Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If someone loves, loves, loves this watch, I respect that. Really. I do. My taste for understated timepieces is shared by many but not all and that’s OK. But why in God’s name would someone want to put this watch on their wrist? Sure, the artist whose work is featured is . . .
Nelson De La Nuez.
Though not formally trained, or perhaps because he’s not formally trained, Mr. Nuez is a big deal in the art world. The Saatchi Gallery says the Cuban-born artist is “one of the world’s most collected, significant pop artists today, a born iconoclast, also known as the King of Pop Art ®.”
Yup, Mr. Nuez won’t let anyone else call themselves The King of Pop Art. And God knows he’s made a name for himself. Kim Kardashian owns one of his works! Maybe more! Clearly, Swiss watchmaker Corum — manufacturers of some truly magnificent timepieces — is a fan.
Mr. La Nuez isn’t the only modern artist contributing his talents to Corum’s limited edition Bubble watches, complete with a caliber CO 082 self-winding automatic movement. And I really like some of them.
Mr. La Nuez’s watch not so much. And certainly not at $5200. If, however, you find his design, um, compelling or, uh, fun, the grey marketeers at Authentic Watches will sell you a box fresh Corum Bubble 47 Pop De La Nuez Men’s Watch for $1,775.
The watch’s dramatic depreciation tells me I might not be the only one who sees little value in the timepiece with its Keith Haringesque martini glass. But if I am, so be it. The watch strikes me as equal parts ugly and stupid. Perhaps the artist wanted to evoke that kind of strong emotion. If so, success; said the man wearing a Tudor Black Bay.
[…] Bubble series. We’ve already highlighted one of the less successful models, the hideous Corum Bubble 47 Pop De La Nuez (at top of this […]