The novel starts with a press conference for the launch of a new watch called the Cassius Seven, so it immediately sparks my attention as this is a typical scene from my watch journalism world. The watch is unveiled by its inventor, the artist Watanabe, to be a round titanium prototype with a sapphire crystal bezel and Roman numerals. Listening to the watch’s credentials, it doesn’t appear to be anything to get your notebook out for, until its inventor explains that it contains a complication that will – at a randomly assigned time – slit its owner’s wrist. Seven razor-sharp blades contained in the caseback are programmed to spring out in what could be a matter of days, weeks, months, years, or perhaps never at all – only the watch knows.
This crazy tale follows Coe Vessel, the son of a legendary adman, and his team of creatives as they win the campaign to promote the watch and launch it under the new name, Death Watch. Unaware of whether it is supposed to be a joke, a high-art hoax, or a provocation to the world of luxury consumerism, Vessel performatively straps one of the watches onto his own wrist, which helps kickstart his campaign. Everything seems to be going delightfully to plan until one of the first customers, a 33-year-old financial advisor from Boston, drops dead on the sidewalk and Vessel has to fight to save himself and the other watch owners. This thrilling tale will certainly have you looking at your watch a little differently as you devour the book’s pages to find out where it will all end.
Better Ways to Appreciate the Time You Have Left
If this kind of thriller isn’t your cup of tea, there are thank goodness, other ways to appreciate the time that you have left on Earth with timepieces that will actually make you smile and feel good every time you need to look at the time. Let’s kick off with the Richard Mille RM 88 Automatic Winding Tourbillon Smiley. Inspired by the famous emoji drawn by Franklin Loufrani just over 50 years ago, this timepiece is full of joy and positivity with its array of decorative motifs that include a sun, a rainbow, a purple parasol, a pineapple, a cactus, a flamingo, and more.
Behrens X Konstantin Chaykin Collaborative Limited Edition
This co-creation between the two watch brands Behrens and Konstantin Chaykin feature Chaykin’s famous “Joker” design with big eyes and an even bigger grin. The left eye indicates the hours, while the right eye shows the minutes, and the mouth displays the seconds. Created in three series of 200 pieces, they have almost all sold out, although I understand there are a few titanium versions still left – so, another reason to smile!
Hublot Classic Fusion Takashi Murakami Sapphire Rainbow
I seriously can’t look at this timepiece without smiling. Nicknamed the “Happy Flower”, it really is just that with its smiley face and rainbow setting that spans the entirety of the flower and its petals. This version comes in an all-sapphire case which allows the multicoloured flower to sparkle even more.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spiderman”
There is nothing like a superhero to make you feel good as it transports you back to your childhood – and if you were born before the 1980s – memories of reading comic books with a flashlight under the bed covers will bring a smile to your face! The Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon “Spiderman” does all of this as Spiderman is the hero of this timepiece as he climbs through the mechanism to save the day!
Luckily, the Death Watch remains firmly in the world of fiction. For many of us, watches actually make life worth living with their unique designs, craftsmanship and complications that make our lives easier, rather than cutting them short!
