Pepsi, Coke, Sprite, Root Beer: these watch nicknames have become enshrined in the horological lexicon, yet only Jack Mason has teamed up with a soft drink giant to bring an official version to market. Last year, Jack Mason and Dr Pepper® — the one-of-a-kind beverage that just surpassed Pepsi as the second most popular soft drink brand in America — collaborated on a limited-edition release, using the Strat-o-Timer GMT as a base and integrating Dr Pepper’s trademark colors and plenty of easter eggs. After selling out in record time, the two brands decided to make the Dr Pepper model an annual release. For 2024, the frosty silver-white colors of Diet Dr Pepper lead the way in terms of aesthetic changes, but you’ll now find a surface-hardened case and plenty of small changes throughout.
A collaboration between Jack Mason and Dr Pepper is a natural fit, as both brands were born deep in the heart of Texas (albeit well over a century apart). Pre-dating Coca-Cola by one year, Dr Pepper was first commercially released in 1885, though the brand’s founder had been selling his celebrated beverage out of Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco, Texas as a digestive aid that “…restores vim, vigor, and vitality.” Dr Pepper, with its 23 flavors, has always had its die-hard fans, yet the beverage has been steadily increasing in popularity, usurping Pepsi for the number two spot in the United States this year.
Dr Pepper has never been one to shy away from a fun and playful campaign — from the famous “I’m a Pepper” ads of the 1970s to its current cameo-loaded satirical Fansville ads. The opportunity to partner with fellow Texas brand Jack Mason and play off the watch world’s penchant for silly sobriquets for loosely color-matched watches was too good to pass up.
Jack Mason’s Co-Founder and Designer, Peter Cho, explains, “To work with a global icon like Dr Pepper®, which recently took the 2nd place position from Pepsi, is truly an honor and speaks volumes to its brand identity, which is collaborative, open-minded, and all about a good time. We are grateful to have formed this unique relationship and hope to make this an annual tradition.”
The Jack Mason 2024 Dr Pepper model is based on the brand’s flagship Strat-o-timer GMT. Crafted of 316L stainless steel, the watch measures a wrist-friendly 40mm in diameter (47mm lug-to-lug) and slim 13mm case height (11.25mm excluding crystal). Critically, the Strat-o-timer also features a true GMT complication, allowing the user to independently adjust the hour hand.
While the case dimensions remain unchanged from last year’s collaboration, the 2024 edition features a new addition now found across the Strat-o-timer range — a hardness coating providing 1200 Vickers of scratch resistance. The sapphire bezel has also been refreshed; while it retains the brand’s signature colors, the markers are now a crisp white in lieu of last year’s beige.
The most striking change found in the 2024 Dr Pepper Strat-o-timer GMT is the frosty silver-white dial that will be instantly familiar to fans of Diet Dr Pepper. However, there are plenty of other changes throughout, including a move in the date window position from 3 o’clock to 6 o’clock, providing symmetry to the dial. Above the date window, in place of the Strat-o-timer text found on standard models, is Dr Pepper’s one-of-a-kind slogan.
Flip the watch over and you’ll find the Miyota 9075 true GMT movement beating away at 28.8kbph behind a display caseback. Jack Mason ensures high accuracy of the movement by regulating each watch to +/- 5 seconds/day. Dr Pepper’s iconic logo is found on the custom rotor along with the brand’s famous slogan Drink a bite to eat at 10, 2, and 4 o’clock. Riffing on that slogan, Jack Mason added a clever touch to the dial, where the 10, 2, and 4 o’clock indices glow in a different shade of Swiss Super-LumiNova.
The 2024 Dr Pepper Strat-o-timer GMT, like the other Strat-o-timer watches, comes mounted on a 7-link bracelet with quick-release spring bars for easy strap changes. With a mix of brushed and polished links, the bracelet easily transitions from formal to casual wear. The push-button clasp also features an innovative tool-free micro-adjust system, allowing the wearer to quickly fine-tune with nine additional positions.
In honor of Dr Pepper’s 23 flavors, the Jack Mason Dr Pepper Strat-o-timer GMT launched on October 23, 2024 and is available now for purchase for $1,149 USD. Each watch comes packaged in special co-branded packaging in honor of this one-of-a-kind collaboration. To learn more about Jack Mason and purchase the new 2024 Dr Pepper Strat-o-timer GMT, please visit the brand’s website.
