watch

Happy (belated) birthday, Mr Jones Watches

/ Melissa / 2 Comments

For someone with only two wrists, I sure do have a lot of Mr Jones Watches.

I wrote about number one here.

And numbers two and three here.

Covered off four, five, and six on one busy day last year.

Quickly followed up with number seven.

It seems very fitting that 2017 has been the year where I’ve reached number ten as it is also the year of their 10th birthday.  I sadly wasn’t able to make it to their exhibition and birthday party as I was in New York, so I decided to celebrate in my own way – by cracking out the debit card.

Number eight was acquired a few months ago as Husband treated me to a limited edition Dog watch.  I got number 15 (I can’t resist a numbered watch), and I love the super cute strap.  More pink stitching please, Mr Jones!

Number nine was another gift from Husband.  The beautiful Nuage designed by Marion Labbaz is another limited edition which sold really quickly – whilst I was debating whether or not to buy it, Husband visited the shop and picked up number 38 for me.  Nuage has now made it to the permanent collection, but I’m so pleased to have one of the originals.

And ta-da – number ten!  I’ve had my eye on Colour Venn since it was released, and snapped it up in recent 24 hour sale without a second thought.  It’s my current favourite, although the yellow ‘second’ hand is very distracting in meetings.

So happy birthday Mr Jones Watches.  Can’t wait to see what you create next.

Mr Jones Watches Sample Sale 2016

/ Melissa / 6 Comments

MJW16_4I have had quite the Saturday.  I’ll write more about the morning in another post, but the afternoon featured possibly my briefest visit to London ever.

Earlier in the week, Mr Jones Watches announced their yearly sample sale.  I attended my first one last year where my collection grew from 1 watch to 3, and now I’ve increased it again.  To 6.  I’m out of control.

I had planned on buying two watches – I say “planned”, but there’s always a risk of getting your hopes dashed if you go to a sample sale with expectations.  I consider myself extremely lucky that I actually got the two watches I wanted.

MJW16_5I eyed the Cyclops straight away and mentally punched the air.  Wishlist watch number 1 – check!  It was one of the very first MJW watches I’d ever seen and is so iconic and pretty.  If you’re interested, the time on it is about 2:30.  I never need to know exactly what time it is.

MJW16_3Wishlist watch number 2 – check!  The King has been on my mind since it was released almost a year ago.  There is a slight mark on the strap of this which doesn’t really bother me, but I could always buy a new strap I suppose.  Again, precision in telling the time isn’t important, but this time is 3:25 ish (I think, I haven’t quite figured this one out yet).

MJW16_2And finally, the surprise of the day – The New Decider.  I haven’t ever seen this one before, but from what I’ve gathered from my in depth online research, it was released about 8 years ago.  The little white circle clicks from YES to NO – “when you need to make a decision you simply look at your watch for your answer”.  I just really love the simplicity and could not leave it behind.  I also loved this:

MJW16_1Number 1!  I hope this is the really number 1 and not an odd sample sale quirk (don’t tell me if it’s not!!)

It was more money than I intended to spend, but I would have regretted leaving any of them behind.  I am so happy with my little collection.

Mr Jones Watches Sample Sale 2015

/ Melissa / 4 Comments

MJW15_1

I have spent way too much money over the past couple of weeks.  It’s quite obscene.  I’ve bought two outfits for a wedding (2x dresses, shoes, and bags), too much Tatty Devine, make-up, skincare products.  I’m going to put myself on a spending ban for the rest of the month.

I did manage to sneak in two more purchases today before the ban commences.  Earlier in the week, Mr Jones Watches announced on their Facebook that they’d be having a sample sale.  I adore these watches – Husband bought me a Sun and Moon watch last year on my birthday and I have given serious consideration to becoming a collector.  I umm-ed and ahh-ed about whether or not it would be worth my while going to the sale – I could only go on Sunday so would there be anything left?

It totally was worth my while.

MJW15_2

I am well on my way to becoming a bonafide collector!  I got there just after they opened and there was maybe 15 watches left in the sale.  I spotted the Ossify watch as soon as I walked in (the silver one on the right).  I adore my Sun and Moon, but I thought it would be nice to have a much smaller watch as well.

And then I saw the Last Laugh, Tattoo edition and I was torn.  I’ve loved the Day of the Dead style skull (designed by tattoo artist Adrian Willard) ever since the first time I saw it but I was never convinced I could pull it off.  Husband looked at me blankly as I told him this in the store before replying “why not?  Just buy it”.  OK then!

As I waited for the guy in front of me to stop talking to the lovely sales assistant about death (no, really.  He was complaining that mentions of death on a watch was too dark for him.  OK GUY, MOVE ALONG!), I reasoned with myself that these sample sales only happen once a year, and that if I only left with one watch, I’d regret it.  I’m so glad I got both.

Ossify isn’t in stock on their website anymore, but according to the page, only 100 were made.  The back of my watch says “xxx in an edition of 100” – I’ll have to ask them what that means.  There was only one of the Last Laugh in stock, and the back is a bit scuffed up but I’m ok with that.  And yet again, the boxes are stunningly designed.  Not knowing how much Ossify was, I can’t be certain on the discount but I think I got them both for half price.

So that’s me poor until September.  Poor, but with amazing watches on my wrist.

I like time. There’s so little and so much of it.

/ Melissa / 8 Comments

MJW1There now follows an epic love story to my new watch.

I haven’t worn a watch for years.  I flirted with Husband’s Pebble earlier this year but it was too big and chunky and it made me feel like a man.  I had my eye on a Zadig and Voltaire watch but I still wasn’t 100% sure.

But then I found Mr Jones Watches and oh my goodness, I was in love.  The store is in the Oxo Tower and WHAT A COINCIDENCE I was going to be go there on my birthday.  And he has some stunning pieces – quirky, pretty, and yet still practical.  Perfect!

Mr Jones Watches at the Oxo Tower
So many pretty!

The sales assistant in the shop was super lovely, and offered to help me find what I want but I already knew.  I’d done my research beforehand and after many many hours, I’d made my decision.  I chose the Sun and Moon watch, based on a watch from the late 1600s

Sun and Moon watch
artwork by illustrator Fanny Shorter
Instructions!
Sun and Moon watch

I was given verbal instructions on how to read the watch before I left the store – no, really – but I also read the instructions throughly when I got home.

The crescent shaped sky on the dial represents 12 hours with the time running from left to right. At 6am the sun ‘rises’ on the left of the dial. The sun slowly climbs in the sky until it reaches the apex of the crescent midday. The sun gradually descends until it reaches the right hand marker at 6pm.

After 6pm the Sun ‘sets’ and disappears from view, meanwhile the Moon ‘rises’ on the left. The position of the Moon in the sky therefore shows the hours from 6pm until 6am.

This is the nicest watch I have ever owned – so unique and well made.  I’m finding it quite easy to read but I still haven’t seen what it looks like between midnight and 7am!  The only problem now is I want to start a collection…

MJW4