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Why So Serious…? Mr Jones Watches Marks 15 Years of Artful Timekeeping

For its 15th anniversary in 2022, London’s Mr Jones Watches celebrated with a T-shirt honoring its office dachshund—and a catalogue built around illustrated ways to tell time.
Estimate3–4 min Catalogued SpecialistWatchRanker Team
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Mr Jones Watches marked its 15th anniversary in July 2022 with a Stanley’s Hot Dogs T-shirt—not a commemorative watch. The London-based brand, founded by Crispin Jones in 2007, had made its name by turning the dial itself into an illustration: skull teeth, a pinball score and a giant squid can all do the work of conventional hands.

What makes Mr Jones Watches different?

Mr Jones Watches treats the display of time as part of the artwork. Rather than relying on a conventional pair of hands, its designs use pictorial dials and mechanisms such as jumping hours, rotating minute discs or illustrated indicators. The result is a watch that asks its wearer to read an image as well as the time.

In its 12 July 2022 anniversary article, Monochrome Watches reported that the brand had released about 150 different watches and collaborated with almost 30 designers and illustrators. Those totals describe the brand as of that article’s publication, not its current catalogue.

How the best-known designs tell time

The Last Laugh and The Last Laugh Tattoo

In The Last Laugh series, a skull’s upper and lower teeth indicate the time: the hours jump into place while a minute disc turns. Monochrome’s 2022 account describes a Seagull ST1721 automatic movement with 20 jewels and a 42-hour power reserve. The movement is rotated 180 degrees to align with the display, leaving the crown on the left.

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a.b.art Men's Watch – Jumping Date Display with Red Dot, Ronda Quartz Movement, Sapphire Crystal, Ultra-Thin Stainless Steel Case 41MM, Bauhaus Minimalist Design Wristwatch
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The same article gives the series a 37 mm case diameter, 46 mm lug-to-lug measurement and 50 metres of water resistance. These are historical specifications for the models discussed in 2022, not confirmation of the specifications of any current version.

Ricochet

Designed by American comics creator Ryan Claytor, Ricochet borrows the look of a pinball machine. Its score display provides the time, with jumping hours and a minute disc. The pinball theme is not just decoration: it supplies the visual language through which the wearer reads the display.

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Vingt Mille

Vingt Mille takes inspiration from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas. Original artwork by Fanny Shorter turns a giant squid’s tentacles into indicators for hours and minutes.

“A perfectly useless afternoon” and “a perfectly useless morning”

These two designs were created by Belgian illustrator and author Kristof Devos. Their titles signal the brand’s willingness to make a watch that is playful and expressive rather than a straightforward exercise in conventional legibility.

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Why the 15th-anniversary item was a T-shirt

The anniversary release highlighted the people and personality around the brand rather than adding another watch to its catalogue. The item was a Stanley’s Hot Dogs T-shirt honoring Stanley, the office dachshund. General manager Ellie McAllister designed it; Sea Dog printed it in the UK, and the shirt was described as 100% organic cotton.

“My role revolves around admin tasks, so I loved being able to channel my energy into design!” McAllister said in the 2022 Monochrome article. The shirt was listed there at USD 35. That is an article-era price; the article does not establish whether the shirt remains available or what it costs now.

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What the 2022 prices and specifications tell you

The figures below are historical retail prices reported by Monochrome Watches on 12 July 2022. They are useful for understanding the range at that time, not as current quotes or a guide to present availability.

Item 2022 article-era price What the article describes
The Last Laugh USD 295 Skull-teeth time display; series specifications detailed above
The Last Laugh Tattoo USD 295 A variant in The Last Laugh series; series specifications detailed above
The Gilded Skull USD 365 Named among the models and prices covered in the article; further specifications not stated there
Ricochet USD 365 Pinball-score display with jumping hours and a minute disc
Vingt Mille USD 255 Giant-squid illustration with tentacles indicating hours and minutes
Stanley’s Hot Dogs T-shirt USD 35 100% organic cotton; printed in the UK
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A useful way to read the range

These examples show why it is misleading to treat every Mr Jones watch as if it shares one mechanism or one set of specifications. The Last Laugh’s jumping hours and minute disc differ from Vingt Mille’s illustrated tentacles, while Ricochet translates a pinball score into a time display. The artwork, designer, movement and wearability details also vary by model; the 2022 article provides the Last Laugh series’ case and water-resistance figures, but does not establish those details for every watch it names.

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Best Value
Timever Wooden Watches for Men Handmade Leather Strap Analog Quartz
  • Innovative Dial Design Wooden wrist watch: A multi-layered circular layout paired with a clear digital dial makes it easy and intuitive to read the time. The unique bird silhouette dial contrasts with the natural wood grain, creating an artistic and eye-catching appearance. The brightly colored dial adds fun and makes it easy to read the time. It creates a visual feast that sets it apart from ordinary watches.
  • Natural Wood Craftsmanship: This men watch is made of high-quality natural wood, combining environmental friendliness and uniqueness, and showcasing the beauty of wood grain. The natural texture brings warmth and an eco-friendly feel, achieving a perfect blend of nature and fashion. Each watch has a unique wood grain, ensuring that no two watches are exactly the same.
  • Comfortable Leather Strap: The analog watch is equipped with a soft leather strap that provides lasting comfort for the wrist. The leather is durable and skin-friendly. The brown color tone perfectly matches the wooden case, skillfully blending the natural charm of wood with the elegant texture of leather. The adjustable strap fits different wrist sizes.
  • Versatile Style: Whether for everyday leisure, business meetings, or creative activities, this watch is suitable for all kinds of occasions. Its unique design can be paired with casual wear such as jeans and T-shirts, as well as more formal attire, adding a touch of individuality to any outfit.
  • Perfect Gift: This wooden watch combines artistic design, natural materials, and exquisite craftsmanship, making it the ideal gift for nature lovers or those who appreciate unique handicrafts. It is the perfect choice for birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, or other special occasions.

For anyone considering a particular model today, the 2022 figures are a historical reference only. Current prices, specifications and availability are not established by that anniversary coverage.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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