We say innovative, some say weird, we say fresh, some say un-wearable.  Well, we say it’s not meant to be worn and we think the critics should get a life…it’s about time something innovative and out of this world hit the luxury watch industry.

If you can’t tell yet, we love Romain Jerome’s quirky take on odd and original materials to make his watches. We don’t know how he gets his hands on moon dust or pieces of the Titanic, and honestly we don’t care; the man’s a genius. Here is one of his watches that is literally ‘out of this world’ or from ‘infinity and beyond’…whichever fits your fancy best:

Moon Dust - DNA

Romain Jerome came up with a collection of watches called DNA of Famous Legends which praise the legends of our time through an exclusive collection of watches. The latest watch in his collection is called Moon Dust-DNA  or affectionately called Romain Jerome Moondust or Romain Jerome moon watch.  Whatever you choose to call it, the watch stretches beyond normal by incorporating authentic Moon dust, fragments of the Apollo XI and Soyuz spacecraft, and elements from the International Space Station into its design.

As far as how these components fit into the watch design; Moon Dust-DNA by Romain Jerome includes a ‘lunar’ dial based on the actual mineral deposit including Moon dust, 46 mm steel titanium case that uses steel from the Apollo XI spacecraft, rusted steel paws using fragments’ from Soyuz spacecraft, and a strap with fibers from a spacesuit worn during the ISS mission.

Still a little skeptical? Well, if you can afford to buy the watch then Romain himself guarantees the origin of the materials not only through an authenticated and certified legal document in Switzerland, but also a certificate from the Association of Space Explores (ASE).

Amazing huh? We thought so too…

We are not exactly sure why this watch appeals to us on so many levels; maybe it’s the unique design that catches our eye, not necessarily out of awe… but out of confusion.  When we first saw this watch we asked ourselves, what are the numbers for, what is the moving black dot for, and why do we like it so much?

We couldn’t answer all the questions but we can admit that a.b.art’s Swiss Made Serie O Watch 101 is pretty awesome.  a.b.art Swiss Made is a watch brand that boast “unostentatious design” for men and women.  In their exact words:

“a.b.art is different. a.b.art is authentic. We’re not about glitter and glamour but much rather about sophisticated beauty, low-key shapes and materials as well as high Swiss quality. a.b.art is an expression of the passion and care with which watches are being produced in this Swiss company day in and day out.
a.b.art – authentic and basic art.”

The company was started in 1991 by Alexander Burhans in Germany and has produced watches that should be in art museums, heads tilted and all.

But, let’s talk about this particular watch.   This is the O101 from the a.b.art’s men’s collection. The first thing you notice about the watch is all the dots. The dots represent the quartz movement with 31 hole date indicator.  The black dot rotates to the number with the correct day.  The a.b.art O101 also has a silver steel brushed case with a silver dial and sapphire glare proofed crystal.  It comes in a black or brown leather strap with a stainless steel buckle.

Maurice Lacroix is an amazing Swiss watch maker with an eye for detail… everyone loves a good Maurice Lacroix watch, but my favorite has one little dial that makes me smile.

The Maurice Lacroix Masterpiece Double Retrograde Watch has a power reserve indication, small seconds, and a 24 hour indication for a second time zone. The watch is hand decorated with a hand wound  mechanical movement and 50 jewels.  Also noticeable on the Maurice Lacroix watch are the blue steel screws, polished steel pallet and escapement wheel.  The case is made of stainless steel with sapphire crystal that includes glare proofing and a screwed caseback.  Water resistance of 30 meters in included in with the Masterpiece Double Retrograde Case as well as a solid silver dial and Roman Numerals.  Each hand is made of blue steel and the strap is genuine crocodile leather with a folder clasp.

The part that makes me smile?  The wiggly hand for the 2nd time zone clock…it adds a small artistic touch to a minimalist watch.

Luxury digital watches are becoming the wave of the future, especially when made by a company called Nooka.

Nook was created by Matthew Waldman in 1997 whose first idea came to life on a napkin… like all great artist beginnings; the napkin made its way to New York and viola, Nooka was born.

So what exactly does the word Nooka mean?  Well it depends on who you are.  If you’re a Hawaiian then it means “sleek”, if you are a history buff then it’s from the ancient Amararunk’thuh word meaning “future is now”, if you are a New Yorker then it’s a pet name that means “New Yorker”.  Whatever it means to you, the timepieces design touch all of using design, diamond, crocodile bands, digital displays, bold colors, and inventiveness.

The watch I picked out above captures the heart of the company; it’s called the Zing Zoo BK and has 16 diamonds around the digital display.  The strap is made of certified farm raised crocodile skin and is available in black or brown.  Other specifications include.78 carats of diamonds, 5ATM of water resistance, stainless steel case, LCD display with backlight, and a 1 year warranty all for $3,000.00.

 

Okay…here’s a complicated Physics equation for you calculating the double pendulum… see if you can give it a try…

…No? Well neither can I, but don’t worry, watch lovers can feel a little smarter with a new Fortis watch by the celebrated artist Rolf Sachs entitled Fortis “IQ Watch”.  The theory behind Rolf Sach’s artist edition “IQ Watch” came from a window design (below) in Selfridges (the London Department Store) based on a Dada exhibit from a local museum.

But you may have to hurry to get yours, only a limited edition of 999 were made and the secret behind the watch is making them sale even faster.  The watch actually represents Dadaism, the anti-war culture movement that focused on the arts, something the world needs right now.