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7 of the best Mr Jones Watches designs yet

7 of the best Mr Jones Watches designs yet

Buffy Acacia

Once you’ve been exposed to Mr Jones Watches, it’s impossible to get them off of your mind. Your first thoughts might be dismissive as if they’re no better than a novelty from an art gallery gift shop, but I guarantee you’ll be back to browse the catalogue. There’s a reason for that, and it’s because Mr Jones is a brand that understands all of the rules of horology and art well enough to break them while wearing a smile. Not only does the brand prioritise creativity and quality, but it also helps to shine a spotlight on emerging artists for dial designs of collaborative success. We’re big fans of this quirky British brand, so we thought we’d round up some of our favourite designs from these horological provocateurs for your reading pleasure.

The Accurate

Mr Jones The Accurate

The Accurate is perhaps the least flashy of Mr Jones’ entire collection, but it has been around for years for good reason. Rather than the accuracy of the movement, this watch’s name refers to a more universal truth that can’t be outrun. The philosophy of Memento Mori is usually depicted by a skull or similarly morbid imagery, reminding us that we are mortal creatures who can celebrate life by remembering death. The Accurate by Mr Jones simply places the phrase “remember you will die” across the hours and minutes hand, serving as an easy reminder whenever you check the time. Grim? Certainly, but also lighthearted. That’s the true spirit of Memento Mori, winking at the grave. Price: US$275

Night Howl

Mr Jones Night Howl

The annual Halloween release from Mr Jones is one of my most anticipated releases every year, and the Night Howl from 2024 is my favourite so far. Thankfully, it’s been made available year-round. Designed by the French author and illustrator Xavier Broche, the watch depicts a haunting scene that is completely immersive. Outside a cozy cabin, a figure with a torch explores the snowy wilderness outside their door. As the minute hand rotates, represented by the torch beam, various things that go bump in the night are unveiled in bright light. The hour hand is the ghost, which intersects with the beam once per hour as our hero discovers the frightening phantom! The translucent blue disk that plunges everything outside the torchlight into a night palette is nothing short of genius. Price: US$275

Mr Jones Berry Late Again!

Mr Jones Berry Late Again!

Considering how conservative watch culture can be, seeing a watch with profanity on the dial is a quick way to earn a smile. This Berry Late Again! model is tongue-in-cheek enough to be enjoyed by even the most cynical people, and the ironic message only lines up once per hour thanks to the creative use of transparent disks. You can still tell the time on it too, with the whole strawberry marking the hours and the bitten strawberry marking the minutes. It was designed by Ana Dias, a wonderfully quirky artist based in London, who also designed a cheeky matching t-shirt which is also for sale. If pink isn’t your colour, there’s also a Blueberry Late! version. Price: US$275

Feline Fine

mr jones feline fine

Accuse us of recency bias if you like, but the Feline Fine model which just dropped is another standout from Mr Jones. Yet another watch of theirs that’s not afraid to cuss a little (as well as be existential), a Molotov cocktail marks the hour and the flickering lighter shows the minutes, rotating around a self-destructive cat character, with the dial alternating between two mantras: “everything is fine” and “everything is f*cked”, reminding us to either ignite hope or embrace the mess. The watch was designed by British illustrator Eleanor Dalzell and was inspired by her book How To Self Sabotage, a copy of which is included with every purchase. Price: US$275

Number Cruncher

Mr Jones Number Cruncher

Jump hour watches seem to take themselves either incredibly seriously or not seriously at all, and the Mr Jones Number Cruncher is possibly the least serious one of all. Featuring a Godzilla-esque cartoon creature by artist Onorio D’Epiro, we see the monster joyously wandering through London and devouring time. The jump hour display sits between its fingers ready to be popped into the jaws of death, while the minutes can be seen in an X-ray display of its belly. It’s even powered by the mechanical TY2709 movement from SeaGull, offering a 21,600vph beat rate and a 42 hour power reserve. The case is 37mm in diameter with a 46.9mm lug-to-lug and a 10.8mm thickness, perfectly comfortable for any gender. Price: US$345

The Ascendent

Mr Jones The Ascendent

For a brand whose personality usually revolves around odd humour, The Ascendent bravely ventures into the more emotionally vulnerable side of art. Still preaching optimism with a message of overcoming personal obstacles, The Ascendent still acknowledges the struggle which can come with that journey. Gilded palladium glimmers across its textured surface, masterfully crafted by Marion Labbez, making it easy to see why this watch is one of Mr Jones’ more expensive models. It’s also a jump hour watch with a SeaGull mechanical movement, and the minutes can be read from the stars or moon disappearing into the horizon, each grouping representing a different set of minutes. Meaning and technical details aside, the dial of The Ascendent has got to be one of the most hauntingly beautiful dials of all time. Price: US$425

Colour Venn

Mr Jones Colour Venn

Mark Champkins is not an artist, strictly speaking, but his approach to engineering is undoubtedly artistic. When asked to design a watch for Mr Jones, he came up with this demonstration of the CMYK colour printing process. Using just those three colours, inkjet printers are able to blend a huge variety of shades, and that has been somewhat replicated by this handset. Cyan, magenta and yellow form the hour, minute and seconds hands respectively, while their overlapping revolutions form red, green, blue, and black between them. It’s a mesmerising display and a powerful example of colour theory, one which would have made the Bauhaus generation proud. There’s no need for indices really, but if you want to have a go at reading the time, there are small marks on the tips of the hands which should help with the time. This is also one of few Mr Jones watches that’s powered by a Swiss Sellita SW200-1, offering a power reserve of 38 hours and a 4Hz beat rate. Price: US$695