Avant-garde watchmaker Romain Jerome has introduced a novel new item, the MoonFighter pen. Think of it a writing instrument that is mid-way between Back to the Future and Space Invaders (speaking of which — you must see the RJ Space Invaders watch if you haven’t seen it yet). In keeping with its “DNA of Famous Legends” approach, Romain Jerome has encapsulated genuine moon dust in the cockpit bubble of the pen. Cool, eh? Imagine bringing this to you next important deal signing!
Romain Jerome Moonfighter Pen
adorned with 48 hand-applied rivets; comes with a custom leather pouch and a carbon-finished docking station
three different versions: Heavy Metal, Black Metal and Vintage, available as a ballpoint or titanium- nib fountain pen
An “iconic” watch if there ever was one!
A new **ahem** legend icon is born reborn (pardon the pun)…just a few months ago Romain Jerome announced a licensing deal with TAITO Corporation authorizing the manufacture of a SPACE INVADERS-themed timepieces–and now they have arrived! In a nod to 1980′s pop culture, Romain Jerome has introduced two 78-piece limited edition watches featuring the iconic SPACE INVADERS characters on the dial. Taito Corp. created Space Invaders in 1978 (Play Space Invaders here for free) and is also known as the developer of Arkanoid, another popular favorite video game from these times.
Looking at the RJ Space Invaders watch, well it is cosmically cool! I’ve noted the key specs below — and you can visit the Romain Jerome website for more on the cultural relevance of the new Space Invaders watch. As for the Romain Jerome Space Invaders watch price — no word yet, but I’d guess somewhere between $10,000 – $15,000. This is far and away my favorite creation from Romain Jerome — well done Mr Emch and team!
Romain Jerome Space Invaders Watches
Limited Edition 78 pieces (each design)
46mm PVD coated stainless steel case, automatic mechanical movement, black rubber strap
SPACE INVADERS characters in 2 variations (see below), each individually machined and hand-applied
Atari 2600 (circa 1980) – one of the more popular gaming consoles for SPACE INVADERS
SPACE INVADERS lacquered in different colours (” day” version):
SPACE INVADERS coated with Superluminova (“night” version):
The September 2011 ONLY WATCH 2011 auction is a great event not only for its charity, but also because of the opportunity that it provides for some watchmakers to come up with a truly meaningful piece. I really appreciate the effort to come up with something truly unique, as opposed to using a standard production model watch and splashing some funky colors on it, as many of the participating brands do. Yesterday you we saw the level of dedication and creativity given to the ONLY WATCH event by MB&F with its totally out-of-the-box HM-4 Flying Panda watch. And today you can see it with Romain Jerome’s piece for ONLY WATCH 2011 – the Romain Jerome “Rock the Rock” DNA watch, with a dial carved from a small piece of limestone rock extracted from the western cliff of the Rock of Monaco.
Romain Jerome Rock the Rock DNA Watch for ONLY WATCH 2011
unique piece
46mm black PVD steel case, ceramic bezel, automatic mechanical movement, fitted on black rolled-edge alcantara strap with red seam and black PVD-coated steel folding clasp; certificate of authenticity guaranteeing the origin of the materials used
Note also the “small seconds” subdial at 9 o’clock — also crafted of stone, which rotates on the surface of the dial. Each time the seconds disc moves to 0, 15, 30 and 45 seconds, the red lines are aligned for a fleeting movement to symbolize the latitude and longitude coordinates of Monaco. Paired with a matte black ceramic bezel and a black satin-finished PVD-coated steel case, the Romain Jerome Rock the Rock watch is a unique and special piece to bid on at for ONLY WATCH 2011. Unlike RJ’s Eyjafjallajökull watch which I sharply criticized, this Romain Jerome watch definitely has some worthy DNA in it, and I hope it goes for big bucks in September.
