FeatureHow The Era Of Ikepod Opened A New Chapter For Watchmaking

It’s a pebble! It’s a UFO! It’s an Ikepod! It was Marc Newson, Cofounder and Designer of Ikepod, a watch brand dating back to 1994, who introduced ‘conceptual or concept watches’, along with practices such as high-end luxury pricing, varied watch sizes and artisanal limited-edition production to a horological world still conditioned to industrial ideas of mass-production and competitive pricing. “I think it’s really important to design things with a kind of personality,” the Australian maverick once said. Considered one of the most influential modern designers, Newson coined the name ‘Ikepod’ by combining the name of co-founder Oliver Ike with pod; the shape defining the watches. Ikepod first gained attention in 1997, after launching the Hemipode; a pathbreaking large-diameter watch with 47mm elliptical case without lugs, personifying the brand logo showing a small bird called hemipode, also known as buttonquail. The design gained a cult following for its single hand, minimalistic dial. However, the brand shut shop in 2006, and after briefly reopening in 2008, shut down again in 2012. Ikepod exchanged hands in 2017 and reopened. At present, the Ikepod range showcases watches modelled on the first-issue Ikepod iterations but at reduced rates. Prominent designers and artists like Claesson Koivisto Rune and Tom Christopher have collaborated to create Ikepod watches.

The Man Behind Ikepod: Marc Newson

It was the act of disassembling a Timex watch gifted by his uncle at the age of 12 that first drew Marc Newson’s attention to watches. He felt watches were “like a universe in a teeny little size”. Growing up in the 1970s meant witnessing the Quartz Crisis and era of miniaturisation. He began seeing how a physical object like a watch was able to capture intricate details, and dedicated the rest of his life, unraveling new approaches in modern timekeeping. Newson graduated from the Sydney College of Arts in jewellery and sculpture. One of his earliest works, Lockheed Lounge Chairs, sold for $3.7 million; the most expensive object ever sold by a living designer. His Embryo Chair was also appreciated. In both these furniture pieces, Newson began to veer towards design that smoothened sharp edges and angles; features replicated in his Ikepod watch designs and even the Apple Watch that he helped design on leaving Ikepod. It is said patrons still stock on Ikepod because of Newson’s past association to the brand, aside the watch design leaning towards neo-vintage and avant garde.

Ikepod first gained attention in 1997, after launching the Hemipode; a watch with 47mm elliptical case without lugs, personifying the brand logo showing a small bird called hemipode, also known as buttonquail. The design gained a cult following for its single hand, minimalistic dial. Soon the brand is stocked in top world watch stores such as Colette, Chronopassion, Hour Glass, and West Time. Moreover, an Ikepod factory opens in Bassecourt, Switzerland. However, the brand shut shop in 2006 due to bankruptcy, and after briefly reopening in 2008 and launching iterations in gold, platinum, ceramic and titanium, it shut down again in 2012. Ikepod exchanged hands in 2017 and reopened. At present, the Ikepod range showcases watches modelled on the first-issue Ikepod iterations but at reduced rates. Prominent designers and artists like Claesson Koivisto Rune and Tom Christopher have collaborated to create Ikepod watches.

Successful, Second Rising

Current Ikepod owner Christian-Louis Col bought the brand in 2017 with the intention to make it affordable and increase it reach. Noted watch designer Emmanuel Gueit was roped in to create Chronopod and Duopod models. By 2018, the brand was back on its feet, incorporating Japanese movements and Taiwanese dials at affordable prices. In 2020, watch designer Alexandre Peraldi purchased the design rights for the first-issue Megapodes to create a revamped range. A year later, watch designer Fabric Gonet created Seapod after combining attributes of the Seaslug and Hemipode.

Skypod

Claesson Koivisto Rune, a Swedish architecture trio created Skypods after drawing inspiration from the aviation industry. This limited edition in titanium uses New Old Stock Swiss La Joux-Perret movements and rubber pin strap. The black ‘Eero’ dial features chronograph, date, and GMT indications.

The black ‘Eero’ dial of the Skypod features chronograph, date, and GMT indications

Claesson Koivisto Rune, a Swedish architecture trio created Skypods after drawing inspiration from the aviation industry

Ikepod Skypod Shop The Collection

Duopod

Hailing from the defunct Horizon collection, the minimalistic Duopod is a design feat by expressionist painter and muralist Tom Christopher on one of his New York scenes; a riot of colour. This two-hand model with 42mm case size is powered by the Japanese-inspired quartz Miyota movement and protected by an antireflective sapphire crystal. The iteration has silicon strap fitted with ardillon buckle.

The Duopod Dots iteration pays ode to the defunct Horizon collection

Chronopod

This Chronograph, inspired by the Hemipode collection, retains its original 44mm case size that houses the Japanese Chrono quartz movement, Miyota JS 25 Chronograph. With an antireflective sapphire crystal and screwed back case back, the two-handed watch is rendered 50m water resistant. The iteration has silicon strap fitted with ardillon buckle.

With an antireflective sapphire crystal and screwed back case back, the two-handed Chronopod is rendered 50m water resistant.

Megapod

The Megapod features the iconic 1997 design and limited-edition timepiece, in collaboration with Tom Christopher, available in quartz and automatic movements. The grey double-layered Megapod has a floating Ikepod logo engraved under the sapphire. Within the 316 L steel case, the three-hand automatic Miyota 9039 movement lies enclosed with 42-hour power reserve (automatic winding), water resistant up to 30m.

The Megapod features the iconic 1997 design and limited-edition timepiece, in collaboration with Tom Christopher, available in quartz and automatic movements

Seapod

Seapod dial is inspired by the first-issue Ikepod watch. The brand’s only dive watch has a unidirectional rotating bezel and a bronze version fitted with Miyota 9075 GMT movement as well. This Fabrice Gonet designed watch combines attributes from defunct models of the Hemipode and Seaslug, and together with sapphire glass and screwed down crown offers upto 200m water resistance.

Seapod dial is inspired by the first-issue Ikepod watch

This Fabrice Gonet designed watch combines attributes from defunct models of the Hemipode and Seaslug, and together with sapphire glass and screwed down crown offers upto 200m water resistance

Ikepod Seapod Shop The Collection