It costs the same as a Ford Mustang — a real Ford Mustang
by Kirby Garlitos, onI’d like to imagine a day when someone near and dear to me gives me a gift like this scale replica of the 1989 Batmobile that’s been repurposed as a desk clock. Not only will it look really good on my desk, but it’d be another physical manifestation of my obsessive love for the Dark Knight. It’d also be a fancy addition to my unhealthy collection of Batman memorabilia, but am I expecting to receive this Batmobile desk clock as a gift this Christmas? No, I am not, and there’s one obvious reason for that. It costs $29,900. I’d probably have a bigger chance of seeing a slimmed-down, Covid-19-free Santa Claus sliding down my chimney than being on the receiving end of the Batmobile desk clock. Then again, 2020 has been weird for all sorts of reasons. It’s not too much of an ask to hope for one, right?
Why is this 1989 Batmobile desk clock so expensive?
I’m not going to pretend to know anything about clocks beyond the ability to tell time, but there must be a reason why this Batmobile desk clock is priced in the same ballpark as a 2020 Ford Mustang. It’s built in Switzerland by a company called Kross studio, and I know that the Swiss make clocks and watches better than anyone in the world. That’s one reason.
Another reason, it seems, is the actual quality of the build. I’m not talking about the physical Batmobile casing, which looks about as accurate as you can get from Batman’s ride in the 1989 movie of the same name. The quality I speak of lies underneath the Batmobile shell where a proper mechanical clock sits.
I can tell you that the large hour and minute cylinders on the Batmobile’s hood are connected to all sorts of gears, dials, and jewels.
Yes, jewels. All told, there are more than 512 parts in this desk clock that make the whole thing go. Of that total, almost 400 parts are used specifically for making the clock work at a frequency of 21,600 beats per hour. I don’t know what that means, but it sounds complicated, which is how I’d describe how clocks work, to begin with.
The clock also has three clock barrels that allow it to tick for 30 days. Once that stops, there’s a bat-shaped key in the Batmobile’s afterburner nozzle that allows you to wind up the clock so it can run again.
It all sounds so complicated, but I suppose that’s how clocks and watches are. Unless you really know what you’re talking about, everything just flies over your head.
Here’s what I do know: the 1989 Batmobile looks Michelle-Pfeiffer-in-the-90s beautiful. Drop-dead gorgeous. It’s made of aluminum composite and comes with surface scratch protection. Everything’s finished in matte black, which is how it should be considering the car in question. And, apparently, the wheels also turn. It’s not just a desk clock; it’s also a toy for playtime.
Is the $30,000 price tag justified?
That’s a question I can’t answer because I don’t have $30,000 to spend on one, and, more importantly, my knowledge of clocks is limited to telling the time. I can do that with my phone, laptop, and Fitbit. The sophistication behind how the clock works is beyond my understanding, but I do know that it’s Swiss-made. That counts for a lot in the world of watches. Maybe the $30,000 price tag is justified. Maybe it’s not. The reality is the justification for buying one — or asking someone to buy it for me — is something I have no intention of answering.
That’s not to say that this Batmobile desk clock won’t sell. It will. It might even sell out faster than it takes the Batmobile to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. There are enough clock and watch aficionados in the world who will look at this Batmobile and would spend what it takes to put one on their desks. Kross Studio only plans to build 100 pieces so expect them to run out of available units in no time. Just don’t expect a $30,000 check from me.
Source: Kross Studio
1989 Batmobile X Kross Studio Desk Clock
The ultimate combination of design, fine Swiss craftsmanship
and high-end materials bring the desk clock to the next level.
The independent design studio and manufacturer Kross Studio - whose mission is to elaborate never-conceived-before art pieces - is proud to reveal its official collaboration with the giant entertainment company Warner Bros. Consumer Products.
The very first product born from this collaboration is dedicated to the highly inspiring Batman Universe, paying tribute to the most iconic cars in comics: The Batmobile. Kross Studio specifically chose the sleek and stunning model from the 1989 Batman movie directed by Tim Burton to embody this first-of-its-kind clock.
