If you are hip and cool, you have probably heard of the clothing brand Readymade that has been worn by the likes of Jay-Z, Travis Scott, LeBron James and Takashi Murakami. If, like me, you are not living on the edge of fashion, it is OK, it is never too late to up your street cred, and what better way to do it than with a new limited edition timepiece!
What is Readymade?
But first, a little bit about Readymade, this is a company that has a rather unique concept. The brand was founded by Japanese designer Yuta Hosokawa in 2013, who came up with the idea to turn used army gear into fashionable clothes. The underlying message is to promote world peace and the end of all wars. The company upcycles and reworks vintage American military attire, giving items a whole new twist and life span.
The Purnell Connection
On the Purnell side, this small independent brand, established just two years ago, is known for its eye-catching tourbillons. In fact, it only makes tourbillons, and not just any tourbillons, but the fastest triple-axis tourbillons in the world. In spite of its young age, the brand already has partnerships with France Football and the famous Ballon d’Or award for the best footballer of the year. This new partnership in the world of fashion takes it in a different direction, but one that is equally as exciting.
About the Watches
The three limited editions of five pieces are based on Purnell’s Escape II Collection that houses the brand’s Spherion movement created by master watchmaker Eric Coudray. Both tourbillon cages revolve in opposite directions thanks to a differential system. For these new editions, Purnell has chosen new neon colours for the tourbillon cages with orange on the left and lime green on the right.
A sapphire dial comes with a minute track hand-painted with 48 differently coloured minute markers and 12 baguette-cut diamond indexes. For the Readmade details, there is an engraving on the right barrel that shares Readymade’s vision of time (inspired by a quote from Thomas Edison): “Time is really the only asset that a human being has and the only thing that he can least afford to waste or lose”. The Readymade logo can be seen on the left barrel, on the crown, on the caseback ring, and on the buckle. And perhaps, most importantly, the strap is made from original vintage U.S military fabric from the Second World War.
The Different Editions and How They Differ
There are five pieces with a 48mm case made in White Purnell Microfiber (WPM), five pieces made with a carbon lamina, and five pieces featuring a full sapphire crystal case.
The timing of this collection couldn’t be better with the current war waging between Ukraine and Russia. It is a subtle and beautiful way to make gorgeous watches while supporting the view that war is not the answer.
