TIMEX Launches $2,500 Bored Ape Watches and Matching NFTs

The luxury watchmaker unveiled a line of 500 one-of-one customizable timepieces.

By André Beganski

TIMEX will release 500 custom watches in collaboration with the Bored Ape Yacht Club community.

Owners of Bored Ape Yacht Club NFTs will soon be able to show off their PFPs on their wrist, enshrined in a one-of-a-kind TIMEX watch.

The collaboration between TIMEX and the Bored Ape Yacht Club community will bring the release of 500 timepieces that will display an owner’s Ape or Mutant prominently on the watch’s face. Those who buy the watch will be able to customize it, with a choice of case, strap, and selected etchings.

The sale of Timepiece Forge Pass NFTs began today, which can be minted for 2 ETH, or around $2,500 as of this writing. Around mid-December, Forge Pass owners will be able to design their own watch on TIMEX’s website.

Each physical watch will be accompanied by an identical, digital version as an NFT, separate from the Forge Pass NFT. But they won’t arrive in time for the holidays and are expected to be shipped to purchasers sometime in the second quarter of 2023.

"Timex is entering Web3 by keeping creativity and community at the forefront," said Shari Fabiani, Timex Group’s senior vice president of global marketing and creative services. “We are redefining and pushing the boundaries of physical, virtual, and now phygital products."

Just last month, Timex declared itself "timekeepers of the metaverse" with a release of a branded challenge in the game Fortnite.

The creative direction for the BAYC watch collaboration was provided by longtime members of the Ape community, including Josh Ong and CryptoVonDoom. "As a part of the OG Bored Ape community, it's been dope to collaborate with the OGs of watchmaking," VonDoom said in the announcement.

A presale took place at an invite-only party for the Ape community that ran alongside Art Basel in Miami on Friday. The event represented the continued emergence of brand-name NFTs as a force in the world of art and fashion. A few custom-made timepieces from TIMEX featuring Apes were visible at the art fair, where the watchmaker hosted an event.

At Art Basel, All Seeing Seneca—the pseudonymous lead artist behind the Bored Ape Yacht Club—made moves as well. Three of Seneca’s animated artworks minted as NFTs were sold through auction house Phillips, in addition to her first physical piece of artwork.