A Perfectly Useless Review

If you’re someone who pays attention to the British watchmaking movement, then you’ll be very aware of brands like Studio Underd0g and Mr. Jones Watches. These two brands are not crafting pieces that fall into high horology. They aren’t placing thin tourbillons into their new masterpieces, nor are they charging $10,000. However, they are standing out among their peers because they bring a whole lot of fun, story, and color to their watches.

I’m excited to talk about the newest piece in my collection, a Mr. Jones Watches piece artfully called “A Perfectly Useless Evening.” This isn’t a new release, but it has been a challenge to get hands-on because it’s been sold out.

Here are the vitals for this little piece of art:

• Size: 37mm diameter

• Lug tip to lug tip: 46mm

• Water resistance: 50m

• Lug width: 18mm

• Movement: Swiss quartz

• Glass: Sapphire crystal

• Case Material: 316L stainless steel with PVD coating

It wears very comfortably with nearly no weight to it. You’ll forget it’s there, except for the fact that you’ll be constantly looking at where our heroine is in her journey around the pool. We follow her longest pointed leg as the hour “foot” and the free-roaming beach ball as the minute marker.

The piece is a reminder from artist Kristof Devos to relax and not take everything so seriously. It’s a message that we could all stand to internalize a little more in this age of constant alerts, notifications, and tasks at our fingertips—or thumbs, as is the case with the iPhone in my pocket.

The inspiration for this piece came from a quote: “If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.”

Kristof is an award-winning illustrator who often tackles tough issues that challenge our children, like making friends, standing up for yourself, and even death. He wins awards for his work on a near-annual basis, and his recent work includes “The Wind and We,” “Olimillimeter & Megamond,” and “Fox, Bird, and I.”

The watch is a constant reminder of how much fun can exist in an industry that is often trying to inspire contemplation of high art and micro-engineering. In this instance, you can most certainly find deep appreciation for the unique artwork but can find it from Mr. Jones for as little as $275 USD. It’s a pure joy to see a watchmaker placing an approachable price point on their art.

Additionally, the size of the dial is most approachable and comes in at a size which more and more watchmakers are trying to transition to. The trend for this size of watch is one that is also enjoyable to see as we’ve moved from the more gaudy mid-40s and dropped into a much more gender-neutral sizing. The more people who can wear these little gems the better, in my eyes.

Mr. Jones Watches is a watch company worth your exploration. They are extremely playful in their art and offer great variety. If you are in the market for a little more joy in your watch collection, then you should certainly explore the site and pick yourself up a new watch!