[IC] WS Akuamarin - GB post is live!

[whysoda]

GB Post




WS Akuamarin

Hi Everyone! Welcome to the IC for Wuque Studio Akuamarin! Inspired by the gemstone aquamarine (known in Japanese as akuamarin), this blue-green hue is known to convey a sense of tranquility, natural beauty, and calmness, often evoking the feeling of being near clear, refreshing water on a warm, sunny day.

WS DISCORD | IC FORM


COLOR



Comparison photos under natural light, camera ISO of 800*

*Disclaimer: This photo has been white balanced on a color accurate monitor.

KEYCAP SPECS
Manufacturer: Wuque Studio
Keycap Material: WS ABS
Keycap Thickness: TBD
Keycap Profile: Cherry

PRICING
Base Kit + Novelty Kit combined will be $89 USD
Katakana Kit is TBD

VENDORS
TBD


KITTING






RENDERS

More

ZOOM75 X AKUAMARIN

More

Specs:
Polycarbonate top case, Aluminum bottom case
NOTE: Specs are tentative and not final, please let us know your thoughts in the IC form!

Supported Layout:
WK
6.25u & 7u spacebar
ISO & ANSI
Split Spacebar (3u-1u-3u)
Split backspace
Split left shift
Stepped caps lock
per key RGB
Hotswap
Bluetooth 5.0
2.4G Hz
VIA compatible

WS x WHYSODA x PUNKSHOO AKUAMARIN SWITCHES



"Basking in the warmth of a tranquil afternoon, you recline in a hammock, embraced by the gentle breeze and the soothing symphony of nature. The golden sunlight paints the surroundings with a warm glow as you lose yourself in the pages of a captivating book. The azure sky, blooming flowers, and distant stream create a picturesque backdrop, casting a spell of serenity. In the harmony of literature and nature, time seems to stand still, and the simple joy of a good book on a warm, sunny day embodies the timeless celebration of life's beauty."

A Note from PuNkShoO:
Heyo! I'm PuNkShoO, designer of the Cream Soda, Root Beer Float, Melody, Runner, and Summertime switches. When Whysoda first presented the concept of Akuamarin to me it really struck a cord. While we've had similar colorways nothing has really stuck out to me like this particular color and the vibe behind it. If you've followed my other switches you know I am all about the vibe. With Akuamarin I wanted to capture some commonalities between my previous designs and a slightly different element utilizing a dustproof stem.

Akuamarin takes the concept of the Wuque Studio Quartz switch and extends that vibe to a gem-like full nylon switch. The resulting sound lands somewhere near to the bottom out of the Cream Soda paired with a slightly more muted top out due to the long pole dustproof stem that serves to stabilize the axis while also bringing down the pitch a bit. Pair this beautiful sound signature with an absolutely stunning aesthetic and you've got a winner on your hands.

Specs:
Linear
Translucent Nylon Housings
Translucent Nylon Long Pole Dustproof Stem
63.5g bottom out (Double Stage Spring) Length: 22mm
Prelube: Factory Lube!


SPECIAL THANKS
A very special thanks to VAMP for being both a wonderful friend and my sounding board through this whole process. These renders would quite literally not exist without your expertise!

QUESTIONS/COMMENTS/CONCERNS
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to drop me a DM over on Discord @ whysoda
You may also join Wuque’s server and ask me anything there as well

PLEASE NOTE: Deskmat and future collabs TBD based on IC performance

UPDATES
2023-11-11: Novelties have been revised! Renders have also been modified to reflect the revised novelties.

2023-11-12: Base kit has been revised! The following changes have been applied: Added the 1.25u enter, changed win/menu to super, also included the sizes of each mod. When I have time, I'll go through and update the rest of the keyboard renders to reflect this change. In addition, I generated a new render for all of my 40s users. Board in the render is the CandyBar by TKC

2023-11-12 #2: I've added one more question on the IC Form regarding ABS/PBT. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts when they have a moment, thank you!

2023-11-19: Updated the 1.25u enter legend, base kit render has been adjusted to reflect this change

2023-11-26: Updated the pricing information!

2023-12-05: New renders of the zoom75 Akuamarin board added, new renders of switch collab added, new details regarding keycaps added, google form updated! In addition, I have received photos from manufacturing of the manu chip! Based on the photos alone, I have high hopes that the color is spot on! I should be receiving that in the coming weeks to compare to my pantone chip.

2023-12-12: Updated renders of the zoom75 Akuamarin board added, including new render of the back plate of the board!

2024-01-13: Updated photos of the manu chip including an additional comparison photo to the original pantone chip

2024-01-19: Updated information on the Akuamarin Switches

2024-02-01: Updated renders for the zoom75 Akuamarin board


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[URL=https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=121846.0][img width=350 height=105]https://i.imgur.com/sXrd4bN.jpg[/img][/URL]

[aicyborg]

maybe you could differentiate this from the most recent WS set that ran which was also aquamarine by adding a nordeuk kit

i think that would be cool

[DirtyGingy]

you have some nice renders, but do you have samples?

