“La Mitad del Mundo” is an equatorial monument in San Antonio de Pichincha in Ecuador. The monument is located about 23 kilometers north of the capital Quito and marks the location where Charles Marie de La Condamine, traveling with a French expedition, determined the exact position of the equator as the first European in 1736.

The equinox at the equator, symbol of the beginning of spring and fall, is artistically interpreted in two semi rings on the dial, each of them representing 12 hours.

What catches the eye is the vibrant orange of the upper ring symbolizing heat and fire, and the warm blue of the lower ring, alluding to mild equator nights. Just like the equator, both of them enclose the ocean, which is implied by the gleaming light and dark mother-of-pearl.