Back in March, at the Watches & Wonders trade show in Geneva, Swiss made replica Rolex unveiled one of the year’s most talked-about watches: a Day-Date with a jigsaw puzzle dial and emojis instead of numbers on the date wheel. Ever since, the watch has been a lightning rod amongst watch enthusiasts, with collectors either defiantly loving it or absolutely loathing it. John Mayer, arguably the most influential watch collector on the planet, was a fan of the luxury fake Rolex Day-Date “Puzzle Dial” from the jump.
Russell Kelly, COO of the Carmel, CA-based Fourtané Jewelers, recalled speaking to Mayer about this particular piece backstage at one of the musician’s concerts shortly after the gonzo Day-Date debuted. “We were sitting around talking about all the new stuff that came out,” Kelly told GQ over the phone. “We both thought that watch in particular was interesting and that it was cool that high quality fake Rolex did that.” So when Rolex allocated a Day-Date “Puzzle Dial” to Fourtané – one of the first to be delivered in the world – Kelly knew exactly who to call.
Just a few days after that initial call, Mayer flew to Carmel to pick up his new purchase. Kelly and Fourtané owner Josh Bonifas fetched him from the airport and brought him back to the store, where they spent over an hour together. Mayer, who was sporting a Tiffany-stamped gold 1:1 replica Rolex Daytona 6263, first spent some time browsing Fourtané’s new and vintage watches. “Watch geeking out a little bit,” Kelly said. Finally, the moment came to present the piece to Mayer. “We put it on his wrist and he was thrilled,” Kelly said. Like everyone else who tries the “Puzzle Dial” on, the first thing he did was spin through the watch’s set of 31 emojis (which appear in the date window at 3 o’clock) and seven different sayings (in place of the days of the week at 12 o’clock).
Mayer wore the watch in public for the first time last Friday, and Fourtané is already seeing the effects of his influence. While the aaa quality fake Rolex Day-Date wasn’t lacking for suitors prior to Mayer’s purchase, Kelly said the volume of calls about the release has multiplied since it was spotted on the musician’s wrist. The pairing is undeniable. “It just felt like such a great fit for him,” Kelly added.
Despite its goofy concept, the “Jigsaw Dial” Swiss movement fake Rolex Day-Date (or “Emoji Watch,” as it’s colloquially known) is nevertheless made using some of the most complex watchmaking techniques possible. The jigsaw pieces are created using what’s called champlevé enamelling, which requires an artisan to carve into the metal and then fill it with the powdered glass. (Tiffany & Co. made some breathtaking pieces using this technique in the 1800s.) “It’s really, really special in terms of the techniques [Rolex] uses,” Kelly said. “It’s been done by the highest watchmakers and some of the most collectible timepieces had this style of enamelling.”
What makes this watch even more special is the juxtaposition of old-world technique with its light-hearted concept. The top quality replica Rolex Day-Date is one of Rolex’s most prestigious pieces, thanks to its ability to display both the date and day of the week, but this version subverts that tradition in favour of vibey sayings and text-ready emojis. The seven different words it displays up top are “Happy,” Eternity,” “Gratitude,” Peace,” “Faith,” “Love,” and “Hope.” The watch also displays 31 different emojis, including a little best 1:1 fake Rolex crown, a Magic 8 Ball, a panda, a ladybug, and a sweet smooching face. It is almost certainly the strangest thing to ever come out of Rolex’s catalogue.