Interview about Corner Pocket Billiards Chalk Holder, winner of the A' Sporting Goods, Fitness and Recreation Equipment Design Award 2025
Chalk Tyme Corner Pocket is a wrist-worn magnetic chalk holder that keeps cue chalk constantly accessible during gameplay. The design features a housing that mounts to any standard 20 mm watch strap, with a detachable chalk holder that magnetically attaches on top. Two neodymium magnets ensure a secure yet easily releasable fit. Chalk is held in place by friction and can be replaced from the bottom using the tip of a cue. Interchangeable holders support a variety of chalk brands and diameters. It is customizable in material, surface finish, and color, offering a range of aesthetic variations.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe original idea came from my client, Randy Carville, who had patented the original version of the concept—a watch-like housing with a magnet to hold the chalk. It worked in principle, but it was far from a finished product. When we began working together, my role was to take that early prototype and turn it into something players would actually want to wear a refined accessory that felt at home on the wrist of a serious billiards player.We began by setting a clear direction: this wouldn’t just be a tool, but an accessory with style and presence. I explored a wide range of sketches and design languages to find a form that felt both functional and elegant. From there, we went through countless iterations of 3D modeling, printing, testing, and refining. It was a process of constant trial and error, dialing in proportions, materials, and usability.As the project evolved, I also supported the client in preparing the product for market. That included everything from helping source manufacturing partners to optimizing the design for cost-effective production—especially important for a niche product like this. 3D printing played a huge role in keeping development lean while still allowing us to deliver a polished result.Eventually, I developed a scalable product line with multiple versions, entry-level, standard, and premium by playing with different materials and finishes. This not only made the product accessible at launch, but also gave it room to grow as demand increased. What began as a simple idea has now become a functional, wearable product with a clear identity and real market traction.
From the start, I wanted this product to carry more than just function—it needed to feel familiar and symbolic. I looked for inspiration mainly at two objects rooted in ritual and precision: the pool table and a wristwatch. Both represent craftsmanship, focus, and personal identity. My goal was to merge their design languages into a single form that felt both intentional and original.The outer housing was shaped to represent the sturdy frame of a billiard table, while its silhouette sits somewhere between the softened rectangle of a table and the circular case of a classic wristwatch. I worked consciously with design semiotics, embedding subtle visual references throughout. The insert, for example, has a matte, textured finish reminiscent of billiard cloth, while the housing is polished and smooth—mirroring the contrast between the soft felt surface and the wooden railings of a pool table. This textural contrast became one of my favorite design elements, and the natural surface quality of 3D printing made it feel even more authentic.The cap that locks together all the components of the product, was designed to evoke the depth and shadow of a table pocket. It provides visual contrast and balance, reducing the visual mass of the object.Each element was chosen to harmonize watch-like refinement with the structural language of the pool table. In the end, it’s not just a chalk holder—it’s a new wearable archetype shaped by the materials, meanings, and culture of the game.
One of the biggest design challenges came from the magnet itself. I envisioned a clean, seamless design where the components would snap together permanently, mainly to prevent users from opening or tampering with the product. But during early prototyping, the magnet turned out to be too strong. Instead of securing the parts, its force caused the device to snap apart under stress, especially during wrist movements. The solution had to be more than just magnetic, it needed a mechanical layer of security.To overcome this, I developed a custom mechanical locking feature that worked in tandem with the magnet, securing all parts firmly while keeping the assembly intuitive and tool-free. I ran dozens of digital simulations in CAD to explore how the three components could interlock reliably, and then validated each concept through iterative 3D-printed prototypes. One of my key design goals was to limit the number of components and avoid the need for screws, adhesives, or post-processing—so the product could be entirely 3D printed and assembled without extra tools.Another challenge was finding the optimal material thickness around the magnet. With 3D printing as our production method, I had to work within its tolerances and material behavior. Even slight increases in wall thickness noticeably weakened the magnetic strength. Through hands-on testing, I determined the thinnest structure possible that preserved magnetic performance while maintaining durability and fit.These technical constraints directly shaped our manufacturing approach. 3D printing wasn’t just a prototyping tool, it became the most practical way to achieve the design’s precision and simplicity. It allowed us to tightly control wall thickness, tolerances, and interlocking geometry, delivering a final product that’s elegant, robust, and easy to assemble at scale.
The original insight came from the product’s inventor, Randy Carville, a lifelong and highly engaged billiards player who had first-hand experience with the everyday frustrations of traditional chalk holders. Through his own gameplay and years of observation and talking with fellow players, he noticed recurring problems. chalk stored near the hip via belt clips or pocket magnets often stained clothing, obstructed movement, or accidentally hit the cue or table. Chalk left on the rails, meanwhile, could easily be forgotten, knocked off, or lost entirely, disrupting the rhythm and mental flow of a focused game.For many players, chalking the cue is more than just a practical step, it’s a moment of preparation and focus. It’s almost meditative. So the chalk needs to be not only accessible but seamlessly integrated into the player’s natural movement. Surprisingly, the wrist turned out to be an ideal location. It keeps the chalk close at hand, off the clothing, and out of the way.When I first heard the concept, I was immediately intrigued. It felt both ergonomically smart and symbolically rich. There’s a poetic parallel between chalking and checking the time. That subtle metaphor, paired with the functional benefits of wrist placement, convinced me this was a meaningful design direction worth developing.
