Watches are no longer just simple timekeeping tools. With the addition of popular culture, more and more brands have begun to engage in cross-border cooperation. Do you know? Oris’s PPX KERMIT co-branded watch not only has the cute smile of Kermit Frog, but also hides a unique design Easter egg, so that every wearer can feel its unique charm. Want to know what other surprises this watch has? Come and learn more together!
Speaking of classic American cartoon characters, Mickey Mouse, Snoopy, Kermit the Frog, etc. are probably familiar to many people. Nowadays, these classic animation images have broken the “dimensional wall” and are perfectly integrated with famous watches. Over the past few hundred years, watches have been faithfully performing their duties as a time recording tool. Although with the development of technology and the emergence of smart phones, the practicality of watches has been greatly reduced, people still have a soft spot for watches. There is no other reason. Watches are no longer simply timekeeping tools. They also carry the designer’s ingenuity, the brand’s profound heritage, and the wearer’s personal taste. Because of this, watches have more possibilities.
Omega Speedmaster “Snoopy Award” 50th Anniversary Edition
The famous cartoon character Snoopy is the mascot of NASA. NASA established the “Snoopy Award” to recognize organizations or individuals who have made outstanding contributions to space exploration. On April 11, 1970, Apollo 13 encountered an emergency failure. The astronauts relied on the Speedmaster watches they wore to accurately calculate the ignition time and finally returned safely. Therefore, this year’s “Snoopy Award” was awarded to Omega.
To commemorate this honor, Omega has launched three “Snoopy Award” commemorative watches since 2003. Among them, the 2003 and 2015 models are sold in limited quantities. The 2020 current model is the “Snoopy Award 50th Anniversary Commemorative Model”, which uses a combination of blue bezel sub-dial and white dial, and the Snoopy pattern is printed on the seconds dial. An Easter egg worth noting is that whenever the chronograph function is turned on, Snoopy driving the spaceship on the bottom cover can link with the chronograph second hand and rotate around the moon, which greatly adds to the fun.
Omega Speedmaster “Snoopy Award” 50th Anniversary Model and Mission To The Moonphase “Full Moon”
Mission To The Moonphase “New Moon”
Although the third-generation Speedmaster “Snoopy Award” commemorative watch is sold in a non-limited form, the low production capacity objectively causes its scarcity, and the market price naturally remains high. MoonSwatch, the joint product of Omega and Swatch, also aims at this point, creating opportunities for more players who love Snoopy with its affordable price.
This three-party joint watch that combines the image of Snoopy is called “Mission To The Moonphase”. It continues many features of the MoonSwatch series, including a 42mm bioceramic case with Velcro strap, and an acrylic mirror. The white case, white dial and white strap make the entire watch visually integrated.
Luminous eggs
The “Moon Phase Mission” has two different colors, white and black, both with the same color case, dial and strap, which has a great visual impact. This work has a moon phase display function. Snoopy, leaning on the crescent moon, slowly changes position with the moon phase. Under UV light, the cross bridge will display the words “I can’t sleep without the night light! (I can’t sleep without the night light!)”, which is a classic line in the comics.
Oris PPX KERMIT joint watch
Kermit the Frog is the protagonist of Disney’s The Muppet Show “The Big Frog Show.” This frog with a green appearance, signature big eyes, and a big smile always brings people an optimistic feeling and has now become a famous pop culture symbol. In 2024, Oris and Disney will join hands to launch the PPX KERMIT co-branded watch with a green dial (derived from the skin color of the Kermit frog).
Easter eggs in the calendar window
The PPX KERMIT co-branded watch uses a 39mm titanium case with a “knurled” bezel groove inspired by the engine turbine of a jet aircraft. The sharp angular lines are very modern. An interesting easter egg is that the iconic smile of Cormy the Frog will appear on the calendar on the 1st of each month. Turn to the back, and the ORIS400 independent movement can be seen through the transparent bottom cover. Simply summarize the features of this independent movement: 120 hours of long-lasting power reserve, using a silicon escapement wheel and silicon anchors, and having certain anti-magnetic capabilities.
Oris PPX series “Komi Frog” and “Miss Pig” joint edition
This year, Oris continues to create joint watches for Miss Piggy, another protagonist of “The Big Frog Theatre”. In the plot, she comes from a humble background and enters the entertainment industry through beauty pageants. She is well known for her bold, beautiful and confident personality. This joint watch uses a 30mm stainless steel case, with bright pink as the main color of the dial, which is highly visual.
Due to the reduction in size, the calendar Easter egg found in the Cormi Frog collaboration has been removed from this work. But through the circular window on the bottom of the watch, the image of Miss Piggy depicted on the movement can still be seen. The movement is the ORIS 531 self-winding movement derived from Sellita, with a diameter of only 17.2 mm, a vibration frequency of 28800VPH, and a power reserve of 42 hours. As a watch for female consumers, a diamond time scale is also set at 12 o’clock on the dial.
Gerald Genta Arena Disney Mickey Mouse Retrograde Watch
Mickey Mouse is undoubtedly the most representative symbol of American animation culture. This iconic image created in 1928 has accompanied generations of people through their childhood. In 2021, the Gerald Genta brand under the LVMH Group launched the Arena Disney Mickey Mouse retrograde watch. This work uses a 41mm classic Arena case, which is one of the most recognizable elements of the Zunda brand. In 2022, another Mickey Mouse bi-retrograde watch also using the Arena case will be unveiled. The work depicts the image of Mickey Mouse playing football on the mother-of-pearl dial. Above Mickey Mouse’s left foot is a jumping hour display window, and the position of his right foot is a 180-degree retrograde date.
Gerald Genta Arena Disney Mickey Mouse Bi-Retrograde Watch
When it comes to the Gerald Genta brand, some players may be unfamiliar with it. But if you talk about the first-generation Nautilus, Royal Oak and other luxury sports watches designed by Gérard Genta, I believe you must be familiar with them. This brand, founded by a famous watch designer, became part of Bulgari in 2000. With the acquisition of Bulgari by LVMH Group, Gerald Genta was once again promoted to become an independent watch brand under the group. Today’s Gerald Genta continues the classic style while also innovating the function and appearance of the watch. The Mickey Mouse retrograde watch is one of the representatives.
Incorporating pop culture elements into watch designs not only enhances their interest, but also enhances their collectible value. This cross-border cooperation has brought new vitality and creative inspiration to the traditional watch market, making them not only a time recording tool, but also a tribute and continuation of classic animation culture. The above are several watches that have been released in recent years and incorporate classic American cartoon images. These cartoon characters may have accompanied you through the good times, but are you willing to pay for this “feeling”?