What makes this Batmobile clock unique?
Kross Studio and Warner Bros. Consumer Products are united by innovation and creativity. Batman always gets the most performant and sophisticated gear. Kross Studio gives the same opportunity to its customers.
The greatest challenge for Kross Studio was to conceive, develop and integrate a state-of-the-art tailor-made clock movement, while respecting the exact shape of the Batmobile. It took months of research and development to create this masterpiece of 512 components - 115 for the bodywork and 397 for the movement - where every detail has been meticulously thought-about. In comparison, a traditional mechanical movement usually bears 130 components.
Live the Batman experience one minute at a time.
The whole piece is made of the finest materials - carefully selected for their technical properties and refinement. The bodywork in black aluminium composite, with aeronautical grade scratch protection coating, magnificently shapes the 1989 Batmobile, reproducing the same curves and proportions. Even the wheels are spinning!
Only a few variations were envisioned to please the owner’s eyes and allow him a better experience, such as the smoked windows with a lighter taint to enable a subtle glimpse of the movement through the window.
Hours and minutes are displayed horizontally by two cylinders. Batman experts will appreciate reading the time on the top of the clock through bat-like cowl decals. The vertical regulator is highlighted through the turbine at the front of the car.
An outstanding power reserve of 30 days.
Kross Studio has equipped the Batmobile with its own powerful engine: an in-house mechanical manual-winding movement with an exceptional power reserve of 30 days. Three barrels were added to achieve this performance. Furthermore, it runs at a frequency of 21’600 beats per hour or 3 Hz - granting even more precision to the movement while the most common mechanical clock movements operate at 2.5 Hz.
A Batman-shaped key in satin-finished and mirror-polished steel is included to wind the clock and set the time. All of these features provide an endless wonder when contemplating this Batmobile work of art.
This exclusive collectible is produced in a limited edition of 100 numbered pieces.
Kross Studio is a manufacturer and design studio based in Switzerland. The founders of Kross Studio are five passionate people whose ambition is to turn ordinary objects into extraordinary ones. The exclusive art pieces created by Kross Studio offer the highest level of know-how and craftsmanship, associated with experiences that go beyond the object, for the finest collectors.
Warner Bros. Consumer Products (WBCP) extends the Studio’s powerful portfolio of entertainment brands and franchises into the lives of fans around the world. WBCP partners with best-in-class licensees globally on award-winning ranges of toys, fashion, home décor and publishing inspired by franchises and properties such as DC, J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera. With innovative global licensing and merchandising programs, retail initiatives, promotional partnerships and themed experiences, WBCP is one of the leading licensing and retail merchandising organizations in the world.
DC is one of the largest English-language publishers of comics and graphic novels in the world and home to some of the most iconic and recognizable characters ever created. DC is charged with strategically integrating its stories and characters across film, television, consumer products, home entertainment, interactive games and the DC Universe subscription streaming service, a first-of-its-kind digital subscription service, which delivers an immersive experience designed just for DC fans.
Tech Specs
GENERAL
Model Name 1989 Batmobile X Kross Studio
Reference BATMO20
Parts 512
Limited Edition 100 pieces
International warranty 2 years + 3 years warranty extension upon registration of the product
BODY
Material Black aluminium composite with aeronautical grade scratch protection coating
Parts 115
Dimensions
Length 298mm (11.73 inches) Width 121mm (4.76 inches) Height67mm (2.64 inches)
Weight 2kg (70.55 ounces)
ENGINE
Caliber KS10’000
Functions Manual-winding mechanical movement, hours and minutes displayed by two cylinders, vertical regulator
Power Reserve 30 days from 3 barrels
Frequency 21’600 bph / 3 Hz
Jewels 34
Parts 397
Batman-Shaped Key
Head Vertical satin-finished steel
Shaft Mirror-polished steel