Krayon PAC-MAN™

The Krayon PAC-MAN™ reinterprets the universe of the iconic video game through the brand’s in house complication displaying sunrise and sunset times for any location on Earth. This creation originates from a teenage memory shared by Fei Hou and Rémi Maillat, both belonging to the PAC-MAN™ generation.

The idea of translating the game’s aesthetic into the Krayon universe emerged from the parallel between the inherent rhythm of PAC-MAN™ and the very principle of the Anywhere. In the game, sessions follow one another in a repeating cycle. In the same way, days and nights continue endlessly, punctuated by sunrises and sunsets.

This analogy gradually led to considering PAC-MAN™ as a reinterpretation of the Anywhere concept. Starting from the idea of replacing the sun with the small yellow character, used as a time indicator on the 24 hour dial, the project progressively took shape and gave birth to a new Métiers d’Art piece.

Produced in 15 unique pieces, the watch comes in a 39 mm platinum case housing an onyx dial featuring a maze rendered in translucent tampography. The typography of numerals and text deliberately recalls the pixelated aesthetic of the original 1980 game. At its center, a simple date counter displays PAC for September and MAN for March.

The characters on the discs, executed in miniature painting by André Martinez, are as follows:

-Blinky whose gaze indicates the position of sunrise time.
-The big cookie (large white dot) whose position indicates sunset time.
-The frightened mode ghost which turns into frightened mode at midnight.
-The cherry the bonus fruit that PAC MAN eats.
-The pac dots small white dots that are also consumed.

Each piece of the PAC-MAN™ limited edition is unique and defined by a specific combination of colors and details. These vary notably according to the sunrise ghost color red pink blue white or orange in reference to the different ghosts from the game the bonus fruit cherry or strawberry and the shade of the midnight ghost available in blue or white.

The complication remains unchanged as it displays sunrise times according to the location chosen by the wearer of the watch and is infinitely adjustable. With its 432 components the piece requires no component changes when adjusting the reference city only a simple screws adjustment is needed. The dial animation relies on superimposed sapphire discs synchronized with the sunrise and sunset times of the selected location.

The settings of the PAC-MAN™ are adjusted via the crown. The first position allows correction of the month and the date, while the second position is dedicated to setting the time.

Finally, the case back highlights the Krayon Waves present on the bridges, whose curves translate throughout the year the sunset function in Neuchâtel. In greater detail, one edge of the barrel bridge follows the shoreline of Lake Neuchâtel, the home territory of the Krayon manufacture.