TIMEWERKE

Manuel Emch, CEO of RJ-Romain Jerome, playing Pac-Man on a multi-game video arcade machine. [With special thanks to Mellissa Chen.] Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2014.

While on a stopover in Singapore, we ran several video arcade games by RJ-Romain Jerome’s chief executive officer Manuel Emch and among those chosen were iconic ones like Space Invaders and Pac-Man.

The choices were not surprising as these two video arcade games of yesteryear are now closely-linked with RJ-Romain Jerome.

RJ-Romain Jerome 46mm Pac-Man watch in black PVD-coated steel. Introduced in 2012 and limited to 20 pieces. Photo: © RJ-Romain Jerome

Why? In 2011, the brand created Space Invaders watch in collaboration with TAITO Corporation and what followed a year later in 2012 was the Pac-Man watch made in association with Namco Bandai Games Inc.

In fact, Emch was sporting his RJ-Romain Jerome Space Invaders watch while he was at the L’Atelier by The Hour Glass, a multi-brand watch brand boutique located at the ION Orchard shopping mall in Singapore.

On the wrist of Manuel Emch: his 46mm RJ-Romain Jerome Space Invaders watch in black PVD-coated steel. Limited to 78 pieces. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2014

Machines evoke the emotions in us and the same goes for video games and contemporary art, surmises Emch. “Video games tell stories and each watch is a personal extension of one’s character,” says the chief executive of RJ-Romain Jerome.

Indeed, as Emch reveals, members of the English electronic music group The Prodigy had purchased RJ-Romain Jerome’s Space Invaders watch because the timepiece had “spoken” to them through the link with their commercially successful fifth studio album titled “Invaders Must Die”.

“With such creations, we have now seen more clients from the image and entertainment industries,” says Emch.

Apart from having fun cooking up new and whacky timepiece creations, Emch is also enjoying the fruits of his labour as he discloses that the brand will possibly experience a 25% growth over 2013.

Manuel Emch, CEO, RJ-Romain Jerome with the multi-game video arcade machine at L’Atelier by The Hour Glass in ION Orchard, Singapore. [With special thanks to Mellissa Chen.] Take note of the Space Invaders watch on his wrist and the Pac-Man face on the video arcade machine. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2014.

Surprisingly, Emch’s next stop is Iran. “I like to put myself out of the comfort zone. Life is short and it is good to live your life by trying different things and having fun. Be true to yourself,” says Emch.

We agree. Unlike video arcade games where each player typically has three “lives” to play with, mortal humans like us only have one.

The 2014 Tudor Heritage Ranger with its camouflage fabric strap. There are three strap options for the Tudor Heritage Ranger: steel bracelet, bund strap and leather strap. Every watch comes with the camouflage fabric strap as an added bonus. Priced at CHF2,700 (around US$3,000 / SGD3,780 / MYR9,720) for both the bund strap and leather strap options and CHF2,800 (around US$3,150 / SGD3,920 / MYR10,100) for the watch with the steel bracelet. Photo: © Tudor

While it is deeply inspired by a historic model, the Oyster Prince Ranger of 1967, the brand states that the 2014 Heritage Ranger is “far from being a mere re-edition”.

From what we were told, the brand doesn’t create “replicas”; rather it is about appreciating the spirit of the old, re-interpreting it and completely reworking it.

The Tudor Heritage Ranger of 2014 is larger than the original of 1967 with its diameter of 41mm and the entire case is satin-finished.

The finish expresses “the functionality, technical prowess and robustness of an object that could have been standard equipment in the packs of sled-dog mushers” that were about to face the most extreme conditions, states the brand.

Tudor’s 2014 Heritage Ranger with a steel bracelet. Powered by the Calibre 2824, the 41mm diameter steel case is satin-finished and water-resistant to 150m (500ft). Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2014 BaselWorld

Like the 1967 original, the lugs of the Heritage Ranger are drilled through for the strap bars. The dial with the Tudor rose symbol is matt black and is domed, similar to the brand’s watches of the 1950s and 1960s.

The original dial of the Oyster Prince Ranger of 1967 is domed and has hand-painted dials. The 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock hour indexes of the Heritage Ranger are likewise hand-painted with lots of SuperLuminova and now has a burgundy sweep seconds hand.

There are three available strap options: the steel bracelet, bund strap and leather strap. Every Tudor Heritage Ranger will also have what the brand terms “a camouflage fabric strap” with a buckle.

While the vast majority of camouflage straps are painted, those provided by Tudor for its Heritage Rangers are weaved from several different shades of green threading. Photo: © TANG Portfolio. 2014 BaselWorld

The camouflage strap for Tudor’s Heritage Ranger is not an ordinary strap. As a Tudor spokesperson highlights, “Around 95% of camouflage fabrics are painted with ‘fake’ colours,” but “… the cotton fibres used for Tudor’s fabric strap are coloured in different shades of green and weaved.”

THE ART OF TIME

I RAN WITH RJ-ROMAIN JEROME: Pac-Man and Space Invaders

Tudor Heritage Ranger: Reliving the spirit of the past