This watch is absolutely stunning, and I want it so desperately. Unfortunately, the £150,000 price tag suggests that I’m going to be insanely disappointed.. How much do they offer for organs these days? I think I have a spare kidney going, maybe even a lung. I’d offer my liver, but I don’t think I’d get much for it.
The credit for this masterpiece goes to the French Jewellery Company; Van Cleep & Arpels. They specialise in beautiful things, but it’s hard to imagine that there is anything in their store that tops this. It’s called the Midnight Planetarium Poetic Complication, a fancy title for an astronomically themed watch. I’ve never seen anything like it. Six tiny planets sculpted from precious gems, orbiting a tiny golden sun in real time. Incredibly complex.
The planets included are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. They seemed to have missed out Uranus and Neptune, but I don’t think their addition was physically possible on something as small as a watch. They should totally create a clock though, but drastically reduce its price tag by, let’s say, £149,950 so that I can buy and admire it.
Each planet is scaled down to size, so you’ll notice that Jupiter is the largest orb, much like in real life, and each is made from a different coloured gemstone, ranging from Red Jasper to Blue Agate to Pink Gold. This aspect is probably its only downfall. Apart from Mars and Earth, which are coloured red and turquoise respectively, none seem to match the colour of the actual planet it’s associated with. Mercury is a yellow gem, but in reality it’s actually a greyish colour, and in fact Venus is yellow in real life, but portrayed here as green. It’s not a massive issue, because the colours go so well together, but for something so scientifically accurate already you would have thought they’d keep the theme.
I’ve got to say, if you’re looking to tell the time, this probably shouldn’t be your first choice due to the fact that telling time is not its main priority; it doesn’t even have a minute hand. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a watch that doesn’t have two hands. It would however, be perfect for those who track the planetary movements. Hades, I’m looking at you – a watch that will show you exactly when the planets align, so that you can locate and free the imprisoned titans, finally destroying Zeus and his pesky son Hercules, becoming ruler of ALL the gods! (I may have watched Disney’s Hercules a little too many times)
Nerdy Ninja Platypus 