This Enjoyable Timex Watch Collab Takes Design Cues from Rolex (and Only Prices $249)

Watchmaker Romaric André’s moniker, seconde/seconde/, is a intelligent triple entendre, referring to the second fingers he swaps for tiny sculptures, the second life he offers to previous watches, and his second profession after leaving finance. What started as one-off modifications has since advanced into official collaborations with manufacturers like Christopher Ward, Bamford, and Maen. His Fifty Phantoms collection with Spinnaker—Halloween-themed riffs on Blancpain’s Fifty Fathoms dive watch, with dials full of tiny ghosts—has develop into an annual favourite.

And increasingly, the broader watch world is taking discover of this self-proclaimed “outsider.” Last 12 months, his collaboration with Frédérique Constant was nominated within the “Petite Aiguille” class on the GPHG—essentially the most prestigious award ceremony in watchmaking.

Another collab with Timex—the “IYKYK” (If You Know, You Know) collection—debuted in 2023 and pays tribute to the playful nicknames collectors give Rolex fashions primarily based on dial and bezel colours: the green-on-green Submariner “Hulk,” the red-and-blue GMT-Master “Pepsi,” the black-and-blue GMT-Master II “Batman.” André continues the theme with customized second fingers: a cartoon inexperienced fist for the “Hulk,” a flexible straw for the “Pepsi,” and a comic-book-style “SLAP!” for the “Batman.”

Fittingly, the collection used the Q Timex as its base—a reboot of the model’s 1979 quartz mannequin (therefore Q) that leaned into Rolex’s aesthetic: bicolor bezels, oyster-style bracelets, and traditional dive-watch proportions. The Q turned a runaway hit after its 2019 rerelease, tapping right into a rising urge for food for vintage-inspired watches. Also, at simply over $200, it provided a slice of GMT-Master fashion for a fraction of the $11k Rolex worth.

Now seconde/seconde/ and Timex are bringing the collection full circle with two remaining releases: a green-and-black “Kermit” that includes a frog foot for a second hand, and a blue-dial “Smurf” with a tiny spinning mushroom. “Every good series deserves a prequel and a sequel,” André says of the 2 new fashions.

We video-chatted on launch day, final Tuesday; he was dialing in from a café whereas on vacation in France.

One of the 2 new watches, a riff on the “Smurf,” aka Rolex’s Submariner ref. 116619 with a blue dial and blue bezel. (Smurfs stay in mushroom homes.)

Esquire: Hello Romaric, the place are you?

Romaric André: Around Finistère, in Brittany. A small city referred to as Pont-Aven. Where individuals used to go to get “fresh air.” It’s about pancakes. It’s about sausages. It’s in regards to the feeling it could rain within the subsequent 5 minutes.

Your new watches go on sale in a number of hours. What are launch days like?

I’m excited, at all times. But as you already know, I’m a nervous particular person. I’m launching ten collabs per 12 months, so I’ve discovered from expertise to settle down and put issues into perspective. When the primary a part of these editions launched in 2023, it went fairly effectively. It resonated with the viewers and with the neighborhood. I’m by no means certain, and Timex is rarely certain. But we’re fairly assured.

What’s the story with these two new IYKYK editions, then?

You can think about us within the unique brainstorm. So many concepts got here up, however in some unspecified time in the future, it’s a must to make a draft. We settled on six. And now, two years later, we return to those that didn’t make the reduce and say, “You thought you were left aside. But actually, you’re the closing stars of the show.” I like that. I usually describe myself as a second probability.

You do.

You know, the primary a part of my profession was not so profitable. I’m not saying I’m profitable now. But I believe I’m in a greater place now than I used to be 15 years in the past. So it’s humorous for me to return to these concepts, those that might not see the sunshine of day.

You’re at all times enjoying round with the concept of “seconds.”

I like this concept of the “magnificent second.” For occasion, once you see individuals after ten or 15 years in a tennis competitors who’ve by no means made it to a remaining they usually make it to a Grand Slam, and increase! They go in and win and all people is cheering.

With this collab, who approached whom?

