Tie-in merchandise is nothing new especially when it comes to big movie releases but not all merchandise is created equal as this new Space Jam Tourbillon Collector set shows us.
Created by Kross Studio this is likely the most expensive piece of merchandise attached to the upcoming film Space Jam: A New Legacy. Kross Studio also created the Star Wars Death Star Tourbillon which itself was a genuinely impressive and well-designed watch despite the film tie in.
The Space Jam watch is limited to just 10 pieces and you don’t just get the watch, also included is an ‘interactive basketball sculpture.’ My favourite part of the marketing is the portion of Kross Studio’s site that calls the collection a place where ‘performance, technique, and Looney Tunes blend with style.’ Now that’s a sentence I never thought I’d read.
The 45mm titanium watch features Kross Studio’s own 3 Hz KS 7000 caliber movement that the watchmakers say reflects ‘Kross Studio’s streetwise design style and finely honed technical skill.’ This movement is hand-wound and is equipped with an oversized barrel that supplies a five-day power reserve.
The most interesting part of the watch is the basketball shaped tourbillon cage. It sits in the middle of the dial and is covered in with ‘an open-work basketball-like structure that reveals the regulator below.’
To prove that this is a true piece of haute horology all of the 281 pieces are completely handmade.
Some little basketball style motifs are found all over the watch as you’d hope. For instance, the hour hand turns into a free throw lane (key). Speaking of the hands, the hours and minutes are affixed to a peripheral display that orbits 360° around the tourbillon.
On that peripheral display, you’ll find the Tune Squad. Each character is engraved including Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Lola Bunny, Marvin the Martian and so on.
Two straps come in the box, one a deep blue calfskin leather, and the other an orange laser abraded rubber. The orange one is meant to be reminiscent of a basketballs surface.
Not only do you get a watch but also a piece of functional art, the Kross Studio B-BALL. Designed and engineered by Kross Studio, the piece is made of wood and aluminium to make the shape of a ball. The watch can then be stored within the ball.
The 10 limited pieces are available now at Kross Studio.