[whysoda]

maybe you could differentiate this from the most recent WS set that ran which was also aquamarine by adding a nordeuk kit

i think that would be cool

Hey! Thanks so much for your input. So the cap colors for the set you're referring to (WS Purquoise) are actually much more blue versus aquamarine in addition to having the purple specks, so they definitely are different!

you have some nice renders, but do you have samples?

Samples are not available yet apart from the Pantone chip. As soon as I get those in (if the IC does well, of course), I will make sure to include it in the post!

[PuNkShoO]

Beautiful color and solid kitting. Nicely done! Crossing my fingers this makes it through IC so we can get some photos!

[whysoda]

Beautiful color and solid kitting. Nicely done! Crossing my fingers this makes it through IC so we can get some photos!

PuNkShoO!! Thank you for the kind words! <3

[vhaarr]

Please when will WS do nordeuk kits? :-)

[antsinyourpants]

Wow this is gorgeous. It's one of my favourite colours so I'd definitely be in! Best of luck!

[whysoda]

Please when will WS do nordeuk kits? :-)

I'm not sure, but if there is enough interest I can definitely chat with WS about it to see if it's possible!

Wow this is gorgeous. It's one of my favourite colours so I'd definitely be in! Best of luck!

Thank you so much! I hope others like it as much as you do!

[VXQN]

Add me to the list of people who wants a NorDEUK kit!

[whysoda]

Thanks everyone for their responses/feedback to the IC so far! Just wanted to provide a quick update. After quite a bit of feedback, the novelties have been revised! Renders have also been modified to reflect the revised kit

[SafeAtShore]

Interested in this set. Kinda surprised it took the hobby so long to make an actual Tiffany-like after Finer Things.

Some things I'm wondering about:

• Having a 1.75u Enter is a bit redundant when you already have HHKB Control. I think it'd be better if the R3 1.75u Enter were replaced with R3 1.25u Control or Enter.
• Not sure how useful single 1u, 1.25u, and 1.75u bars are, and I doubt many 40s users are buying 2 base kits just for a second bar. I'd drop the 1.25u and replace it with a second 1u or 1.75u bar. Ideally both can be included.
• I personally prefer Super instead of Win for legends. I'd imagine most people in the hobby would as well, and I'm pretty sure WS has the legends for it too.

[whysoda]

Interested in this set. Kinda surprised it took the hobby so long to make an actual Tiffany-like after Finer Things.

Some things I'm wondering about:

• Having a 1.75u Enter is a bit redundant when you already have HHKB Control. I think it'd be better if the R3 1.75u Enter were replaced with R3 1.25u Control or Enter.
• Not sure how useful single 1u, 1.25u, and 1.75u bars are, and I doubt many 40s users are buying 2 base kits just for a second bar. I'd drop the 1.25u and replace it with a second 1u or 1.75u bar. Ideally both can be included.
• I personally prefer Super instead of Win for legends. I'd imagine most people in the hobby would as well, and I'm pretty sure WS has the legends for it too.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond and for your insightful feedback You are not the first person who has mentioned the Super instead of Win for legends. I will reach out to my rep at WS and see what can be done.

[whysoda]

Another update for everyone as of 2023-11-12: Base kit has been revised! The following changes have been applied: Added the 1.25u enter, changed win/menu to super, also included the sizes of each mod. When I have time, I'll go through and update the rest of the keyboard renders to reflect this change. In addition, I generated a new render for all of my 40s users. Board in the render is the CandyBar by TKC.

[whysoda]

One last update for today (2023-11-12), I've added one more question on the IC Form regarding ABS/PBT. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts when they have a moment, thank you!

[Exquite]

This is my favorite color: a harmonized blend of emerald and ocean. Great!

[A.Lotty]

I like the color. But personally it does not represent the commonly associated color of mineral aquamarine. While aquamarine itself means sea-green, aquamarine gems lend its color to a more bluish-grey, dominant blue-green. This applies to most shade of aquamarine found around the world (including the renowned Santa Maria aquamarine). As a gem collector, I'd love to see more accurate depiction of gems color on keycap sets . The color does remind me of Paraiba Tourmaline, Apatite and Amazonite tho

[whysoda]

Quick little update for you all!

Updated the 1.25u enter legend, base kit render has been adjusted to reflect this change

[whysoda]

Hello all! Been a few days since I have updated the server here with new information, I hope everyone is doing well

Got some news regarding pricing!

Base Kit and Novelty Kit will be $89 USD
Katakana Kit is TBD

[whysoda]

Hi everyone! I hope this message finds you well as we are in the home stretch of 2023 and close to entering 2024!

As of this message, the WS Akuamarin IC is just shy of a month old! Before I get into the juicy updates (and there are a lot!) I want to take a second and thank each and every one of you that have messaged me directly, interacted with the GH post, took the time to respond to the poll, or just stopped by and said hi! Thank you all so much for your support, without you this IC would not have blossomed into this much larger collection. It's been challenging, rewarding, and most importantly a delight to see people's feedback on my first ever designs <3

Now onto the good stuff, I have four major updates to share with you all:

1) I have confirmation that the keycaps are going to be Wuque's first ever ABS set! Base kit is doubleshot ABS, novelties will be UV printed.

