Romain Jerome Tattoo DNA series: The Sailor’s Grave. Created with Mo Coppoletta.
By Ryan Walsh
Romain Jerome – a brand known for using unique materials in its cutting-edge timepieces – recently joined with Mo Coppoletta to pay tribute to Mo, and also to maritime legends. An avid watch collector, Mo Coppoletta is renowned as one of the best tattoo artists of our day and is the founder of the tattoo studio The Family Business Tattoos, based in London. Depending on how or where you were born and raised, tattoos are viewed differently throughout the world. In the 18th century, and still to this day, tattoos are placed as deep meanings of someone’s past, heritage, or as a way to give someone emotional strength. Ink can paint a portrait of past-times of trials or tribulations, or permanently display what an individual stands for, or how someone lives. Mo Coppoletta artistically conveys this when he designs a tattoo.
The engraved back of the Tattoo DNA
A close-up look at the design of the Romain Jerome “Tattoo DNA” collection – created in cooperation with Coppoletta – shows a real understanding of the sailor’s plight. While this watch was unveiled to the world a couple of months ago- we waited until we could really see it in order to cover it. The wait is worth it and anyone with the opportunity should feast their eyes in person. The line is nicknamed — and pays tribute to — the “sailor’s grave.”
Each watch, created in a limited edition of 25 pieces, is a 50mm cases made with a black PVD coated engraved bezel. All of the stamped and engraved designs on the bezel are meant to give it a sense of depth, much like the depths of the ocean where many sailors seal their fate. The scene on the face depicts a ship at sea, in the
The Romain Jerome Tattoo DNA pays tribute to sailors.
middle of a life threatening, raging storm – created with intriguing depth and dimension. The over-riding design element – starting at 12:00 and descending down the dial to 6:00 — is a giant anchor meant to stand as protection against the storm at hand, and designed as a tribute to sailors and their possible fate. The Tattoo DNA line is water resistant to 30 meters and straps are either black fabric or – even better — tan leather “tattooed” by Mo himself. Given the choice, why in the world would you want the fabric strap?
