Background
Vannen Art Watches recently released their first series of designer watches from a quartet of recognizable names from the designer toy and art scene. Buff Monster (Happy Creamy), Brian Morris (Time Waits for No Man), Damon Soule (Square Takes the Circle) and Chris Ryniak (The Order of Things) are the chosen ones for this go-round.
Vannen watches capture the electrifying worlds of art, fashion, and pop culture and infuse them into every limited edition timepiece we produce. Designed by some of the world’s best artists, we construct wearable art that appeals to forward-thinking, style-conscious individuals while honoring the distinctive vision of our faction of artists. Our watches are stylish, compelling and intriguing. Each watch not only tells time, it tells a story from a unique point of view with an opinion and perspective. By taking a pro-art stance, we also strive to build a global community that invites people to discover new art, embrace it and incorporate it into their lives. This is Vannen.
We got our hands on Chris Ryniak’s ‘The Order of Things’ watch design for purposes of this review.
The Facts
The Order of Things
Series: Series 1
Manufacturer: Vannen Watches
Artist: Chris Ryniak
Material: Plastic
Edition Size: 500
Packaging
The watch comes packaged in a cardboard sleeve that features artwork from the designer on the front. Inside, the watch is protected in several layers of plastic and bubble wrap. There are instructions as well as a warranty card that shows the exact date your watch was purchased on.
Our Opinion
I’m in the group of people who wears a watch nearly every single day. Nothing too fancy. I just need something that tells the time…and maybe includes a video projector and scientific calculator and Bluetooth.
I went with the Chris Ryniak design because I’m a fan of his work. While I’m sure I couldn’t pull off wearing a red watch, it’s a crazy design that features the creature’s face as the face of the watch. There are no numbers, dark red hour and minute hands, and a gold second hand. The straps continue the character artwork with the bubbling, barnacled head on the buckle strap and roots on the other. The backs of the straps feature clear plastic over a Vannen pattern design, while the battery cover has Chris Ryniak and CMR etched on it.
Like I previously stated…I couldn’t pull off wearing this as my primary watch. (I work a government job) Maybe…the black and white Brian Morris design? I’m not saying that I don’t like the watch. But for me, it’s more of a display piece that you could place right next to your designer vinyl collection. Personally, I’d like to see a series that uses traditional leather wrist straps and focuses all of the design work on the face of the watch. That would make them slightly more wearable.
But the purpose of the line is much more about bringing art to fashion than releasing a technologically advanced timepiece. And Vannen has done a great job infusing recognizable artists, each with a unique and recognizable style, with their line of wristwatches.
You can pick one up at the following:
Vannen Watches: $65
Vannen Watches - The Order of Things Grades:
Quality: 7/10
Packaging: 9/10
Durability: 9/10
Fun Factor: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Overall: 9.0/10
