A Closer Look at The Rouchefoucauld World Complication

What is the Rochefoucauld World Complication? Maybe you already know that it was a popular watch during the 1980s or maybe you’re just now hearing about it for the first time. Some people billed it as “the sports watch of the 1980s” back when it was originally made. Others bought them and sold them for next to nothing, never dreaming that they would actually be worth any significant amount of money later on. As it turns out, it might be time to take a closer look at this watch and see what it’s all about, including why it has since become one of the more valuable time pieces that you might have ever owned. Why, you ask? Because there is a brand new example of this watch available and it’s making more than its fair share of news.

A Hidden Gem

In the 1980s-era movie “Trading Places”, Dan Aykroyd’s character owned one of these watches. Ultimately, he sold it for about $50 so he could buy a gun. As it turns out, there were a lot of people that had these types of watches back then who sold them for roughly the same amount of money. Both Ackroyd’s character and any person that ever sold one of these watches during the 1980s is probably very sorry because today, that same watch would fetch almost $30,000. It’s true, you could sell one of these watches today and make approximately $28,000 from it. If you played your cards right, that’s enough money to buy a car for cash and have a little bit left over for spending money. It may not be easy to pull it off at today’s prices, but it’s definitely possible. The question is, how does what was believed at the time to be a simple watch end up being worth so much money? Perhaps an even better question is, why didn’t people realize what they actually had on their hands back when the watches were so popular?

Time Revisited

As it turns out, the movie “Trading Places” is largely what made this watch so popular to begin with. It wasn’t until the watch was featured in the film that so many people started to take notice. By that time, some people had already sold off their watches for next to nothing. However, all is not lost. The sheer popularity of the watch that was made during the 1980s eventually convinced the very same watchmaker that was responsible for that version, Rochefoucauld, to make another watch that is essentially an updated replica. Even more impressive, this is the watchmaker’s first new edition in over 30 years. If you’re interested in knowing more about the newest version of this iconic watch, all you have to do is keep reading.

What’s New?

In short, the new watch looks a lot like the original and it performs similarly as well. The difference is that it utilizes modern-day technology to make it even more adept at telling time accurately than its predecessor. It looks the part, too. The case is made of 18-karat gold and is finished off with a genuine alligator leather strap. In fact, it practically screams luxury from the moment you first lay eyes on it. There’s plenty more to like about this watch as well. It’s luxurious, but it’s also more than capable of taking a few bumps and bruises without faltering. It can even be worn while you’re swimming, as it’s water-resistant down to 100 meters. Just like the original watch that inspired it, it’s one of the thinnest watches that you’re ever likely to see. That fact alone says quite a lot about its ability to serve as both a conversation piece and an accurate timepiece. Most watches vary in size as far as the diameter is concerned, but there’s not that much variation when you’re talking about the height of the case itself.

That’s because a certain amount of space is required to include all of the pieces and parts that you have to include in order to manufacture a working timepiece. The thing that made this one special from the beginning, even back in the 1980’s, was that it was incredibly thin, yet very durable. This one is exactly the same. And, just like Dan Aykroyd says in the movie, it is capable of telling time in multiple locations at the same time. That’s great for anybody that does a lot of traveling and wants to set the watch to those locations. It’s equally good for anybody that has loved ones who are scattered all across the world, as you always have the opportunity to see what time it is in these areas without having to stop and do the math in your own head. Unless you’re a math whiz, this can come in very handy. It can also stop you from an ill-timed phone call that inadvertently wakes somebody up at two in the morning because you forgot how many hours you were supposed to add or subtract momentarily.

Getting Your Hands on One

So, what will you have to do if you want to get your hands on one of these watches? First things first, you’re going to need a considerable sum of money. They’re not exactly cheap. In fact, it will set you back about the same amount of money to purchase one of these brand new watches as you could potentially make by selling an old one. That’s right, the new watches are selling for $28,500 each. That’s enough money to make some people’s heads spin, especially when you realize that you’re talking about shelling out roughly the same amount of money for a watch that you might spend on an economical automobile. That said, there’s no doubt that some people will absolutely love the chance to own one of these watches. If you have the means and you want one badly enough, then there’s nothing stopping you from getting one for yourself. At the end of the day, this watch is all about functionality and luxury. It does a lot more than just tell time. It makes a bold statement, one that’s likely to be noticed by everyone who sees it. Sometimes, that’s more important than anything else.