RJ (previously Romain Jérome) is part of a small group of Swiss watchmaking brands making themed watches. Many of their watches, e.g., the Titanic DNA and the more recent supervillain and Spider-Man watches have resulted in somewhat polarizing sentiments from the watch community at large.
The way to understand this reaction is that RJ used parts of a famous ship (the Titanic) to create a watch, and this can be seen as gimmicky or fabricating stories. This is especially controversial when many of the RJ’s watches use common Sellita base movements, though heavily modified. However, another way to view these watches is that they can be fun.
For collectors, such as myself, who see a big part of collecting watches as something that brings joy, RJ watches simply belongs to a group of guilty pleasure watches.
Moonwatch - ARRAW 6919
Besides the themed superhero and supervillain watches that RJ showed me at Baselworld and Watches & Wonders in Miami, that I wrote about previously, perhaps the most interesting was their moonwatch. This is a watch with the classic 45 mm ARRAW case from RJ but that contains a movement showing the phases of the moon around the dial. And to keep with the aesthetics that RJ is famous for, the case also includes moon dusts and parts of one of the Apollo moon mission’s capsule.
It’s not clear how and where RJ acquired the moon dusts nor the Apollo parts but according to them they are both real and authentic and the resulting look and texture of the dusts result in a unique looking watch. Let’s take a closer look and summarize my first impressions seeing and trying this alternative moonwatch.
Gold
As mentioned, all of the models have the ARRAW case which at 45 mm wide and more than 12 mm high make it a big watch. However, the short lugs also make it a bit easier on wrist. The gold model (MSRP $38,000) of the watch is probably the most striking version. The large 45 mm case would wear larger if it was not for the short lugs. The brilliance of all RJ watches are the case and dials and easily swappable straps.
And the moonwatch does not disappoint with the aforementioned sections of the case that showcases the moon dusts and a moon mission components. The dial features a 3D representation of our nearest neighbor which rotates around the dial showing the current phase of the moon. Additionally, the inner gear also acts as a representation of earth and represents the correct position relative to the moon.
All models use a modified Sellita SW280 with a proprietary module to show the moon phases. But that module is a small addition to the overall watch and RJ also applies high-finishing and partial skeletonization of the dial and the movement shown via the sapphire case back.
Ceramic and Titanium
RJ also makes two other models for this unusual moonwatch. A ceramic (MSRP $22,000) and titanium (MSRP $20,000) models. Each of these also include the moon dust and moon mission parts into their case.
And perhaps the slate color of each of these other two models results in a more appropriate moonwatch version — better matching the unique case inserts. The titanium model is my favorite as it would wear easier (lighter) and made from a metal that was used in space and was created for the space race.
While clearly not for everyone, the RJ moonwatch is great for those wanting something special, a watch that should start conversations with fellow watch nerds. The moon dusts and Apollo parts could be seen as a gimmick but it’s like having a piece of moon mission with you. Rarity is another way of rationalizing it. The size is quite large and thus might limit the appeal but, on the other hand it surely will standout from a crowded room full of Rolex Submariners or Omega Speedmasters.
While I myself am not a buyer for this watch, I can appreciate where RJ is coming from. Since everyone goes crazy about the Omega moonwatch, which is a better bargain and has real pedigree, the RJ moonwatch is more for fun and for those wanting something unique.
RJ is part of the exclusive, small, but growing group (along with H. Moser & Co. and select few others) that you can name the “bad boys” of watchmaking. They set their own rules. Like them or hate them. But you can appreciate their efforts in creating something unique. rjwatches.com
Addendums
01/01/2020
a few small English errors
consistently use moonwatch vs moon watch
link to Forbes article about the Titanic DNA
01/01/2020
replaced some wrist shots in Gold section with better / sharper images
replaced image with three three RJ moonwatch with a sharper one
added a sharper image of the gold close-up
One of the winners in the 2019 GPHG awards in the first week of November was a two year old upstart watch brand from Kuala Lumpur named MING Watches. The young brand won best watch in the Challenge category at the Geneva show to the delight of its founder and watch aficionados who have regularly helped sell out the brand’s 11 prior releases since its debut of the 17.01 watch.
MING watches are not limited per we but are produced in small batches of a few hundreds, which in effect make them limited. A quick perusal to their web site shows that all models, except for the two new 2019 models have sold out. Interestingly the new models are also priced much higher than the previous ones. However, before getting ahead of ourselves, how does one go about seeing or trying on a MING watch?