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Super Heroes on Your Wrist (Exciting Watch and Comic Collabs)

Posted on February 26 2021

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Watches and Comics

Don’t take your watches too seriously.

If you’ve been on the waiting list to get your Rolex, then yes, take care of it. Treat it like the investment that it is. But remember, not all watches are Rolex’s.

I bet you’re like most people. I bet your watch isn’t a Rolex. It’s not an investment or a rare antique. If you’re like me it’s most likely an affordable model.

And do you know what I like about affordable watches?

You don’t have to take them too seriously. They’re fun. You can take risks and buy them on a whim. You can pick up lighthearted models just because.

And there’s one style of fun watch that always catches my eye. Collaborations. None more so than watch and comic collabs.

The 6 Best Watch and Comic Collaborations


Comic’s and watches might not seem like the obvious joint venture. Car and watches? Yes, that works.

You’d be right in thinking that comics might not be the best fit with watch fans. After all, these are the guys who insist on using a wristwatch for telling the time rather than a phone. They’re not children.

But there is quite a bit of history for this type of pairing up. The most famous being Timex. They worked with Disney to release the massively popular Mickey Mouse watch in the 1930s. Since then, other brands have repeated the process.

Some have been failures and some have been stunning successes. Here are six comic-inspired watches that are in production now. All fun and not a Rolex in sight.

Citizen Spiderman Watch

You don’t need to be a Spiderman fan for this watch to speak to you. I’m not into Spiderman - the comic or the movies - but this watch appeals to me.

It’s more than simply rebranding a Citizen watch with a Spiderman logo. The best watch collaborations go beyond that simplicity. This Citizen is among those best designs. It builds a watch around a concept.

The case, for example, is unique. It’s built from Super Titanium. It’s stronger and lighter than steel and shaped with lines reminiscent of the superheroes suit. The dial features original comic art. Spiderman, the hands and the minute markers are accented in red.

It’s quite a chunky watch, with a diameter of 44mm. That, the light-powered Eco-drive movement and Titanium case means that this feels like a watch for a superhero. It’s tough, durable and uses cutting edge technology.

It’s also limited to 1962 pieces.

And yes, that was the year that the first Spiderman comic was published.

Citizen Spiderman Ltd Ed AW0061-01W

  • 44mm Diameter
  • Titanium
  • Eco-Drive Movement
  • Mineral Crystal
  • 100M Water Resistance

 




Citizen Hulk Watch

This watch smashes it. There’s nothing groundbreaking in the design - only the Hulk’s fist smashing through the dial. But it’s effective and makes a statement.

Other than this excellent dial, this is a straightforward piece. It has a spartan stainless steel case and a heavy-duty buffalo grain strap - with green contrast stitching of course.

The dial is where this watch wins. It’s silver, with vertical stripes and bold green numerals. The number nine has been replaced with our heroes fist and makes for an eye-catching design.

As you’d expect from Citizen, the movement is from their Eco-Drive line. So this watch is solar-powered and never needs a battery change.

If you’re lucky you can pick this up new for under 100 bucks.

Citizen Eco-Drive Hulk AW1431-24W

  • 43mm Diameter
  • Stainless Steel
  • Japanese Eco-Drive movement
  • Mineral Crystal
  • 100M Water Resistance



 

Timex Snoopy Watch

Snoopy and Timex. This is a collaboration that you’ll remember from childhood.

It’s a more relaxed collaboration than the Citizen’s and uses a classic Timex design. Timex Snoopy watches aren’t a new idea, but they’re as fun as ever.

At the risk of overusing the word, the original Peanuts watches are iconic. They’re a part of popular culture.

Timex has updated this new version. The watch is now 40mm wide but retains the famous Marlin model as its base. The mechanical movements of older models are now replaced by reliable quartz.

It’s a playful watch that is very affordable. The numerals are almost childish, a quirky feature that I love. It’s a contrast to some of the others on this list - as much fun, but understated.

And when the hands move? Snoopy swings his baseball bat. How cool is that?

If you want something classic and lighthearted this iconic Timex could be the number one contender.

Timex Snoopy Welton TW2R94900

  • 40mm Diameter
  • 12mm Thick
  • 20mm Lug Width
  • Stainless Steel
  • Quartz movement
  • Acrylic Crystal
  • 30M Water Resistance



Undone Batman Watch

Undone is one of the first brands that you should consider if you’re looking for an interesting collaboration watch. They’ve released all sorts of exciting models, taking inspiration from board games, Buddhism and SpaceX.

