Those who know me know that I used to be a Batman fanboy. Used to be? Still am, I suppose. Anything Batman-related on Youtube still makes me stop to pay attention. But that passion has petered out quite dramatically over the past couple of years. I used to be quite obsessive. I knew everything about Batman.
Don’t even pretend to know what I know about Batman. I may not have the encyclopedic knowledge to go toe-to-toe in a watch trivia night contest with even the most pedestrian of watch enthusiasts. But don’t challenge me on Batman. I know Batman. I have comicbook issue numbers locked up in my head that’s still in there. Off the top of my head, without Googling, I can tell you the title of the very first Batman story when he made his debut in Detective Comics No. 27 in 1939. It’s The Case of the Chemical Syndicate, by the way.
I collected all things Batman. Well, most things. I have numerous Batman shirts. I have action figures. I have statuettes. I have expensive first editions of seminal books starring the Dark Knight. At work, when my staff and I have a huge undertaking that’s difficult and challenging to accomplish, I have a phrase that they all know very well. I call these challenges, “building a better batmobile.”
I even have home slippers that’s Batman-themed.
I have even put effort and money in building my own batmobile. It’s not really a batmobile. It’s a Hyundai Elantra but I had it painted with satin matte black. This was a pain to maintain and the slightest dust particle shows up like nobody’s business. I bought too-large for the car tires and 19-inch rims to match. These things cost money.
Les you think that’s just the exterior, here’s the interior:
I no longer have this vehicle.
But my Batman obsession had a gaping hole in it. I had no Batman watch. Even before getting into watches, I’ve always wanted a Batman watch. Before I knew about Patek Philippe, I knew about Romain Jerome and their 20,000 USD Batman watches. I didn’t have that kind of money to throw away so I never got one. But, oh, how deeply the desire to own one of those. Not having the resources to burn on a 20,000 USD merch, I looked elsewhere. There was Invicta and their DC watches. But they didn’t look very good to my untrained eye so I skipped those.
My first attempt at finding my Batman watch was a Fossil. I won’t repeat the story of how and why I got this watch. You can read it here if you’re curious. One thing I didn’t mention in that post though is that this purchase was me attempting to wear a “Batman” watch that wasn’t overtly tacky or childish. I was well into my midlife at this point. Similar to the batmobile I wanted Batman without it being too Batman. I wanted Batman-inspired. I wanted Batman-esque.
My second attempt was a little closer to the real deal. I got a Police The Batman movie merch tie-in. Believe it or not, this was the most mature of that model line. It had a black dial with black indices and black very thin non-lume paperclip hands. It took you a few seconds to be able to tell the time. It had three time zones but the other two dials were so small despite the watch being so big with its 50mm case diameter that they were basically useless. But I didn’t care. I wore that watch everyday. It was so heavy that I never forgot that I wore a watch. That is, until the watch bug bit me. The bug came in the form of a more refined and definitely way cooler and “realer” 2008 Omega Seamaster Professional 300M. At 42mm, that watch was a dwarf compared to the Police Batman watch.
So, while fun in concept, I found myself not using the Batman watch as often as I once did. The watch bug has ruined me. I sold that watch. No regrets.
I had been losing interest in all things comicbook related. Like I said in previous posts, I stopped watching new content, being content with rereading and rewatching content that I’ve probably already read and watched a hundred times in the past. It is what it is. Lately, I had also started parting ways with my comicbook collection, not selling them but giving them away to family members who are getting into the hobby. I’m happy to report, for instance, that my twenty-something sister is now becoming a huge Batman fan. Sigh. Couldn’t be prouder.
Despite the decline of my Batman fandboyhood, I pined for a Batman watch. I still love the aesthetics of Batman even if I no longer want new adventures with the character. Of course, there are plenty of Batman watches out there to be had. But none of them resonate.
Then it hit me like punch from the Dark Knight himself.
Actually, I already do have a Batman watch. And it’s the perfect Batman watch.
