Introducing: The Street-Art-Inspired Ikepod Megapod “This Is Our Time”

Back in the 1990s, if you were an architect or an artist and wanted to stand apart from the crowd, your go-to watch had to be an Ikepod. Founded in 1994, bold and unique, the result of the work of designer Mark Newson, Ikepod watches were among the coolest pieces you could get. After some difficult years, the brand came back in 2018 with a more accessible approach. What hasn’t change is the strong connection between Ikepod and art, which is once more demonstrated with its latest creation, the Megapod “This Is Our Time” – the result of collaboration together with Ace Jewelers, street artist Laser 3.14 and designer ABC. 

Before we talk about what makes this edition special, let’s talk about the base watch, the Megapod. The second act in the brand’s comeback, this mechanical watch was as Ikepod as it could be – except for the price, much more accessible as it used to be in the 1990s and 2000s. The new Megapod (and not Megapode like the old one) retains the UFO-inspired, pebble-like case of the original watch with large dimensions – 46mm in diameter, but keep in mind the absence of lugs, making it far smaller on the wrist – as well as the integrated silicon strap – whose design was used by Newson when he designed the first Apple Watch.

This “flying saucer” timepiece is topped by a sapphire crystal that flows into the curves of the case and is now classically constructed with a screw-down caseback. Inside the case and here hidden from view is an automatic Japanese Miyota 9039, a classic and reliable movement beating at 4hz and storing 42h of power reserve. It’s nothing fancy, but does the job and brings the price to a far more accessible segment.

So, let’s now talk about this specific Megapod “This Is Our Time” model, the result of a collaboration between a watch brand (Ikepod), a Dutch retailer (Ace Jewelers), a street artist (Laser 3.14) and a multidisciplinary design studio (ABC, which stands for Anything But Cheap). Using the classic Ikepod Megapod base, here with a matte black dial, this group brings Laser 3.14’s street art into the world of horology. The defining feature of the watch is the phrase This Is Our Time, printed in Laser 3.14’s signature graffiti style on the dial. Additionally, the Laser 3.14 tag is printed inside the crystal at 12:00, overlapping the Ikepod logo as though it were sprayed-over, adding a strong street-art flair.

Packaged in a custom sleeve designed by Laser 3.14 and ABC, the watch extends its artistic value beyond the wrist. The Megapod This Is Our Time, limited to 30 pieces each individually numbered (XX/30), it is available now at Ace Jewelers’ online store at AceJewelers.com, at the Ace & Dik boutique in Amsterdam, and through Ikepod.com, priced at EUR 1,400 incl. taxes and EUR 1,157 excl. taxes.

For more details, please consult ikepod.com.