Swiss watchmaker releases new limited edition Pokémon watch priced at $20,000

That’s a lot to pay for a time-telling Pikachu.

Luxury watchmaker Romain Jerome recently unveiled its latest high-end timepiece, and despite its eye-popping US$20,000 price tag, this one doesn’t come with any fancy gems or precious jewels. Instead, this one prides itself on a different rarity, in the form of a smiling Pikachu.

Called the RJ X Pokémon, the watch has been created in conjunction with The Pokémon Company International for a limited production run of 20 pieces to mark the 20th anniversary of the popular gaming franchise. Paying tribute to Pokémon‘s well-known star character, Pikachu, the watch features the character, along with his yellow lightning bolt, in hand-painted yellow cold enamel.

The dial, housed inside Romain Jerome’s signature 46-millimetre (1.8-inch) Moon Invader titanium case, comes with a black baseplate displaying the engraved lightning pattern associated with the electric Pokémon, and a vulcanised rubber strap completes the look in a choice of black or bright yellow, to match the character’s signature hue.

While the Geneva-based watchmaking company is renowned for its state-of-the-art craftsmanship and high-end, Swiss-made precision, fans of Pokémon in Japan are yet to be convinced that the product is worth its hefty price tag. Still, it’s not the first time for Romain Jerome to dip their toes into the Japanese gaming market, having collaborated with Nintendo to release an exclusive Super Mario Bros. creation, limited to a production run of 85 pieces as a nod to the game’s 1985 release year.

While the Pikachu watch might be unaffordable for most of us, fans with money to splurge might want to look into the US$2,100 24-karat gold Pikachu card as an alternative investment.

Source: Hachima Kikou
Top image: Romain Jerome

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