Writing on the occasion of the boom in watches with cartoon characters on their dials last year, Esquire took stock of situation – Snoopy watches at Swatch, a SpongeBob SquarePants model at Unimatic, Popeye at Bamford – and considered the most animated entry of them all, a smartwatch featuring Super Mario from Tag Heuer, in which the portly Italian plumber bounded around the face and encouraged the wearer to take their daily exercise. Perhaps, we waggishly suggested, next time Tag could combine one of its motorsport models with Nintendo’s moustachioed mascot – then it could make a Mario Kart watch.
Well, say “Presto!”, “That’s so nice!” and, indeed, “It’s-a Mario Time!” because they’ve only gone and done it – twice.
Launching today, the Tag Heuer Formula 1 x Mario Kart watch comes in two limited editions.
The first, the Formula 1 x Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph) is issued in an edition of 3,000, comes in a 44mm steel case and features a host of Mario-themed design references. The Mario Kart logo is on the ceramic bezel. The pusher at 2 o’clock is circled in ‘Mario red’ lacquer, as is the crown – which also bears the ‘M’ symbol. Mario and his car are etched on the caseback, and so is the Mario Kart logo. The date window at 3 o’clock meanwhile, has been commandeered by a host of what Tag Heuer is calling “easter eggs” – a rotating gallery of Mario Kart graphics, including Bullet Bill and The Banana. The black dial, meanwhile, features a chequered racetrack-inspired pattern.
The second, the Formula 1 x Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph Tourbillon) is produced in a run of 250 pieces and is described as a “haute horlogerie piece”. It comes in a larger 45mm case made of titanium, adds a skeletonised dial and features two chronograph sub-dials, perhaps for anyone wanting to time laps in their own kart. A tourbillon at 6 o’clock features Mario, the Spiny Shell and Bullet Bill moving in time to the complication. There are also a number of design differences to the face, case and pushers. The caseback on this model will be numbered out of 250.
“We are excited to reveal the two latest pieces born from our collaboration with Nintendo,” says Frédéric Arnault, Tag Heuer’s youthful CEO. “The two timepieces are designed for lovers of fine watchmaking who have kept their fresh, fun outlook on life.”
Can we have a Luigi’s Mansion Monaco next?
£3,550.00 and £21,250.00; tagheuer.com
