IKEPOD is a watch brand co-founded by Oliver Ike and Marc Newson in 1994.
Ikepod unleashed several trends in the watchmaking of the 1990s by boldly increasing watch size and promoting craftsmanship and limited editions. Pre-empting the vogue of concept watches and independent manufacture, Ikepod adorned the wrists of artists, designers and Silicon Valley stars. The brand is often remembered for its cult 1998 Hemipode watch of elliptic forms and UFO allure.
From 1994 to 2012, Ikepod watches were manufactured in Switzerland and carried Swiss Made quality label. Initially, the watches were made under the brand name POD.
The company introduced the SEAPOD diving watch in 1996. The iconic Hemipode watch made its debut in 1997, and in 1999 the Megapode Chrono was launched. The other timepieces manufactured during this era are Manatee, Platypus, Megapode, Horizon, Solaris, Isopode, and Potoroo.
By 2008 Ikepod was swimming against the tide of the watch industry crisis and it maneuvered a repositioning of its brand in the luxury market with exclusive collections in gold and platinum and cool collaboration with artists Kaws and Jeff Koons.
Despite global distribution in leading premium retailers (Colette, Westime, The Hour Glass) the brand was put on hold, the creator left Ikepod but the brand retains its legacy for innovative watchmaking design and its allure for collectors of iconic timepieces.
In 2017, the brand was acquired by Christian-Louis Col. In 2018, Ikepod made a grand comeback with a highly successful Kickstarter crowd funding campaign. Designed in Switzerland and assembled in Hong Kong, these new Ikepod timepieces featured the same iconic cases and pushers but house quartz movements. The Ikepods from the re-launch collection were designed by famed watch designer, Emmanuel Gueit.
In 2020, Ikepod revived the iconic Megapode watch. Designed by Alexandre Peraldi, this new generation of the famed timepiece houses the Miyota 9039 Automatic movement made in Japan. Designed by Fabrice Gonet and Introduced in 2021, SEAPOD fuses the characteristics of Seaslug and Hemipode models. Again, Miyota 9039 has been selected to power this new automatic Ikepod watch.
In 2022, the brand launched Skypod, a limited titanium watch series with technically improved with dials designed by Swedish design firm CLAESSON KOIVISTO RUNE. In line with iconic Megapode Chronograph, this timepiece houses the Swiss Made New Old Stock Swiss La Joux – Perret movement.
The present flagship collections from the brand are Duopod, Chronopod, Megapod, Seapod, and Skypod. At the moment, Ikepod is also offering a small collection of timepieces bearing its initial name POD. Moreover, the company has also added a vintage corner to sell the NOS (New Old Stock) Ikepod watches, which are no more produced.
The Ikepod watch price range is CHF 650 to CHF 8,000.
Featured Timepieces
The Ikepod Hourglass by Marc Newson
Ikepod Potoroo
Ikepod Hemipode Gold
Ikepod Manatee Gold Limited Edition
Ikepod Megapode Date Chronometer
Ikepod Hemipode Weekplaner
Ikepod Isopode Rose Gold with Diamonds
Ikepod Isopode Dual Time
Ikepod Hemipode Tourbillon
Ikepod Manatee Automatic
Ikepod Platypus
Ikepod Hemipode Grande Date Automatic Chronograph
Website: https://ikepod.com/
