A new designer Pokemon watch has one very expensive price tag. The timepiece follows the announcement of some more affordable Pokemon merchandise earlier in the week, as Squirtle was added to the Build-a-Bear line-up.

The Tourbillon Pokemon watch has been created by RJ-Romain Jerome, a Swiss outfit that makes "high quality watches made from rare materials by master watchmakers." Costing $285,000, this piece of flashy Pokemon merchandise certainly does not come cheap, but Romain Jerome is hoping that it has packed in enough fancy features to make that price tag worth it.

The company promises a "highly crafted hand-dial" that comes complete with an enamel Pikachu as its centre piece. The Tourbillon Pokemon watch also features a bridge in the shape of the "symbolic" Pokemon lightning bolt, an oscillating weight that has been shaped into Pikachu and a lightning bolt by a laser and the black alligator strap that keeps the watch on wrists also has blue and yellow stitching as a "tribute" to the colors of the Pokemon logo.

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Additionally, Romain Jerome highlights a "captivating 3D effect" that makes the characters look "animated" and "ready to pop out at any second," the "high level of craftmanship" that has gone into making it, and the fact that it's waterproof up to 50 meters. The company also describes the Pokemon watch as a "unique piece," meaning that it's a one-off and this is perhaps why it costs so much money.

While few can deny that the designer accessory is (probably) well-made, unsurprisingly, fans are divided. Some are left scratching their heads wondering how on Earth the average fan could afford it, as it does not appear that Romain Jerome or The Pokemon Company have put a finance plan in place, allowing fans to buy it and stay out of debt (as was the case with this expensive The Witcher 3 statue).

Meanwhile, some fans are befuddled why anyone would spend so much money on something that looks like that. On social media, the watch has been called everything from 'hideous' to 'ugly' and some have pointed out that fans can find better skins for their smartphones. Some also argue that fans can just play Pokemon GO on their Apple Watch for a similar and much cheaper experience. These are surely valid points but given the interest in the Pokemon brand, it seems unlikely that this will deter the most hardcore collectors from putting in an order even if the watch comes at such a high price.

Source: Romain Jerome