Whether you like it or not (and it is perfectly understandable if you do not accept this concept), there is something strangely appealing about character watches for some. Gérald Genta with his Mickey Mouse watches, featuring retrograde and jumping displays, is certainly no stranger to this fame, as we have seen recently. There is another brand that has had an entire collection built on such displays for several years... Turning Reservoir's cool concept into character watches seems quite natural. And to mark the 75th anniversary of the appearance of Blake and Mortimer characters, the brand is set to honor these two heroes. By Jove!!!
These two iconic characters first appeared on September 26, 1946, in the first issue of the weekly “Tintin”. This duo would become iconic, with nearly 15 million copies sold over the years. The series narrates the adventures of Captain Francis Blake, a former RAF pilot turned director of MI-5, the British counterintelligence service, and his friend Professor Philip Mortimer, a nuclear physics specialist and one of Britain's most outstanding scientists. These two heroes often face their arch-enemy, Colonel Olrik, a world-class criminal who only considers his personal interests.
“Blake and Mortimer are old-fashioned heroes: they dive headlong into adventures to save the world,” claims Francois Moreau (founder and CEO of Reservoir). The handsome officer with the physique of a young pioneer and the iconoclastic scientist with a red beard can be seen in 22 albums depicting adventures, action, and some mad inventiveness. The author, E.P. Jacobs, who was close to Hergé (the creator of Tintin), liked excessiveness, which is fully manifested in scientific inventions, including the famous swordfish. Yes, perhaps today “Blake and Mortimer” are somewhat outdated, but in reality, these stories were captivating.
Lately, the concept of character watches seems to be making a comeback: recently, Bvlgari reintroduced the iconic Genta watches featuring Mickey Mouse, which immediately found success. It is a strange and very bold concept that will undoubtedly attract only a part of collectors, but these watches are undoubtedly full of charm. In particular, there is something very appealing about the characters on the dial being part of the animation. And since the Reservoir watches were built on a patented module displaying jumping hours and retrograde minutes, it only remained to find the right amount of creativity to make Blake and Mortimer appear on the dial.
Housed in a 41.5 mm steel case, the Reservoir Blake & Mortimer “By Jove!!!” Edition is a return to cool comic-book style on the dial. On a matte black background with a grainy surface, two characters are depicted: Blake's hand indicates the passage of time, while at his feet, in a window, the hours pass. To match the theme, all tracks and markings are done in a font reminiscent of comics, with high-quality serigraphy, and the symbols stand out on the dial as if in relief. Finally, the famous “By Jove!!!” - Mortimer's favorite expression - is located in the window on the right.
The Reservoir Blake & Mortimer “By Jove!!!” Edition retained all the technical specifications of previous Reservoir watch models, including a movement comprising a base ETA 2824 with a proprietary module for jumping/retrograde indication, consisting of 124 parts. The watch is worn on a black leather strap with a triple folding clasp.
The Reservoir Blake & Mortimer “By Jove!!!” watch is released in a limited series of 75 pieces, priced at 2,990 euros. It is now available for order on the brand's website, with deliveries starting from November 19, 2021 - the release date of the latest opus about the adventures of our two heroes “The Last Swordfish”. For more information and to order, please visit www.reservoir-watch.com.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - RESERVOIR BLAKE & MORTIMER “BY JOVE!!!” EDITION
Case: 41.5 mm diameter - stainless steel case, matte - sapphire crystal with AR coating - engraved steel case back - screw-down crown - water resistance 50 m
Dial: Black dial with grainy finish, featuring “Blake & Mortimer” illustration
Movement: Patented proprietary module of 124 parts based on ETA 2824-2 - automatic - 4 Hz frequency - 38-hour power reserve - jumping hours, retrograde minutes
Strap: Black calf leather strap with stainless steel butterfly folding clasp
Reference: RSV04.BM/133
Availability: Limited to 75 pieces. Available now on the brand's website, deliveries from November 19, 2021
Price: 2,990 EURO, USD 2,990 (excluding taxes)