“Only Watch” is a biennial charity auction of one-of-a-kind watches created by many of the most renowned watch brands in Switzerland. This exceptional event is held every two years in Monaco during the Monaco Yacht Show and is under the patronage of HSH Prince Albert II. All the proceeds from Only Watch go to support Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research which is why many of these watches go extraordinarily high prices.
Starting today Perpetuelle will begin its coverage of Only Watch 2011. Stay tuned in because over the next few months, you will get to see awesome “piece unique” watches from each of the participating brands for the 2011 event:
Click through to see our in-depth preview of each watch:
- Harry Winston Midnight GMT Tourbillon
- Patek Philippe Ref 3939A Minute Repeater
- Urwerk UR-103 “Phoenix”
- Romain Jerome “Rock the Rock”
- Hublot Oceanographic 4000m dive watch
- MB&F HM-4 “Flying Panda”
- TAG Heuer “Monaco Mikrograph”
- Bell & Ross Pink Gold “Casino”
- Louis Vuitton Tambour Diver Chronograph
- Blancpain Villeret Grand Decoration
- Piaget Altiplano Skeleton
- Breguet Reveil Musical Watch
- Audemars Piguet Gstaad Classic
- Jaquet Droz Petit Heure Minute
- Van Cleef & Arpel “From the Earth to the Moon” Watch
- Girard-Perregaux ww.TC
- Corum Golden Bridge Automatic Titanium
- Vulcain Anniversary Heart Watch
- Chanel J12 Marine Watch
- Franck Muller “Totally Switzerland”
- Ulysse Nardin Freak Diavolo
- Vacheron Constantin “Dove” Watch (M.C. Escher-inspired)
- Zenith El Primero “Destro” watches
- Montblanc Villeret 1858 Pulsograph
- Ikepod Red Hourglass by Marc Newson
- Bovet Fleurier, Celsius, Chaumet, Chopard, De Bethune, Delacour, De Witt, Frédérique Constant, Hermès, Laurent Ferrier, Maurice Lacroix, Richard Mille
Only Watch 2011 will be held September 24, 2011 and managed by watch auction house Antiquorum. But you don’t have to wait this long — because part of the excitement leading up to the September 24, 2011 event is the release of each participating brand’s special edition watch.
ONLY WATCH 2009
If you are interested in looking back, I covered the Only Watch 2009 auction extensively including blogging about several of my favorites inlcluding: Piaget Emperador Coussin, MB&F Sage Vaughn HM-2, Bovet 3-in-1 Mona Lisa Watch, Tourneau Jump Hour, Louis Vuitton Tambour, Chanel J12 Joallerie with pink sapphire, and Blancpain 500 Fathoms. You can see all 34 “Only Watch 2009″ watches here on the Perpeuelle World Watch Forum. The Only Watch 2009 auction was hosted by Patrizzi & Co.
Nice try…
But is this really the “DNA” that legends are made of?
While others are fine to simply reprint the Romain Jerome press release on this one, I am not. This watch borders on the is absurd. Why? It is way too opportunistic if you ask me. The press release –heck the whole concept — seems all too hastily put together for my liking. Will the finished product even look nearly as spectacular as the press image (below)? I am skeptical. But really that’s beside the point here.
Maybe I am reading too far into this, but is this volcano really such a legendary event in human history to associate your brand with? Show me something positive about what this Eyjafjallajökull volcano has done for the world. In fact it is just the opposite — it has caused great chaos, hardship, economic loss and disruption. It is not a source of pride, at least from my perspective. Actually the Titanic (another RJ concept watch) is not much different in this regard, except it happened almost a 100 years ago, i.e. the pain, suffering and economic loss is well past, and it did in fact become a defining moment in history. As for this event — well who knows how history will record it 10, 15, 20, 100 years from now. Whether Eyjafjallajökull is largely forgotten or not — I think the one (and hopefully only) watch inspired by it will quite quickly lose its meaning and worth.
by Kyle Stults on July 09, 2009
Questions Remain
This is an update to our article published earlier this week.