2) Due to the amount of interest in the keycaps, Wuque gave me the green light to design a polycarbonate Akuamarin themed Zoom75. Anyone who knows me knows that 75% is my favorite layout, so when the team asked me if I would be interested in adding some artistic flair to the Zoom75, I couldn't help but say yes!

3) In addition to the polycarbonate Zoom75, everyone's favorite Cream Soda switch designer PuNkShoO has come on board to help design some pretty fantastic switches to pair with the Akuamarin themed Zoom75. If you got a pretty board, you might as well have some pretty switches to go with it, right?

4) Wuque has already sent me photos/video of the manu color chip! Based on what I've seen, I have high hopes that the color is spot on! I should be receiving the color chip in the coming weeks to compare to my pantone chip in the same lighting. With luck, will have color approved before end of year!

As always, please leave your feedback here in the GH post and/or in the Google Form. If you want to ask me a question directly, please feel free to shoot me a message at my discord @ whysoda

[PuNkShoO]

Switch collab! Lets goooo!

[whysoda]

Switch collab! Lets goooo!

[whysoda]

2023-12-12: Updated renders of the zoom75 Akuamarin board added, including new render of the back plate of the board!

[Deer]

With the zoom75 variant here can you guys please start selling top cases on there own as an optional buy
There has been other colorways I wanted but I cant justify buying 4+ zoom75 kits just for topcase/roatery insert only. Would really appreciate it if that could be done

[tactilesbad]

don't waste your time on nordeuk, 6 people constantly bug ICs for that but no one ever commits.

finally the correct tiffany shade, finer things was a kick in the eye. and I want them switches too. thanks mr. whysoda

[whysoda]

With the zoom75 variant here can you guys please start selling top cases on there own as an optional buy
There has been other colorways I wanted but I cant justify buying 4+ zoom75 kits just for topcase/roatery insert only. Would really appreciate it if that could be done

Hi there! Thank you for your feedback. Unfortunately selling top cases individually is out of my control, as I am only on the design side of things. I encourage you to leave this feedback to Meletrix and see what they say!

[zlobin356]

best teal ever.

[whysoda]

Hi everyone! It's been awhile since I posted an update here, and I hope you're all doing well! It sounds like we're on track for a tentative GB date sometime in March, but as I gain more information I shall keep you all posted

In addition, I finally got my hands on the manu chip and was able to do a direct comparison of what the chip looks like to my pantone chip I had, and I am happy to report they are a dead on match to one another! I've updated the photos to showcase the manu chips for your perusal under both studio lighting and natural lighting. In addition, I've also added a photo I took on my kitchen counter (lol) in natural light to showcase a direct comparison between the pantone chip and the manufacturing chips.

Hope you're all having an excellent start to your new year, and look forward to sharing more news with you on WS Akuamarin soon!

[DirtyGingy]

don't waste your time on nordeuk, 6 people constantly bug ICs for that but no one ever commits.

finally the correct tiffany shade, finer things was a kick in the eye. and I want them switches too. thanks mr. whysoda

I dunno, the regional servers for Norway, Sweden, Denmark, etc are pretty large. I can see skipping the kitting on something that might have trouble making the IC, but for something that will be popular, it's pretty worth it.

[whysoda]

Hi Everyone! Quick update for you all, the specs on the Akuamarin switches have been adjusted ever so slightly. Please see new information below (note, this information change has also been reflected in the original post):

Linear
Translucent Nylon Housings
Translucent Nylon Long Pole Dustproof Stem
63.5g bottom out (Double Stage Spring) Length: 22mm
Prelube: Factory Lube!!!

[whysoda]

Hi All! I hope you're all having a lovely start to your February thus far. Hard to believe that this IC started back in November, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and I hope you're just as excited as I am as we head towards the finish line/the actual GB! Thank you again to everyone who has shown love towards Akuamarin, it means the absolute world to me and I appreciate each and every one of you

I have two updates as of now for you all. First, the GB is planned to be happening some time at the end of February or the beginning of March. When that data becomes available, I will let you know and create a new post linking to the GB page.

Second, the design of the Zoom75 x Akuamarin has gone under a slight face lift. During the R&D process, it turns out that the color I originally wanted to for the top PC case was borderline impossible to mix. Therefore, the design has been slightly reimagined so there is now a frosted PC top. If you have any questions about this change or want to hear more, please feel free to message me here or through my discord for more information. I have also updated the renders of the board for your perusal.

As always, please let me know your thoughts, fill out that IC Form if you haven't done so already, and look forward to speaking to you all soon!

[whysoda]

Hi Everyone! I hope you’re all having a wonderful day/evening wherever you are in the world. I’m beyond excited to announce that WS Akuamarin has an official GB date and pricing! Thank you to everyone for your input, kind messages, and words of encouragement. This GB would not be happening without you!!

For more information, please see the GH Post below:
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=122620.0

Thank you!! 

[TonyPia]

Does top PC case have thread inserts?