Those of you who’ve been frequenting The Horophile for some time now will have no doubt noticed that I’m a big fan of Romain Jerome. I’m not sure whether it’s the unorthodox designs and the fact that they’re so polarizing, or the way the brand conducts itself in a n but generally I like what they do. They’re bold, different, design-focused, and a lot of fun to wear (I even picked up a Titanic DNA Steampunk Chrono last year, which I wrote about on timezone.com here).

Yet when I first saw the Pinup DNA pieces during Baselworld a few weeks back, I honestly didn’t know what to make of them. On the surface they just weren’t quite the Romain Jerome I had come to know and love. There were no bits of rusted steel, no moon dust, no Apollo 11 and certainly no Space Invaders. But after a closer look, it became clear that the Pinup-DNA was every bit an RJ, albeit in a subtler package.

Let’s take a quick look at the origins of the pinup in reference to the watch. The “Pink Lady”, parts of which are incorporated into the watch’s case, is arguably the most celebrated Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber aircrafts. Having served the US army based in Great Britain on several missions during WWII, the Pink Lady would later become a Hollwood star in itself, making appearances in movies like “La Grande Vadrouille” in 1966 and “Memphis Belle” in 1990. Today, the Pink Lady is one of the last remaining B-17s still in flying condition and the only one to have actually seen action during WWII.

Apart from its incredible feats, the Pink Lady is recognised for its pinup painting on the side of the plane’s nose, a feature that was common on planes during WWII (although the practice goes back even further), a way for pilots and soldiers to express the affectionate bond they developed with their aircrafts.

So what does any of this have to do with the watches? Well, you have to turn them over to find out.

Unlike other Romain Jerome collections where the “DNA of Famous Legends” is much more prominent throughout the case and/or dial, the Pinup-DNA keeps its legend an intimate secret, revealing itself only to its owner. Each case back is decorated with a different burlesque pinup and a name, making each watch a unique piece.

The watch comes in two versions: full PVD-treated steel case with a woodland camouflage dial, or PVD steel and red gold case with a more arctic camouflage color scheme. I realize that camouflage dials may or may not be your thing, but you have to admit that they’re not all that common in high-end watches. Again, it’s one of those details that make Romain Jerome watches a love-or-hate affair.

Besides the camouflage pattern, the dial’s got a lot of other eye-catching details. At the highest point just under the sapphire crystal you have a black rehaut or flange chapter ring, with 50 markings for the central minutes and chronograph seconds. The dial is set with alternating applied Arabic numerals in brushed metal and luminous baton indexes integrated into the chapter ring, with a single triangular marker typical of pilot and dive watches at 12 o’clock that stands out to make time-reading much easier in the dark and at a glance. The sub-dials are inlaid with raised circular indexes, resembling the flange chapter ring around the dial. The central hands are arrow-shaped and satin-brushed, with the same blue luminous paint as the markers. The small chronograph hands are also luminous.

Romain Jerome came up with a new case for the Pinup-DNA. Following suit after the 1969 and Skylab with their smaller, slimmer cases, the Pinup-DNA comes in a 46mm case, with the trademark “claws” at 2, 3 8 and 10 o’clock done in polished PVD-coated steel. The bezel is a lot less pronounced than on other Romain Jerome watches, and I find that this keeps all out attention on the dial. I like the way the chronograph pushers stick far out of the case, reminding me of a vintage bomb timer.

Another detail I’m fond of for giving the watch a totally different character is the strap. The Pinup DNA comes on a pretty cool calf leather NATO strap with black metal elements, giving the watch a throwback military touch while still feeling high-end. Please note that the grey fabric strap on the red gold version was only for the prototype, the final watch will have a leather NATO strap as seen below.

On the wrist the Romain Jerome Pinup-DNA is surprisingly comfortable. Even though the case measures 46mm wide, it wears more like a 44mm thanks to its relatively slim profile and short lugs. The buttery-soft and flexible leather NATO strap is also really comfortable and wraps around the wrist perfectly.

Overall I think the Pinup-DNA is a lot of (kinky) fun, taking Romain Jerome’s “DNA of Famous Legends” in a different direction. And while I do prefer my Romain Jerome watches on the wilder side, I do think the Pinup-DNA is less outlandish and more easily wearable, with the potential of attracting a larger group of watch-lovers than some of the brand’s more eccentric collections.

While the case backs on the prototypes I photographed state that the watches are limited editions of 888 pieces, the Pinup DNA will actually be limited to just 99 pieces in each of the two versions, with a price of CHF 9’950 for the black PVD steel version and CHF 12’950 for the red gold and steel edition.

More information on www.romainjerome.ch