Here’s another one discovered via Boing Boing (Link): the Cabestan watch. From the Europa Star article they reference (Link):

As Jean-François Ruchonnet (JFR to his friends) declares right up front, “This new timepiece, the Cabestan [capstan] is certainly very spectacular, but it is what I would call ‘techno-design.’

I don’t know if I’d call that “techno-design”, but I do know one thing: the widening gap between the wealthy and the rest of us(!) makes this an interesting case study for piracy. I’ve little doubt this could be fabricated for much less than the reported US$220,000 for which it sells, but anyone who wants to try first has to get one of them (maybe steal it), figure it out, replicate the parts in CAD, and then produce them at what is likely a considerable cost. That means they’re not going to be going for $10 in the Hong Kong night market. Why bother?

Unlike a Rolex, this thing is sufficiently unique to be a royal pain in the butt for someone wanting to pirate it. Additionally it would perhaps have to achieve the kind of iconic cultural status of a Rolex to sell in the volumes needed to yield a return on investment that would make this project worthwhile. Seems to me that pricing this thing so high and making it so unique is its best defense against rip-offs. We’ll see. Even I’m not sure as there are plenty of people out there who’ll do it for nothing more than a challenge.

{Image Copyright © 2005 Europa Star}