With the olive placed in the glass (pimento face up) prior to pouring the drink, the martini is kept in the upper half of the glass. When the customer drinks their martini, the drink is able to flow through that same hole while capturing the flavors of the olive (or whatever fruit or vegetable that is wedged in that midsection). While the flowing of the drink to the bottom half of the hour glass is symbolic of the passage of time, the backwards flow when the person drinks from the glass negates the former.

Designer: Eddie Chan