Some of the best collabs work because the two brands are worlds apart. Remember the Harry Potter and Vans collaboration or the time skater’s favourites Supreme paired up with Louis Vuitton? They were wildly successful because of the contrasting styles. So when Swiss watchmakers TAG Heuer teamed up with Nintendo in 2021 to release a Super Mario Smartwatch it was met with both confusion and excitement. It quickly sold out. Watch collectors and gamers have waited a year for the next instalment and TAG’s announcement of two mechanical Mario watches was exactly the news they wanted to hear. First impressions suggest that the TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronographs live up to the hype.
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Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph Tourbillon | Image: TAG Heuer
The second instalment of the TAG X Nintendo is a dream for watch enthusiasts. The luxury watchmaker has doubled down on the playful aspect while retaining its famed horological innovation. Both watches have unique, never-seen-before designs, with plenty of obvious references to the iconic character. For TAG fans there’s still the core racing chronograph DNA, and for the gamers, there’s a trip down memory lane.
Super Mario fans will love Nintendo’s input which is evident from a cursory glance at the standard chronograph. This edition is limited to 3,000 pieces and features a host of references to the famous racing games series. The black anthracite dial features a checkered pattern inspired by a racetrack and Mario sits proudly on a sub-dial. In an interesting twist, the date window mostly shows the date – when it doesn’t, it displays Bullet Bill or the Banana.
Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph | Image: TAG Heuer
The colour palate is simple and uses plenty of red – a colour familiar to Mario Cart players. This theme continues with a crown decorated with a red ‘M’ logo and a case back engraved with a Mario Cart motif. It’s a fun watch that successfully blends the fictional race track with real luxury watchmaking. The watch is quite large, with a 44m case that houses the mechanical chronograph movement.
The real treat for watch aficionados is the Tourbillon variant – this is limited to only 250 pieces. It’s a complex piece that works Mario characters seamlessly into the design. On the dial, the Tourbillon cage includes Bullet Bill, Spiny Shell and Mario. The rotor – visible through the exhibition back – is engraved with Luigi, Mario and Princess Peach. These lighthearted watches are due for release this month with the standard chronograph priced at USD $4,300 and the Tourbillon chronograph at a whopping USD $25,600.
Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph | Image: TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph)
Diameter: 44mm
Case: Stainless Steel
Movement: Calibre 16 Automatic
Strap: Textured Black Calf Skin
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: 200M
Price: USD $4,300
Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition Chronograph Tourbillon | Image: TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer Formula 1 X Mario Kart Limited Edition (Chronograph Tourbillon)
Diameter: 45mm
Case: Grade 5 Titanium
Movement: Calibre Heuer 02T
Strap: Textured Black Calf Skin
Crystal: Sapphire
Water Resistance: 100M
Price: USD $25,600
