Ikepod returns to the art world with their latest collaboration with Tom Christopher. The new watch represents the third such collab, with Ikepod first having worked with artists Jeff Koons in 2009 and KAWS in 2012. The 3rd gen art watch is the first in the post Marc Newson era of the brand, but continues the themes he and Oliver Ike first established in the ‘90s. That is to say, it’s unmistakably Ikepod in form.
The first two art watches are unicorns these days thanks to their exceedingly limited production numbers and household-name status of the artists. Phillips sold a KAWS X Ikepod watch last year at auction for over $38,000, and there’s one for sale right now directly from Ikepod for the princely sum of $42,565.73. The latest art watch taps Tom Christopher, an American painter known for his chaotic impressions of New York City.
The gen. 3 art watch is housed in a Megapod steel case measuring 46mm in diameter. The case features a rubber strap integrated directly to the circular case, meaning no lugs in sight. This also means the 46mm diameter is also the “lug to lug” measurement. While the first two used ETA movement, this example employs the Miyota 9039 which is visible through an exhibition caseback.
The internals are a bit besides the point here, however. The dial showcases the work of Tom Christopher, depicting a colorful New York skyline circling the dial, with the skyscrapers pointing inward, where you’ll find a group of skaters situated throughout the inner portion of the dial. The patchwork depiction of the city features a myriad of color blocks which, from a distance, form a lovely tapestry of shape and color not readily identifiable. The name of the watch, ‘Skaters In The Sky’ is the biggest tell here in terms of framing the artwork within the context of a readily identifiable subject matter, removing it from the abstract at a distance altogether.
The Tom Christopher Megapod will be far more accessible than the KAWS or Koons variants, with 200 total planned for production (50 in the first batch) at a price of $1,700. Ikepod.
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