Minutes ago, Romain Jerome issued a statement regarding the recent departure of CEO Yvan Arpa and other senior executives: “Owners of the limited liability company RJ Watches SA and its watch brand Romain Jerome have decided to part with the CEO, the head of administration, the sales director and two other staff members. Nonetheless, the change of management in no way jeopardises the ongoing success of the company, which continues to enjoy excellent sales, promising order volumes and an extremely strong brand image.”
Unfortunately, this really tells us nothing that was not already reported. It does seem that these people were dismissed (rather than them resigning), but many questions remain:
- Who has replaced these people?
- Who is now running RJ on a day to day basis?
- What is the financial state of Romain Jerome? Certainly the company was quite proud to trumpet it financial success as recently as January of this year – but what are we to make of its current report that sales are “excellent” and order volumes are “promising?”
On the last note, I can still agree that the brand image is strong. But certainly some more answers would be appreciated.
A Crisis for the Manufacture of the Crisis Tourbillon?
After an initial report by French watch industry report Business Montres, Perpetuelle.com has confirmed the departure of Managing Director Yvan Arpa (pictured below) from Swiss watch brand Romain Jerome. Reasons and circumstances surrounding the relatively short lived tenure of the brand’s leader are yet unknown. Romain Jerome’s last reported financial condition was robust, but I do wonder how much of its last reported CHF 50 million order backlog from Baselworld 2008 is still on the table and whether a sharp decline in global economy may be in play here. However such speculation is unverifiable, at least for the moment as I am told by a Romain Jerome representative that the company will issue more formal statement, presumably in the very near future.
Founded in 2004, Mr. Arpa arrived at the young brand in 2006 and quite literally led it to new heights (and depths) with the creation of the now famous “DNA of Legends” watches which utlized rare materials such as rusted steel from the Titanic and dust from the surface of the moon.
Romain Jerome Managing Director Yvan Arpa
The brand created a great following and the love and hate of many a watch collector with its bold and unconventional watch designs, including even a “watch” that does not tell time. Under Arpa, the company pushed the envelope in every way – even going so far as to issue a special watch earlier this year in a sort of open defiance of the global economic recession. The “Crisis Tourbillon” (show below) boldy declared “ma petite enterprise ne connait la crise” (my small enterprise knows not of a crisis) and boasted of the brands robust sales and profitability.
Has pride cometh before the fall for Yvan Arpa, or is the reason for his departure more benign? Stay tuned.
Romain Jerome’s Crisis Tourbillon – Offered at CHF 198,000 
by Kyle Stults on January 27, 2009
It appears that the economic slowdown is not affecting all brands equally – as would be expected! But one manufacturer/brand, Romain Jerome, seems intent on making a bold statement with its latest piece, the “Crisis Tourbillon” – that it is in fact defying the economic crisis outright!
With the release of the Crisis Tourbillon, Romain Jerome also seems to send a metaphorical message that the crisis only affects those who would let it affect them it’s latest press release noting that the Chinese ideogram for crisis, Wei Ji, comprises two parts: “Wei” meaning “danger” and “Ji” meaning “opportunity”.
Featuring the Yen, Euro, Pound and Dollar
a unique piece (quantity of 1), with a “crisis defying”
price tag of 197,000 CHF ($175,000 US)
More than just lip service, Romain Jerome has released its sales and profitability figures for 2008 and the first month of 2009 to back it all up:
- 2008 Total sales of CHF 25 million, three times initial objectives for 2008 and six times total sales for 2007
- Ratio EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes)/Turnover exceeds 20%
- 2009 January sales: year-on-year increase of 400%
Following the 2006 appointment of Yvan Arpa as Managing Director of Romain Jerome, the company has released some very unique and head-turning collections – the Titanic-DNA (2007), and Moon Dust-DNA (2008), and now the one-of-a-kind Crisis Tourbillon.
I admire this company’s bravado!
