Amsterdam-based retailer Ace Jewelers frequently partners with brands to produce limited-edition collaboration watches, and a total of four different entities all teamed up to create its penultimate signature-edition model of 2024. The foundation for the watch comes from Ikepod, although Ace Jewelers also worked with the anonymous Dutch street artist Laser 3.14 and the designer ABC to create the Ikepod x Ace Jewelers “This Is Our Time” Megapod as a street-art-inspired expression of Ikepood’s signature aesthetic.
Before we get into the watch itself, it is worth explaining the roles of these different entities in making the “This Is Our Time” Megapod (ref. MACE314-SI-01). Laser 3.14 is an anonymous street artist who is famous for writing short, thought-provoking messages in a graffiti-style font throughout Amsterdam’s urban landscape, back in 2023, Ace Jewelers co-owner Alon Ben Joseph reached out to Laser 3.14 via Instagram to see if the artist would be interested in collaborating on a timepiece. Ikepod’s bold, minimalist aesthetic and history of working with famous artists made it an ideal partner for the collaboration, and the designer ABC (which stands for Anything But Cheap) specializes in transforming street art into commercial products and was called in to help transform Laser 3.14’s vision into a functional and wearable watch.
We currently live in somewhat of a peak era for collaborations, and the fundamental concept of a multi-brand collaboration is hardly a foreign concept. That said, with this many cooks in the kitchen, I’m actually a bit uncertain of the formal name of this specific model. Ikepod lists the watch as the “This Is Our Time” Megapod x Ace Jewelers x Laser 3.14, while Ace Jewelers calls it the Ace Jewelers x Ikepod Megapod “This Is Our Time” by Laser 3.14 & ABC. When I turned to Laser 3.14’s website to cast the deciding vote, I found the model dubbed the Ace Jewelers x Ikepod x ABC Collab x Laser 3.14 – Limited Edition Megapod “This Is Our Time” (which only complicates matters further), and given that all of these names are far too long for casual conversion, I have simply been calling the watch the “This Is Our Time” Megapod.
Crafted from 316L stainless steel with a circular brushed finish, the case of the “This Is Our Time” Megapod is similar to what can be found on other Ikepod models like the Megapod Hour Glass, and it measures 46mm in diameter by 17mm thick. However, these on-paper dimensions are incredibly deceiving, and since Ikepood’s signature case design is essentially just a rounded circle without any lugs, the “This Is Our Time” Megapod wears quite a bit smaller than just about any other watch with a 46mm diameter. Similarly, the heavily domed sapphire crystal accounts for a significant portion of its 17mm height, and since the solid screw-down caseback forms one continuous curve with the case, the “This Is Our Time” Megapod also wears quite a bit thinner than its rather intimidating on-paper dimensions.
Similar to other Megapod models, water resistance comes in at 50 meters to protect against daily contact, and a push/pull-style crown signed with Ikepod’s bird emblem sits partially recessed into the side of the case at 3 o’clock as the only protrusion from its otherwise entirely symmetrical profile. Additionally, the black silicone strap for the “This Is Our Time” Megapod appears to be identical to what can be found on the standard-production models, and its ends are mounted directly onto the lower edge of the middle case, with a smooth taper from 25mm down to 21mm where it connects to a minimalist wire-style pin buckle. Including its strap, the total weight of the “This Is Our Time” Megapod comes in at approximately 122 grams, and aside from its street-art appearance, the overall on-wrist experience of this four-way collaboration is very similar to one of Ikepod’s core-collection Megapod watches.
Unlike the standard Megapod models that are fitted with display-style casebacks, the Ikepod x Ace Jewelers x Laser 3.14 x ABC “This Is Our Time” Megapod has a solid screw-down caseback that is prominently engraved with each watch’s limited-edition number out of 30 total examples. However, under the closed caseback resides the same three-handed Miyota Caliber 9039 automatic movement, which runs at a frequency of 28,800vph (4 Hz) with a power reserve of approximately 42 hours. Given that Ikepod watches used to be Swiss made, some traditionalists may be irked by the fact that the modern band now uses Japanese calibers, although the real-world performance of the Miyota 9039 will be largely identical to its Swiss equivalents, and the internal movement is hardly the primarily focus of design-centric art watches like the “This Is Our Time” Megapod.
Where the “This Is Our Time” Megapod differs most from its standard-production siblings is its display, which aims to recreate Laser 3.14’s signature graffiti-style street art in a wearable format for the wrist. Framing the matte black dial is a sloped chapter ring with circular brushing and engraved Arabic numeral hour markers, while the handset appears in Ikepod’s usual thin rounded shape, with a gloss black finish and white luminous inlays on the hour and minute hands. Contrasting against the otherwise entirely monochromatic backdrop in bright red letters are the words “This Is Our Time” boldly printed across the lower half of the dial in Laser 3.14’s graffiti-style font, and the artist’s signature is printed in matching red ink on the underside surface of the crystal to give it the appearance that it has been painted over the white Ikepod logo on the dial.
From a purely functional standpoint, the Ikepod x Ace Jewelers Megapod “This Is Our Time” watch by Laser 3.14 and ABC isn’t going to win any awards, although outright practicality simply isn’t the goal of this art-focused watch. The black-finished seconds hand is nearly invisible against the matte black surface of the dial, and without any type of markings beyond the black-on-black engraved Arabic numerals located along its chapter ring, the watch is really only capable of offering an approximation of the time. Additionally, the bold street art-inspired design of the “This Is Our Time” Megapod hardly lends itself to effortlessly integrating into the average person’s wardrobe, and I had to experience the watch in the metal and contemplate its concept before I could actually wrap my head around what this model was trying to accomplish.
Watches produced in collaboration with famous artists typically exist on two polar opposite sides of the price spectrum. The vast majority are budget-friendly offerings, such as the numerous art-focused models from brands like Swatch or Timex. Conversely, there are also the mega-expensive luxury creations, such as the Alec Monopoly watches produced by Jacob & Co. and the Sang Blue series from Hublot, which are all priced far outside the realm of possibility for the average buyer who happens to be a fan of that particular artist. Since nearly everyone has the means to purchase a Swatch, these ultra-affordable models tend to be the de facto options for art-inspired timepieces; however, their plastic cases and simple quartz movements hardly offer a premium ownership experience that will satisfy collectors who are accustomed to watches that cost thousands of dollars.
The Ikepod x Ace Jewelers x Laser 3.14 x ABC “This Is Our Time” Megapod (ref. MACE314-SI-01) occupies somewhat of a middle ground between these two polar opposite sides of the art-themed watch spectrum, where it is expensive enough to offer quality materials and a well-executed overall package, while also being affordable enough to remain attainable for most collectors. With an official retail price of €1,400 EUR including VAT (approximately $1,450 USD, at the time of writing), the “This Is Our Time” Megapod costs roughly ten times the price of an art-inspired Swatch. However, rather than feeling like a plastic horological novelty, this 30-piece limited edition offers a substantial wrist presence that can organically exist within a person’s collection among other high-end watches. For more information on the Ikepod x Ace Jewelers Megapod “This Is Our Time” watch by Laser 3.14 and ABC, please visit either the Ikepod website or the Ace Jewelers website.
