracker. The smartwatch can sync to one’s phone, with meeting alerts, incoming call and messaging alerts, powered with a maximum battery life of five days. “I can use this for work, and for working out,” said the dancer.

Artist Denise Heredia, meanwhile, said, “I think time looks very colorful, like a rainbow. It’s disorganized and organized at the same time.”

“Time to me is colorful because I like to spend it spreading beauty and positivity through my art,” she said. She tested out the model in Ivory, and said, “The overall aesthetic is just perfect for me.”

Model Jessica Yang, currently in the Philippines, said, “Time looks like opportunities: opportunities to create new things and do better.

“In my line of work, time moves swiftly. There are only seconds between outfits and sets; only split seconds between shots and poses to get everything on point,” she said. “There are also moments when time stands still. Like when I’m on the runway. Time is frozen and almost feels like it doesn’t exist.

“I would say time and I have a great relationship. Like my life is intertwined with it, and each moment is magic —�� a present.” Testing out her smartwatch in Cool Mint, she said, “The color is amazing. And as a fashion girl, I approve.”

We won’t just leave it at that: we end with the words of St. Augustine, again in Confessions: “So, then, as I was saying, we measure periods of time as they pass. And if anyone asks me, ‘How do you know this?,’ I can answer: ‘I know because we measure.’”

The Garmin Vivomove Sport costs P9,595, and is available on ph.garmin.com, Lazada, Shopee, and Kinetic. — Joseph L. Garcia