Feeling like the oldest 12-year-old – ANICORN x SEGA MegaDrive EU Limited Edition

There are objects, foods and songs that can make you happy, something that makes you smile and brings you back to places you always want to be. For me, one of the happiest moments as a kid, was the first time I got my hands on the SegaMega Drive with of course that included Sonic cartridge.

There were 2 camps of teenagers in the 90s, the Nintendo camp and the Sega one. Nintendo was everywhere and we can safely say that in the long run, they did much better than the competition but, the cool kids went with Sega. I am not saying that I was one of them, but the music and initial graphics were so miles ahead, so naturally it was my decision to go after it.

Apart from the technical details, one of the strong points for the MegaDrive console was the design. Where the Super NES was future looking and somehow robot like, the Sega console was black and sleek, looking more like a spaceship than a toy, not a single straight line, only curves.

This is probably what the guys at Anicorn conceptualized when a watch needed to be made with Sega, after all, when the design is good, then it can translate to almost anything. The sleekness previously mentioned is not just iconic but also very ergonomic which means that for wristwatch, it is a good option. That said, the main issue is that the final product could be too ‘’gimmicky’’, but as soon as I saw the renders, well, this is one that is hard to take off the wrist.

Another important part to highlight is that the watch functions as a Jumping Hours, which is also an ideal choice to have a clean design without any hands or markers that can get on the way. Let’s begin to unveil a piece that I have been waiting for months to get my hands on, and now it is here.

The specifications

The round shape of the watch mimics nicely the cover of the MegaDrive console, it looks exactly as the EU version that we all know and love. I can still look at that red lightbulb with the power next to it, and in the Anicorn version, it looks outstanding. The stainless-steel case measures 44mm in diameter with a short lug to lug of 48mm, it is a large watch but because of the PVD black coating, it gives you the feeling of a much smaller object. Staying with the nature of the case, the matte surfaces are utilitarian and look great under macro, very stealthy.

There is an aperture at 12 where the Jumping Hour mechanism is displayed with the hours on top and the minutes on the bottom. The watch brings a lot of attention to detail including the pixelated numerals, all retro, all nostalgia. Then at 6 o clock you can find the classic ‘’16-BIT’’ insignia that we all as kids presumed about, it was a call out: the MegaDrive was much more powerful that its Nintendo counterpart.

Turn the watch around and you are greeted with a custom clear case back engraved with the ‘’MegaDrive’’ logo, it is impressive to see how reworked the NH35 movement is on this version, the guys at Anicorn must have spent quite a bit of time refining and adapting.

On the wrist

Wearing a piece of history is not always easy, as mentioned when you look at the package, the watch and what makes you feel, sometimes you might want to keep it safe to admire but, The Anicorn MegaDrive can be uses as an everyday companion. It has a robust set of crown guards and it can also be discreet, if you know what it is then you know, otherwise it can pass as a cool watch that could provide a good conversation starter.

It is also water resistance to 50 meters which means that it can handle well almost every situation.

The watch comes in a black singed leather strap which is quite comfortable matching the overall look, and because the Anicorn MegaDrive could be perceived a bit tall at 14.6mm, the strap works perfectly to keep everything as slim as possible.

I wore the watch mostly on the weekends because I wanted to use it as something special, it has been a threat so far. It wears comfortable and because it has a unique look, that smile on my face is there every time I look at it.

I was concerned about legibility as from the photos the window looks small, but I am happy to report that this is not the case, the watch can be read at a glance and again, apart from being a functional mechanical piece, the value lies on how it makes you feel when you wear it.

Concluding thoughts

Sega was one of the first houses that brought quality entertainment home, it was on of the first consoles that scared arcade owners and got them thinking that the future is coming, they might not be getting those tokens anymore. Me playing video games is one of the best ways to remember my childhood and this watch is a testament of that era, one that was full of sounds, bright colours and virtual representations of the heroes we wanted to be.

It is scary how much influence we got from video games and not sure that the current generation will understand the meaning of the low resolution constrains, or even blowing a cartridge to make it work, but one thing is for sure, the Anicorn MegaDrive brought to me all those memories in a second, memories that as an adult, I needed.

The Anicorn MegaDrive also comes in 2 other versions, one for the Asian market and one for the US market, all of them include individual details that reflect nuances in design. They are only sold in their respective regions, just like Sega did back in 1992.

The price is 800 USD, and it is mostly sold out, we really hope you are one of the lucky ones to own it.

For more information, please visit here https://www.anicorn-watches.com/products/sega-mega-drive-eu

Technical Specifications

MOVEMENT

Seiko NH35 automatic movement

VIBRATION FREQUENCY

21600 vibrations per hour

24 jewels automatic movement

ACCURACY

-20~40 seconds/day*

RUNNING TIME

More than 41 hours (fully winded)

FUNCTION

Hours, minutes, seconds

HOUSING

316L Stainless steel, 48.8mm(L) x 44.3mm(W) x 14.6mm(H)

GLASS

Mineral Glass

Caseback

Exhibition Caseback

WATER-RESISTANCE

50 meters (5ATM)

STRAP

Black Leather Strap