With the release of this limited edition Romain Jerome Super Mario Bros. watch everything has finally come full circle for me when it comes to my relationship with luxury "nostalgia" watches. I once smirked sarcastically when people bought watches that reminded them of their favorite 1960s and 1970s era race car driving heroes and I rolled my eyes as brands sought to charge high prices for gimmicky "collectible" watches inspired by historic events. Sure, sometimes those timepieces were very cool items, but would consumers really want to get them mostly for their nostalgic value?
Like all of Romain Jerome's video game-inspired watches (there is also a Tetris watch), the Romain Jerome Super Mario Bros. timepiece comes in a Moon Invader-style case which is 46mm wide in PVD-coated black titanium. The "feet-style" lugs move with the strap to help form a better fit on your wrist.
The dial is produced using an interesting three-layer technique meant to create a "pixel" look which I've always found to be really cool in person. Super Mario, along with a mushroom, cloud, and bush, are all three-dimensional pixel-style figurines on the dial and brightly colored in enamel. Of course, I could wish for things like dial animation or other "movement," but even in static form, the dial looks great. All that you have to distract you from the Super Mario scene are the hour and minute hands.
I don't think Romain Jerome is going to have too much trouble finding 85 people around the world with money to spend and fond memories of playing Super Mario Bros. as a youth in the 1980s. It amazes me how much of what I grew up with from video games to cartoons and toys are still such a big part of culture today in 2015. I suppose that makes me lucky, since I get to feel like a kid much longer. But it will take some adult money to purchase the limited edition of 85 pieces reference RJ.M.AU.IN.011.01 Romain Jerome Super Mario Bros. watch that has a price of $18,950.
