Immerse yourself in the world of pop art, an artistic movement that aimed to make art more accessible and less elitist. Let yourself be mesmerised by its vibrant colours.
The movement was influenced by the rise of consumerism and popular culture, including cinema, advertising and comic strips. The artists’ goal was to be provocative by trivialising their own artworks, making them accessible to everyone. Andy Warhol was one of the foremost protagonists of this new vision of art, famously saying, “When you think about it, department stores are kind of like museums.”
A prolific watch collector, Andy Warhol inspired a number of watch designers. Some brands chose to break with watchmaking tradition, producing colourful pieces that reflected popular culture.
Let’s take a look at some pop-art-inspired pieces!
Maurice Lacroix - Aikon #tide Benzilla Special Edition
To celebrate the opening of its first Asian store, Maurice Lacroix unveiled an Aikon watch designed by Thai artist Benzilla, renowned for his vibrant street art. The dial features a three-eyed alien named LOOOK, a character who is as eager to make the most of his time and life as the artist himself. Despite being colour blind, Benzilla boldly uses bright pop art colours in his creations. This multicoloured waterproof watch, aimed at a younger adult clientele, is crafted from recycled plastic salvaged from the oceans. The collaboration marries Maurice Lacroix’s environmental values with urban creativity.
Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Spider-Man
Following the resounding success of its Black Panther collaboration, Audemars Piguet has continued its exploration of the Marvel universe with a 250-piece limited edition Royal Oak Concept Tourbillon Spider-Man. The brand’s considerable engineering expertise was brought to bear to skeletonise the manual winding Calibre 2974 such that Spider-Man appears suspended in the void, under the sapphire crystal. Spider-Man and pop art are intimately linked through their emergence in 1960s popular culture. Just as pop art critiques consumer society, the character of Spider-Man embodies a form of social commentary. The personal issues faced by the protagonist, Peter Parker, such as loss of a loved one, media pressure, and financial difficulties, mirror the challenges of modern life.
Hublot – MP-15 Takashi Murakami Tourbillon Only Watch
Takashi Murakami, a pop art artist, established the contemporary artistic movement “SuperFlat”, which analyses post-war Japanese culture through the lens of the “otaku” subculture. Influenced by Japanese anime, Murakami’s kawaii signature has drawn the attention of collaborators including Louis Vuitton, Perrier and singer Pharrell Williams. Murakami is no stranger to watch brand collaborations, having previously contributed to Casio’s 40th anniversary in 2010. In 2021 it was Hublot’s turn to harness his creativity, and the watchmaker and the artist have teamed up again this year. Their latest joint creation, a one-of-a-kind piece encrusted with 444 precious stones, boasts a power reserve of 150 hours and will be auctioned at Only Watch 2023.
Jaquet Droz - The Rolling Stones Automaton
“For anyone born after 1963, there is the Sun, the Moon, and the Rolling Stones”. Few would dare to contradict Keith Richards. Jaquet Droz’s horologists have created a watch teeming with details for Stones fans. It’s customisable, with a choice of record sleeves and musical instruments, making each watch unique. Every detail is handcrafted and hand-painted. It can feature the Rolling Stones’ iconic tongue and lips logo created by John Pasche, which encapsulates their rebellious and provocative spirit, or the cover of their album “Love You Live” by Andy Warhol.
Richard Mille - RM 88 : Smiley Automatic Tourbillon Watch
Do you know the origin of the Smiley? In 1963, the State Mutual Life Assurance Company commissioned graphic designer Harvey Ball to create an icon to lift its employees’ spirits. This image of a smiling yellow face inspired journalist Franklin Loufrani, who established the Smiley company. Richard Mille’s team have created an Automatic Tourbillon watch featuring the emoticon to bring some fun and optimism into its owner’s day.
Reservoir - Blake et Mortimer "By Jove ! !!"
Comic strips occupy an important place in the pop art movement; artist Roy Liechtenstein drew significant inspiration from them. Reservoir commemorates the 75th anniversary of vintage Belgian comic Blake and Mortimer with a watch portraying the pivotal scene where the colonel prepares to lead a squadron of bombers. The retrograde hours display is a Reservoir signature.
Corum - BUBBLE 47x AIIROH
Corum’s iconic Bubble is reinvented in this colourful model designed by Aiiroh, the masked French street artist. Their signature black stylised rose motif is set against a backdrop of colourful poster cut-outs. This 88-piece limited edition comes complete with a domed dial etched with a skeletonised rose. Perhaps this is a symbol of nature hitting back at our consumption-driven urban society?
If you’ve read all the way to the end of this article, congratulations! Even Andy Warhol himself would probably have given up. After all, he once confessed, "I never read, I just look at the pictures"!