It’s the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso. In all three movies of the Dark Knight trilogy, we see my boy, Bruce Wayne, sporting various JLC Reversos. I won’t bore you with reference numbers and models. Instead, I’ll just put some photos here of Bruce Wayne wearing the shit out of the Reverso:
But wait! There’s more. Apparently, The JLC Reverso first made its Batman appearance back in the nineties with Val Kilmer in Batman Forever. I haven’t rewatched that movie in, like, forever (hah! See? Batman Forever? Haven’t watch in like forever? I made a pun-ny) but as it turned out, there was a scene where Bruce Wayne communicated with Alfred Pennyworth on the supposed LED screen on the flipside of a classic monoface. How very James Bond.
Not to mention the limited Reversos released by JLC with the Batman logo in time for the film.
So, you see, I do have a Batman watch. Sure, it’s not the same model as the ones that appeared on the big screen. Sure, it doesn’t have the tacky Batman Forever logo engraved on the other side of the dial. But a Reverso is a Reverso. It is still the Batman watch in the same vein as any Omega Seamaster Professional 300M is James Bond’s watch of choice. Or Rolex before that.
To be clear, I didn’t buy my Reverso because of the Batman connection. While I was getting into watches and discovering the Reverso for the first time two years ago the fact that Bruce Wayne wore a Reverso did show up from time to time on my feed. I never really gave it that much thought. I wasn’t connecting my former obsession with my current one. Back then, I was obsessing over a different JLC, the Ultrathin. That fire has fizzled out some. I still find it attractive and would love to own one someday. But if I never do, oh well. The reason for this losing of interest in the Ultrathin is the Reverso. I simply loved the Reverso at first sight at the exclusion of everything else and knew I must have it. But, there you go. Who would’ve thought that it would answer two of my strongest wants?
So now I no longer ache for a Batman watch. I have the ultimate Batman watch. Sometimes the planets align and everything is effortless. Serendipity I believe it’s called.
By the way, as much as I love the Reverso and as much as I think there’s no better, more fitting watch than it for Batman’s alter-ego Bruce Wayne, let’s be frank. It’s not really Bruce Wayne’s choice, is it?
Bruce Wayne is two people. The real person who is serious, angry, tortured, dresses up as a bat at night to beat up criminals and the public persona who is suave, charming, sophisticated, shallow douche who can’t be bothered to remember the names of the women he beds. I can’t imagine the real person going to a JLC store and picking up a Reverso or (given his bank account) ten. If Bruce Wayne was a real person, he would not waste his time on anything that does not serve his vigilante purposes. Bruce, if he were to pick a watch to use, would probably pick up a G-Shock, which is infinitely more useful. I hate saying that but it has to be said.
But Bruce would not need to shop for anything, watches or otherwise. What’s more likely is that he lets his most trusted ally, Alfred Pennyworth, do all of his shopping for him. The brand JLC is Alfred’s attempt at giving Bruce’s public persona texture and credibility. That it’s a Reverso–meaning it has two sides to it–is Alfred’s wry humor at full display.
It’s been a childhood dream of mine to write Batman stories for DC Comics. Alas, all I could do now is fanfic.
While getting ready for a night on the town, Bruce Wayne puts on his Armani suit as his faithful butler directs his attention to a watch box filled with ornate, expensive watches that probably amounts to millions of dollars.
“Your watch for the evening, sir,” Alfred points to the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso XGT Grande Date 8 Day.
Bruce Wayne wouldn’t have cared what watch to wear. He trusted Alfred completely with these things. But in his detective mind a tiny spark flared.
“That wasn’t there before. New?”
“Indeed sir. It was on my list of things to acquire while at the shops. It’s been here since last week. You would know this had you ever bothered paying attention to things that don’t have a bat stamped on them. We can’t always go out in public with our underwear over our pants, sir.”
“Fine,” he said, putting on the watch.
“Would you care to learn how to pronounce the name, sir? Perhaps to impress your dinner companion if it comes up?”
Bruce looked intently at Alfred, focusing on how smug and sardonic the old man looks. Alfred does treat him like a child at times.
“I’ll just tell her my butler loaned it to me. It’s not like that’s a lie. You will be wearing this after tonight, won’t you?”
“Ha-ha. Very good sir. Very droll. I’ve already worn it before you did, sir.”
The Escapement Room 