Ensuring compatibility with a wide range of chalk brands and shapes was a fundamental requirement from the very beginning. Every player has their own preferences, and these can vary not just by country, but by local culture, playing style, or even personal superstition. While there are a few dominant chalk brands globally, I didn’t want to limit the product to just one or two options. Chalks differ significantly in shape — some are circular, some rectangular, others octagonal. So I designed the system to be modular. The chalk holder component is interchangeable and tailored to fit specific chalk geometries. The first set of holders supports the most commonly used forms, and the range is expanding as new chalk types and user demands emerge.
From the beginning, I wanted to keep the design as simple and minimal as possible. I deliberately avoided using multiple parts or overcomplicating the mechanism especially because we had to be careful about two things: keeping manufacturing costs low and minimizing assembly time. A complex system would have worked against both.The final design uses a subtle but effective principle: the chalk holder features a slightly tapered interior cavity that gently compresses the sides of the chalk. Chalk is a relatively soft material and has a slight give when pressure is applied. I used that natural deformation to create a friction-fit mechanism — the chalk presses into the cavity and stays securely in place through contact alone.This simple geometry offers a surprisingly reliable hold. Even as the chalk wears down, the pressure around its base remains consistent, keeping it stable inside the holder. The cue-stick-sized hole in the bottom of the insert allows players to easily push the chalk out using the end of their cue, which became an intuitive gesture that ties the product even more closely to the billiards environment.The result is a system that feels effortless to use but it took many iterations to perfect. I tested over 50 prototypes, each with slightly different internal diameters and taper angles, until I found the one that delivered the best balance of grip and ease. The final product is compact, durable, easy to load and unload, and carries the kind of detail you only notice when it's done just right.
I think there’s still a lot of untapped potential when it comes to innovation in billiards accessories. There are still many small inconveniences players experience during a game, things that have gone unaddressed for years simply because they’ve become accepted parts of the routine. But those areas are actually full of potential.This project showed me how even a small, focused accessory, if well-designed, can enhance the game in a subtle but meaningful way. I can definitely imagine more crossover concepts emerging in the future. Objects that blend functionality with personal expression, performance with comfort. Wearables are especially interesting because they live on the player’s body and can seamlessly integrate into the rhythm of gameplay.
The budget for launching the product was limited, so from the start I had to be creative about how to make the product feasible without compromising on quality. I always viewed each design decision through the lens of perceived quality, actual cost, and ease of production.Working with professional watchmakers or traditional high-end manufacturing methods was out of scope, they were simply too expensive. Instead, I focused on technologies that could offer a good surface finish without the premium price tag. I researched available materials and finishes that resembled the aesthetics of watches, such as anodised aluminum or polished steel, then built a material and finish library to evaluate different combinations.This internal catalog helped me test what was possible at small production volumes and what looked and felt premium without pushing the product out of budget. I also calculated costs per assembly to make sure each version was viable.
Finding the ideal magnetic strength turned out to be more complex than expected. Player preferences varied significantly especially regarding how strong the pull force should be when removing the chalk vertically at a 90-degree angle. Some users wanted a strong, locked-in feel with a satisfying snap, while others found that level of resistance inconvenient.At one point, it seemed impossible to satisfy everyone. That’s when I shifted my approach. Instead of relying solely on vertical removal, I explored the idea of sliding the chalk out sideways. This small adjustment allowed for easy removal, even with a strong magnetic hold. It became a simple yet effective compromise that made the product intuitive for a wide range of users.Interestingly, that design change also led to an unexpected visual benefit. The open side created by the sliding motion began to resemble an abstract version of a billiard pocket. It gave the product a distinctive character and helped distance it from looking like a wristwatch. something I had intentionally wanted to avoid.When it came to chalk replacement, user feedback was equally important. Most players preferred a firm grip that kept the chalk in place as it wore down, but removing it by hand wasn’t ideal especially for those with larger hands or limited dexterity. That led to the idea of using the cue stick to push the chalk out from a hole in the bottom. It’s a natural gesture within the game and ties the interaction back to the sport itself.In the end, user feedback played a critical role in shaping the final product. It pushed me to find solutions that balanced usability, aesthetics, and emotional connection to the game.
This project showed me there's still plenty of room to improve the billiards experience through smart accessories. I’d like to keep exploring ways to make playing more comfortable, focused, or enjoyable—solving the small things players usually just put up with.Chalk Tyme itself could grow into different styles and materials—more minimal, more premium, or more playful. I also see potential for a small lineup of matching accessories with different functions, all built around the same design language.Even something as simple as a chalk holder can become part of how players express themselves. That’s what I want to keep building on.
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