iPhone designer Jony Ive has made a... sailing lantern

Jony Ive’s claim to fame is based on his work at Apple, where he is credited with the iconic appearances of the iMac, iPod and most of the smartphones that led the way to this year's incredible iPhone Air. But his latest work? A lamp for a sailing boat.

The Sailing Lantern is the result of a collaboration between Ive’s LoveFrom and Balmuda, a Japanese company best known for its work on kitchen appliances. But this is something else.

A 1.5kg LED light lantern, you turn the thing on and off using a charming little flower-shaped dial on the front. A polyester lanyard can be attached to the end, where’s there’s a chunky bar of metal.

A thing of beauty, Ive’s Sailing Lantern is made of stainless steel and has been in the works for a couple of years.

It doesn’t produce a pure plain white light either. When at its dimmer settings, the Sailing Lantern has a pinkish hue, because inside the light core are both red and white LEDs.

Why? It’s all about mirroring the tone of light you see in nature, although when maxed out it will have a pure, cool white tone.

From iPhone to iLamp

The concept is inspired by Jony Ive’s childhood experiences of sailing. Ive claims he couldn’t find something similar built to withstand the kind of conditions you find out at sea.

“I think there's something about using a lantern in these extreme conditions,” Ive told Wallpaper magazine. “I was surprised that I couldn't find something that could survive in extreme maritime conditions.”

Ive says the design is made to be used and abused, not sat on a shelf as a presentation piece.

“The lantern will scratch. And over time, I actually think that it will look better and better,” he says.

Whether that’s compatible with the realities of buying a Sailing Lantern is something else. It’s being made as a limited run of 1000, and costs 4500 Euros or $4,800.

“When Jony first shared the Sailing Lantern, it felt like a time capsule – an ancient flame captured in modern form,” says Balmuda’s Gen Tarao, who founded the company in 2003.

“The ocean has always called humanity to adventure, and this design protects that timeless light in sleek stainless steel.”

You can pre-order one of these Sailing Lanterns now, with expected delivery in March 2026.

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