Cartoon character watches are not just for kids anymore. I mean, what kid can possibly afford an Audemars Piguet Black Panther, retailing for €150,000, or about $176,000! Or The Minion from Konstantin Chaykin, retailing for €13800, or $15255.76. Or, the more humble in price, Hamilton Ventura Skeleton Auto LE, retailing for $2245. If you’re wondering what cartoon character the latter displays, its skeleton dial, alongside other details, draws inspiration from Spider-Man’s costume, enough for us to feature it in this article. So, expect to find nothing but the recent work of watchmakers who have gone ape and decided to honor their childhood memories from the TV through watches.
Cartoon Character Watches – Why Bother?
Character watches offer something absolutely inspirational that makes these wearable items to be loved forever, according to watch collectors, watch lovers, and watch dealers alike, as well as the average 99.9998 percent of the earth that is not into watches. In the case of the “Omega Snoopy,” the mascot reminds the wearer of the brand’s dedication to space exploration, as well as the honor it received for assisting in the safe return of 29 astronauts to Earth. Other timepieces, whether they have a cartoon character on the dial or an arcade game character, are precious in terms of the memories they bring to life. A touch of emotion brings a grin to the wearer’s face every time he or she looks at the watch. Joy alone is enough of a good reason for someone to hanker after a character watch.
Best Cartoon Character Watches Released Recently
Disney’s Mickey Mouse Watch
Disney’s Mickey Mouse watch, the real one, manufactured in thousands approx. a century ago, can be considered as the watch that started cartoon character watch mania. It helped that time, the near the edge Walt Disney, to escape bankruptcy and continue to bring joy worldwide, thanks to his beloved characters. Here’s a list! Today, businesses all across the world honor the pop culture icon Mickey Mouse by adorning their dials with the lovable creature. Also, if you’re interested in learning more about the history of Mickey Mouse watches, see our post. Price: $39.95 from Disney Shop.
Citizen Death Star – Star Wars
As part of Citizen’s approach to Star Wars watches, comes the Death Star, a watch inspired by the saga’s notorious planet-destroyer evil engine. It comes in a limited edition of 1997 pieces, where the Death Star is pictured in a luminous print on a black dial. On the case back is an illustration of the Death Star itself.
As with almost every watch from Citizen, this one has an Eco-Drive panel built-in, which allows it to be powered by light. Not only sunlight but any light source you can think of. So there you have it: A technological, conversation-starter watch that will undoubtedly bring joy not only to Star Wars fans. Citizen.com
Hamilton Ventura Skeleton Auto
The American watch brand turned Swiss, Hamilton, is highly regarded by many as a great watchmaker of field watches, but not only. Hamilton’s Ventura Skeleton Auto initially appears on the wrist of the Iron Man character in the film Spider-Man: Homecoming. Inspired by the Marvel Comics hero, the novelty watch has an elaborate spiderweb skeletonized dial in pure black.
The automatic movement caliber H-10-S, which delivers up to 80 hours of power reserve, can be seen via the glass crystal dial and exhibition case back. The watch comes in a limited edition of 999 pieces and the price the last time I checked was $ 2246.
Mickey Blanc Sur Noir SWATCH
Swatch is well-known for producing unique and fashionable timepieces. The Swiss giant debuted Mickey Blanc Sur Noir – their second Mickey Mouse watch – on January 7th, 2021, a watch unlike any other Mickey Mouse watch you’ve ever seen. Learn more about Swatch watches here.
Mickey Blanc Sur Noir is a one-of-a-kind minimalist watch with a black-and-white pop-style design. The quartz movement is protected from water damage with a plastic casing and strap material that can withstand depths of up to 30 meters. Forget about hour markers and other features since the only details on the watch dial are Mickey’s face in black and white and two yellow hour hands. Swatch.com
AP Black Panther
The online consensus for this watch goes from horrible, or as some consider it “trash”, to magnificent, as others liked to call it “ a treasure”. The watch was released back in April 2021, following a collaboration between the Swiss watchmaker Audemars Piguet with Marvel. It is limited to 250 pieces, costs about $176,000, and displays the creme de la creme of watchmaking, surely with the Black Panther stealing the show.