Timex approached me in 2022—or possibly it was 2021. I used to be proactive and replied, “Guys, I’d love to work with you. And by the way, I think I’ve got an idea around ‘twisted nicknames.’ ” I believe I urged, “Let’s make a collection.”

When do your collaborations work greatest?

It’s not in regards to the product; it’s extra in regards to the match between the individuals. And my connection right here is principally with the Timex Design Lab in Milan. I’ve acquired a super-easygoing relationship with these individuals, and we speak to one another even once we’re not engaged on one thing. Timex is a model that has this world dimension that may work with native individuals like me. And the following week, they’re going to work with the Superman franchise.

Someone at Timex is plugged in, aren’t they? They’ve been performing some cool stuff not too long ago.

Yeah, they’re making an attempt issues that you wouldn’t count on. For occasion, the tasks they’ve completed with Giorgio Galli, in a [higher] worth level that individuals don’t count on Timex to be in. No one is saying, “Keep in your lane.” And they’re succeeding in these lanes that weren’t speculated to be theirs.

One of the sooner “episodes,” a riff on the Submariner ref. 116610LV “Hulk” that includes a green-fist second hand.

Who are the IYKYK watches for?

The Rolex nicknames—they’re a vocabulary for a neighborhood. You may say, “I belong to this community that knows this vocabulary.” But being well-informed means you must share it with individuals exterior the neighborhood.

How does that work?

It’s not gatekeeping. “IYKYK” doesn’t imply “If you don’t know, don’t bother.” If somebody asks, “What’s that on your watch?” it’s straightforward to answer, “It’s a reference to nicknames,” and welcome them into the watch-geek neighborhood. I’m not saying, “You can’t reach us.” Get the visa—and are available in.

Is that how individuals have responded?

When we launched the primary items, I obtained tons of messages. “When I wear your Timex pieces, they just make me smile.” That’s a really private assertion. These watches will be dialog starters. But they may also be private. You put on it, it makes you smile. That’s sufficient. Sometimes what you put on doesn’t need to level exterior however inside. It’s slightly cliché, however that’s why I consider Paul Smith. He makes formal fits with linings with enjoyable colours or particulars. It’s extra for you.

“Classic with a twist.” That’s what Sir Paul says.

Yes! And the twists are on the wrist—the wrist twist. I’m taking watch icons and bringing them again to earth. You might say it’s being an iconoclast.

What do you imply?

Artists like Duchamp, Warhol, and Banksy, you might say they’re mocking icons. But they make them extra immortal [i.e., a parody can actually preserve and elevate what it appears to ridicule]. Am I mocking the icons? I’m not. I’m enjoying with them. But additionally praising them. I’m not evaluating myself to Duchamp. I simply imply once you twist widespread materials, it doesn’t simply go down. It goes up. There are two methods in all my tales!

The frog-foot/Rolex crown connection. It was there all alongside!

It’s helpful that Timex and Rolex are each five-letter phrases with the identical ending. I preferred your Instagram teaser. “I’m dropping something with _ _ _ E X”.

I solely realized that two weeks in the past! Firstly, the Rolex crown undoubtedly appeared just like the foot of a frog in some unspecified time in the future. If you have a look at the evolution of the Rolex emblem, you’ll be able to actually see it. When I used to be engaged on this connection between the Rolex crown emblem and the frog, I wished to write down Timex beneath the frog … and I used to be like, “Timex, Rolex … five letters.” So it solely hit me after I made this submit.

I can think about that appealed to you.

It’s one of many issues I really like in my work. It’s actually solitary once you’re engaged on one thing. You’re somebody on the lookout for gold in a mine. And in some unspecified time in the future, you discover the little nugget. For me it’s like scoring a aim within the Sunday League.

Does Timex acknowledge its Q watch seems a bit like a Rolex, then?

Two years in the past, once we made the primary six, the concept was to match the colour of the dial to correspond [to the relevant Rolex]. But they didn’t change the Q design. That was not the purpose. The Q product has a powerful design relationship again years. When this design was created 50 years in the past—sure, they took discover of some well-known dive watches from again within the day. So I suppose they might say they had been “inspired.”

