RJ, the Swiss independent watch brand that recently renamed itself RJ from Romain Jerome, is known for making timepieces that are somewhat outside of the norm. This is the company that once brought us the DNA Titanic watch, with metal from the doomed ship used in the watch. Now, the brand takes a different tact, teaming with Warner Brothers to create two new DC Comic villain watches that focus on the arch enemies of the Caped Crusader, Batman. The new watches are the Joker and Two-Face.
Using the brand's new Arraw signature collection case for the base of the two watches, RJ presents the Joker watch as a chronograph and the Two-Face watch is a skeleton. These are not the first collaboration creations. Previously RJ unveils the Skylab Batman watch. Now, the company focuses the darker side, creating each Villain watch in a limited edition of just 100 pieces.
The 45mm titanium Joker chronograph watch is designed to capture the spirit of the cunning super villain, complete with a dial that boasts the four suits of the his signature playing cards in the small seconds dial, and as intermittent hour markers. The hands on the watch hare also tipped with playing card "aces", and the bezel is laser engraved with The Joker motif. Because the watch is a chronograph, the black sundials are meant to evoke a sense of the Joker's eyes, while the rest of the dial fades to white like the makeup he wore while terrorizing Gotham City and Batman.
Even the case back of the $17,900 watch has a laser-engraving of the likeness of the Joker. There are three interchangeable straps sold with each Joker watch, including alligator leather in purple and in bright green (each emulating the Joker's vibrant hair and clothing color choices), as well as a black rubber strap. The watch is sold with a deck of The Joker playing cards.
The second watch is the Two-Face, which recalls Gotham City's district attorney who went from being a Batman ally to a dangerous enemy. The watch is designed to depict the concept of good versus evil. By skeletonizing the mechanical movement and showcasing it only on one side of the watch, RJ creates a left- and right-dial side in total conflict. The left side of the watch features a simple dial with a coin on it (indicating the flip of a coin to decide one's next move), while the right side depicts the inner workings of the watch. Even the strap of the $22,700 Two-Face watch boasts two sides, one clean and the other distressed.