The Royal Oak Concept “Black Panther” Flying Tourbillon, the first in a series of AP models celebrating Marvel characters, boasts a carefully hand-painted 3-D portrayal of the superhero on the dial. A colorful purple rubber strap is connected to a 42 mm sandblasted titanium case in what undoubtedly is a futuristic design. AudemarsPiguet.com
Konstantin Chaykin The Minion
And the price for the world’s most childish watch (made for a man’s wrist) goes to Konstantin Chaykin. The Russian watchmaker is highly celebrated for making good quality watches but with a modern twist. Just taking a look at his Wristmon “Minotaur”, or his Joker watches, is enough to understand that the Moscow-based watchmaker has a weak spot for comic character watches. The novelty watch featured in our article is The Minion. It features the hilarious yellow creatures from Despicable Me adoring the watch’s dial. The Minion comes in a limited edition of 38 pieces and is priced at $15.200.
Omega Speedmaster “Silver Snoopy Award”
All cartoons that adorn the dials of these watches have scratched the pop culture for good, being some of the most beloved characters around, and not just for kids. In the case of Omega, it is a bit different.
To begin, the Omega Speedmaster Silver Snoopy Award is a timepiece that recognizes Omega’s accomplishments to space exploration rather than Peanuts, the cartoon show. Snoopy was also NASA’s mascot in the 1960s and 1970s, when Omega was awarded the Silver Snoopy Award by NASA astronauts. 50 years later, Omega introduced its Silver Snoopy Award watch to remind the world that it was thanks to the accuracy of an Omega Speedmaster chronograph that allowed Apollo 13 safely return to Earth after their spaceship deviated from its trajectory. Learn more about the Snoopy watch mania.
Casio x Pac-Man
You might probably disagree with us mentioning Pac-Man on a cartoon character watches gathering, as it surely is not a cartoon, but a character of an arcade game. Well, that arcade game happens to be the most mainstream maze action video game that back in the 80s, touched almost every part of the planet and took every bar in the US by storm. The new Casio x Pac- Man watch comes in a retro-inspired design, with a joyful personality, making it a great wearable expression of nostalgia. It comes with a calendar, stopwatch, and a daily alarm. It will undoubtedly draw attention to your wrist and can serve as an excellent conversation starter. Price: $99.99 from Amazon
Bamford London Popeye GMT Limited Edition
Back in 2019, Bamford introduced their own take on the celebration of the Popeye’s 90th anniversary. Two years later, in 2021, another Bamford Popeye-themed limited edition character watch followed suit. This watch is cool and fun for two reasons: First, it comes in a black “spinach” container box. And secondly: It features Popeye on the dial, of course. You can enjoy the sailor’s arms that have replaced the watch’s hands, showing the time for you. The watch is housed in a cushion-shaped steel casing and driven by the automatic Sellita SW330-2, an alternative to the ETA 2893-2. It comes in a limited edition of 100 pieces and is priced at $2,000. Update: Sold out!
Tag Heuer Connected x Super Mario
Released back in July 2021, the Tag Heuer Connected x Super Mario is one of the few cartoon character smartwatches. That is, if you consider Super Mario as a cartoon character. But why won’t you? It is indeed a video console game, but so much has it affected other aspects of culture like television and arts, that it has surpassed the boundaries of gaming, to become a true pop culture legend.
The M logo on the crown, Super Mario red rubber straps, and a dial that becomes more animated as the user becomes more physically active, are all tributes to the video game classic. The cooperation, according to Tag Heuer CEO Frederic Arnault, was intended to “bring a little of fun and creativity to the users’ activities and wellbeing.” The watch extends Tag Heuer’s ongoing attempts to enter the smartwatch industry, with the Tag Heuer Connected giving smartwatches from Apple and Samsung a run for their money.
You can thank Gerald Genta!
Vintage Gerald Genta Fantasy Automatic Mickey Mouse watch
Nearly a century ago, the world’s most famous Mouse appeared on the dial of a watch, manufactured from the American-based Ingersoll (today’s Timex). The hands of Disney’s favorite maskot were used to mark the hours and minutes. Surprisingly, an audience that was still reeling from the Great Depression found the childish idea very appealing, and the watch was sold like bread. 50 years later, Gerald Genta, a highly regarded watchmaker and designer, debuted his first Mickey Watch in 1984 at the Montres et Bijoux in Geneva, to the displeasure of the event’s attendants and organizers, who thought it was improper for the event’s upper crust. Genta’s response was to leave, but he continued to manufacture them far into the 1990s.