They’ve excelled themselves with this Batman release.

It’s firmly in the group of watches that have been built from scratch with the design ethos of the second party. This isn’t Batman’s colours popped on an existing Undone watch. This is a model created to mirror the styling of the Dark Knight.

It’s a stunning watch.

Look at some of the specs. A grade 2 titanium case - it’s much lighter than steel and has a dark sandblasted finish. There’s a scratch-resistant domed crystal and the watch is powered by a hybrid movement.

As good as they are, you’re not here for the specs. It’s the design that’s important. And it’s a great design.

Created to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Batman, the inspiration is unmistakable. It states it’s for the Guardian of Gotham city and one of the chronograph sub-dials is a bat. It’s a gorgeous dial, housed in Undone’s first cushion case.

That case is a nice touch. Titanium is a great choice and underutilised in the watch trade. If you want a limited edition piece - with a hypoallergenic and corrosion-resistant case - there is only one choice.

Undone Batman Caped Crusader

  • 40mm Diameter
  • 13.3mm Thick
  • 20mm Lug Width
  • Grade 2 Titanium
  • VK64 Mechanical-Quartz Hybrid
  • Domed K1 Crystal
  • 50M Water Resistance

 



Undone Harley Quinn Watch

This is another brilliant release from Undone. There are only 100 pieces of this watch.

Again, it’s a really successful collaboration. It builds all the personality of the comic character into the design. The small touches are wonderful. The chronograph hand sprouting from bubble gum. ‘Mad Love’ scrawled across the dial. The graffiti strap.

This watch oozes personality.

Released for Valentines Day 2020, the idea was to “celebrate the epic LOVE/HATE relationship of Gotham’s very own Bonnie and Clyde”.

The general appearance of the watch is recognisable as an Undone chronograph. They have a few similar models with this case and specs. Where this model succeeds is in the unique dial and strap. They’re unlike anything else on the market.

There’s no subtly. And there shouldn’t be. It’s a statement watch - in your face so to speak.

If you care about the specs - and you probably don’t - they’re decent. A modern hybrid movement, a tough K1 crystal and a stainless steel case.

Undone Harley Quinn Mad Love

  • 41.8mm Diameter
  • 13.5mm Thick
  • 20mm Lug Width
  • Stainless Steel
  • VK64 Mechanical-Quartz Hybrid
  • Domed K1 Crystal
  • 30M Water Resistance

 



Invicta Joker Watch

This watch is more of a monster than the Joker. Or perhaps it’s more of a joke. Either way, it’s a massive 52mm of madness.

I’m not sure where to position this watch. I’m not embarrassed to admit that it’s far too big for me. The diameter is huge and it’s 22mm thick. I can’t help thinking that if you’re physically big enough to wear this bruiser then you’re probably too old to like the design.

I guess that is why I like it. It looks and feels too crazy to take seriously. It’s nearly as daft as Invicta’s Spongebob model.

But there are actually some cool features. God knows why, but this watch has 1000M of water resistance. A watch needs good build quality to achieve that.

But again, you’re not buying a watch like this for specs. It’s hard to pin down why you’re buying it at all. Most likely you’re a Joker super-fan and this would sit great on your shelf - better than it would sit on your wrist.

It’s not an expensive watch, so have fun with it.

Invicta Joker 33810

  • 52mm Diameter
  • 22mm Thick
  • 26mm Lug Width
  • Stainless Steel
  • Quartz Movement
  • Mineral Crystal
  • 1000M Water Resistance

 


Conclusion


There are many reasons why brands work together.

Watch companies and comic makers may not seem like an obvious match. Watch manufacturers tend to take themselves seriously. Comics are more lighthearted.

It’s refreshing to see the results of their collaborations.

It’s fun at the affordable end of the market as brands can experiment. There’s less to lose if a design fails and a lot to gain if it’s a success.

And some of the successes have been big. Timex and Disney is a great example. They sold millions of watches by reaching out to a new audience. It wasn’t too difficult to achieve - they simply had to put Micky Mouses face on a watch.

In my list, there are some clear successes and a couple that might have worked. You’re the best judge.

Crucially, because of the small runs of limited edition watches, you usually have to decide quickly. Part of the fun is to catch these collaborations as they come out and grab yours.

In this piece, I’ve highlighted a selection of my current favourites. I’d suggest that you take a closer look at the ones that grab your attention. As always, add your own thoughts below.


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