On a launch day are you glued to the site visitors and gross sales?

Because I’m on vacation, I’m not going to be as energetic. Also, when the product is launching, it’s extra the model delivering the messages, the merchandise, the assertion. My work was completed earlier than. But I’m nonetheless going to be following. Since your name started, I already obtained messages from the Timex staff saying, “It’s launch day. Let’s have fun.” It’s thrilling and funky.

André and his Uncatchable clock.

You not too long ago collaborated with a French artist and clockmaker, Philippe Lebru. The Uncatchable clock had a dartboard theme, with darts across the bull’s-eye, a reference to the elusiveness of time.

Yes, you encounter challenges due to the size. Then: What’s the story? What is it making an attempt to inform? It’s going to inform the time, however what different layer? I got here with the concept: You can not catch time. I preferred this concept—having a product that hypnotizes. It reveals a goal transferring tremendous slowly.

Was it tough to make?

Usually, this producer is absolutely happy with its mechanisms—they’re behind the fingers. I advised them, “We’re going to force perspective not on your mechanism or telling-time aspect but on the balance and the weights. We’ll have the time display super white, morphing with the wall, and bright red objects moving around the clock. The focus will not be the clock but around it. Darts around a target you can’t catch. You’re going to miss the time. And time goes through your hands.”

You spend ages excited about this stuff. What about if somebody simply likes one in every of your designs as a result of it’s a watch with a humorous image on the dial?

I’m not going to lecture you: “You think it’s just a mushroom? How dare you!” It is a enjoyable watch with a mushroom. But it’s my responsibility to provide you greater than that. It’s not your responsibility to get all of the references. I’m high quality if the connection just isn’t balanced. For me to remain related, it’s my pleasure to create merchandise that may be talked about. Maybe no one cares. But it’s an excellent course of for me.

You had been nominated for a GPHG award final 12 months. How has that modified your life? Fame and fortune? Being acknowledged on the street?

Look round me! [Gestures around a nondescript café.] I’m an outsider by nature. I don’t stay within the nuclear heart of the watch business. I’m not in Geneva. But I nonetheless suppose it’s fairly attention-grabbing to be an insider generally. Does that imply I’m on the lookout for accolades? Yes, I suppose so. If somebody advised me, “Today, you will get your GPHG award. Will you go onstage?” Of course! I’m not Marlon Brando [who famously declined one of his Oscars].

When we talked a 12 months in the past, I requested in the event you’d wish to launch your individual watch model. You didn’t actually reply the query.

[Laughs.] When I’m going to mattress, I learn a number of pages of a e-book, then I shut the e-book and that concept is sort of a little North Star. It’s slightly dream that you’ve got that creates good vibrations in your mind. But generally I don’t wish to take the danger of dropping the magic of this concept, proper? Because when you attempt to work on one thing, it’s not magic anymore—it’s tangible.

So is that sure or no?

The easy reply is: I nonetheless dream about that. I recurrently work on it. Is it one thing that’s going to occur? I can not say.

Are you completed with this Timex/Rolex nickname undertaking? I ask as a result of a brand new Rolex nickname got here to gentle this week, the “Barbie.” You might have some enjoyable with that.

It’s not completed with Timex, as a result of we’ve acquired such a terrific relationship. But I believe this concept of enjoying on nicknames is finished. Yeah. Because “prequel-sequel” means, often, that you just’re closing the sequence. But look, I’ve nonetheless acquired concepts. I’m nonetheless younger. I’m solely 23.

Sure, only a 12 months older than me. What else are you as much as in 2025?

I’ve acquired fairly an energetic second semester.

Go on.

I don’t know in the event you bear in mind, however I’ve beforehand labored on the Asterix franchise. So there shall be a follow-up to that.

What else?

There is one thing to come back that I can’t actually speak about. It’s not a wall clock it’s [proceeds to share photos of a very cool, fun, and left-field collab project—not a watch].

Will there be one other Fifty Phantoms?

There shall be a 3rd model. Are we allowed to say that? I suppose you’ll be able to say it.