Devon Works’ Star Wars Edition Watch Feels The Force
When Disney contacted Scott Devon last year about partnering on a Star Wars limited-edition timepiece, the founder of Devon Works was skeptical about whether the film's enthusiasts would shell out more than $25,000 for a watch. But the franchise's fan base of 200 million people, some of whom were buying $5,000 cuff links, was pretty convincing.
Having seen the original Star Wars movie more than 100 times, designer Marko Petrovic nailed the concept within a week, which helped the brand meet its eight-month deadline for completing a finished watch in time for the December 18 opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Building off Devon's existing Tread 1 model, Devon and Petrovic zeroed in on the villainous Darth Vader and the TIE fighter, the Galactic Empire's signature starfighter, for design cues. As Devon points out, not only is Vader the most recognizable and compelling character in the Star Wars universe, he also epitomizes the interplay between man and machine, alluding to the interaction that a watch wearer has with the brand's unique and highly engineered belt-driven time display.
Devon's sci-fi movement, which comes to life at the push of a button, conjures something that could have been dreamed up on one of George Lucas' drawing boards. A California aerospace company supplies the glass-reinforced nylon belts (first used in gauges on the original Boeing 747 airplane) that instantly sync and move to indicate hours, minutes, seconds, and how much power is left in the lithium-polymer battery. This battery is charged wirelessly by placing it on an inductive charging station.
The movement incorporates optical recognition cells, microstep motors, and 313 electrical contacts. "It's not only an engineering feat, it's a labor-intensive product to make with over 350 pieces in the movement, circuit board, and case," says Ronald Jackson, president of Devon Works global.
For the Star Wars edition, the movement's four motor covers are colored red and green like Vader's central chest computer, and a hexagonal disk at the center of the dial features TIE fighter inscriptions and apertures that enhance the time display. Vader's iconic helmet is evoked by the watch's massive (66.3 mm by 61.2 mm) stainless-steel case coated in glossy black Diamond-Like Carbon Coating (DLC). The screws that connect the case and lugs resemble aircraft turbine intakes fitted with pointed silver screws—another nod to the helmet. The right and left sides of the case are accented with shapes modeled on the TIE fighter's wings. For finishing touches, the crown bears the Galactic Empire logo, and the leather strap is ribbed like Vader's gloves.
Devon Work's Star Wars watch is available at Tourneau, Westime and a limited number of retailers. When the watch debuted at Los Angeles' Westime earlier this month, the first five pieces sold out in a lightsaber flash. The five-year-old, California-based watch brand will produce 500 pieces over the next two years. For Star Wars fanatics with deep pockets, this is the droid you're looking for.
