Having had success with their first made to order American industrial watch, The Harbinger, Los Angeles' Refined Hardware has just introduced three new watches; The Gatsby, The McQueen and The Rearden. Each steel encased watch is made to order and created in a limited number.
The Harbinger Edition, their first watch which is shown below, was made in a limited edition of 125 and is now sold out.
The Harbinger (Sold Out):
The Gatsby, $2985:
The McQueen, $2985:
The Rearden, $2985:
Due to their made-to-order basis, the Gatsby, The McQueen and The Rearden build times are approximately 8 weeks and all payments are final.
A collaboration between Lucas Films and Seiko brings us six Star Wars Watches, each modeled after a character from the George Lucas saga. The watches are fashioned in the men's Seiko Brightz style and vary in terms of functionality. Each has faces and bezels with emblems and icons reminiscent of the characters and their likenesses are on the back of each watch.
The Seiko Darth Vader Radio Solar Control World Time Watch:
The Seiko Darth Maul Chronograph Solar Watch:
The Seiko Yoda Mechanical Watch:
The Seiko C-3PO Mechanical Watch:
The Seiko R2-D2 Active Matrix EPD Watch:
The Seiko Stormtrooper Mechanical Watch:
For more information, visit this site (prices and info in Japanese only):
Clomm is a relatively new boutique watch brand established last year by founder and creative director Gary Fidele. Their first collection, TERRA FIRMA (which translates to "on solid ground"), consists of seven modern and minimalist unisex watches whose faces feature materials such as cork, rosewood, oak, and black or white ceramic. The newest and most expensive addition to the collection is a Malachite face watch priced at $630 USD. Other watches in the Terra Firma Collection range from $450-$490.
The line of watches has Swiss Made Ronda movements, sapphire crystals, Aerospace grade stainless steel bezels and cases and real Italian leather bands. All the models have sweep second hands and luminous dials. No numbers and spec lines only on the ceramic faced watches add to the clean and modern design. Each watch weighs 110kg and measures a generous 60.0 x 52.0 x 15.0 mm and is 47mm in diameter.
Each Clomm watch comes in a nice wooden box:
The Watches Rosewood, $490: White Ceramic, $450: Black Ceramic, $450: Cork, $490: Oak, $490: Rosegold, $490: Malachite, $630:
About Clomm Specialized in creating minimalist and distinctive design with timeless appeal, the brand takes inspiration from the 12th century Anglo-Saxon word “Clomm” meaning "to grasp", reflecting the founders' English roots. Clomm products are made from materials of premium quality, embracing design, engineering and craftsmanship. The philosophy of the brand has been very clear from the beginning- To combine minimalist design with uncompromised quality.
The Designer
As a product designer from the UK, Gary has worked across a wide range of disciplines, designing everything from furniture and household items, to surfboards and wetsuits for clients around the globe. In 2011, with his broad experience and the desire to develop unique products, he created his first timepiece collection "Terra Firma", which is now available on the Clomm website and at our selected retailers.
The watchmaker Romain Jerome is best known for his luxury watches that incorporate the DNA of legendary things and landmarks. Inspired and paying tribute to historical events of the last century, each watch integrates the DNA of a legend such as the Titanic (made with rusted steel from the wreckage), The Moon (made with actual moondust), The Statue of Liberty (a bronze bezel which recalls the Statue of Liberty's crown) and EYJAFJALLAJÖKULL (made with Volcanic ash and black lava rock). Each timepiece comes with a certificate of authenticity issued by a third party. As one would expect, these are very highly priced.
Now, he has collaborated with legendary video game maker, TAITO, to release his second round of limited edition SPACE INVADERS watches. Last year he introduced a white and multi-colored version (shown below).
above: Romain Jerome's first Space Invaders watches were available in multi-colored and an all white version coated with Superluminova so it glows in the dark
Now, the new SPACE INVADERS WATCHES come in four colors with a special blue one for Paris store Colette. The price is over $15,000 for the watch. Why? Read on.
Having inherited the highly distinctive case of the Moon Invader collection (a round shape inside a cambered 46 mm square), the SPACE INVADERS watches have kept the same steel coalesced with fragments of Apollo 11. The four functional ball-and-socket joints on the corners of the case are shaped like the legs of the lunar landing modules of the American lunar missions. These extremely sophisticated components mounted on axles anchored in the case hold the lugs of the rubber straps and enable the watch to adjust to all kinds of wrist sizes.
Embodying another tangible token of the space age symbolised by the SPACE INVADERS collection, a dedicated plate made of Moon Silver RJ – a silver alloy with an extremely low oxidation rate incorporating moon rocks – appears on the stellar-patterned back of the watch and reproduces the lunar surface.
The dial is very complex and consists of three layers: the first two are beadblasted and the "straight graining" gives a pixelated aspect to the third layer. Measuring around 3.5 mm each, the SPACE INVADERS are meticulously machined one by one, applied by hand and lacquered in various colours. These pixel invaders are a playful nod that transforms watches into inspired "talking pieces" capable of creating a distinct sense of affinity with those who wear them, and who revel in the chance to thumb their noses at classic watchmaking conventions.
The first release of the new collection is especially made for Colette, the über hip store and gallery in Paris.
The pixelated figures (aliens) are the emblematic blue color of the store for a limited edition of eight pieces, only available in the trendy boutique. Buy it here
The SPACE INVADERS are available in four other colours (red, green, purple and yellow) and have started their incursion in all RJ-Romain Jerome points of sale worldwide. Limited editions of eight pieces per color, five new colorful legends have made their entrance at RJ-Romain Jerome.
Check out the two-part video of the watch being made:
