Interest
Designer Watch Meets Pokémon for a Whopping US$258,000
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
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Fandom is hardly in short supply when it comes to top-tier merchandise. Usually it's in the form of a 1/1-scale waifu for around US$20,000 or a one-of-a-kind trading card. The ultra-dedicated will even fork out half a million for a custom car. Pokémon, on the other hand, rarely courts the high-end adult market it. It's a franchise made for kids after all, so with the exception of the aforementioned trading card, you can usually take home your favorite Eevee evolution or Pikachu doll without breaking the bank.
High-end watchmaker Romain Jerome saw a niche waiting to be filled. Having already released limited edition Donkey Kong and Mario watches to the tune of US$16,500, Jerome returned to the Pokémon brand for the Tourbillon Pokémon watch at a cost well beyond its counterparts at £200,000 (US$258,300). The designer calls Pokémon an "emblem of Millennials" and includes many of the generation's favorites on the watch's face. The tourbillon bridge is shaped like a lightning bolt, hearkening back to Pikachu, arguably the game's most iconic character.
The watch's price is a reflection of the craftsmanship that went into the design. It features a handmade dial that took no less than 100 hours to create. The waterproof piece's movements are designed to fight off gravity itself creating a timepiece that is reliable no matter its current position. If that's not enough, the watch is like Mew, truly one of a kind.
Source: Jeremy White at Wired UK
