Introducing The Ikepod Minipod

It’s not every day that a watch brand breaks the mould of its own design DNA, but recently Ikepod announced its latest collection as the all-new Minipod, taking on a fresh, unexpected form. 

In total, we have eight new references in the Minipod line-up, and instead of the soft, pebble-like case designs that Ikepod has become synonymous with over the last three decades, we have a rectangular stainless steel case that measures 38.3mm in length, 33.3mm in width, and a sumptuous 8.7mm in thickness. As you might expect from Ikepod, wearability and comfort have clearly been a priority in the design of the Minipod, with a flat case that features a radially brushed bezel and a wide facet that softens the case lines from the bezel to the side of the case. The rear of the watch is closed with a solid steel caseback and a quartet of screws, guaranteeing the watch to 50m of water resistance.

A large part of what makes Ikepod watches so comfortable on the wrist is the way their FKM rubber straps pair so cleanly into the case, and the Minipod is no different. Every reference is paired with a coloured rubber strap that nods to the colour of either the dial or its frame, neatly integrated into the case and secured with a pin buckle. It’s worth remembering that Ikepod’s founder, legendary Australian industrial designer Marc Newson, departed the brand to assist Johnny Ive in designing the first Apple Watch, and the original Ikepod rubber straps have an almost identical closure system to all Apple Watches to this day, so it’s great to see that strap design remains a key focus at Ikepod.

Arriving at the dials, the eight different references arrive with either white or black dials, all of which are framed by a raised section that closes the geometric gap between the soft rectangle of the case and the circular dial. This raised section is executed in a range of colours that includes black, white, orange, blue, green, a metallic copper tone, and a lighter shade of Robin egg blue, and is also where you’ll find the five-minute markers around the dial. The squared-off hour and minute hands (no seconds hand here) are finished in the same colour as the raised frame around the dial, which is left sparse other than the Ikepod logo at 12 o’clock.

Powering the Minipod collection – and a significant reason as to how they’re able to be so slim – is a Miyota 2036 quartz movement, which has a battery life of around 3 years. As a design-focused brand, the perceived taboo of quartz movements has never been something Ikepod has shied away from, and apart from a few mechanically powered collections including the Megapod and the Chronopod 2025, many of Ikepod’s collections over the last near-decade have been powered by quartz movements. 

All eight references within the Minipod collection are priced at A$1,132 (U$875), with only the Robin's Egg Blue and Calusa arriving as limited editions of 50 pieces and 25 pieces respectively.

If you’re an Aussie watch collector, Ikepod is a brand you should know. Founded by Marc Newson and Oliver Ike back in 1994, it was one of the first watchmakers to pioneer the idea of concept watches thanks to their oversized, sculptural cases and rubber straps. 

While form-focused cases and rubber straps are ubiquitous today, before the turn of the millennium, very few brands were considering watchmaking design through such a contemporary lens, and while Hublot is well-known for its use of rubber straps from as early as 1980, names like Richard Mille, Urwerk, and MB&F were all founded years after Ikepod was already in business. It might not be a name many collectors know today, but Ikepod was a true trailblazer and arguably a source of inspiration for many of the design trends we see in watchmaking today.

The Minipod cleverly nods to those early years of the brand, with a case shape that – combined with the engraving of a large marine mammal on the caseback – directly references the Ikepod Manatee that appeared in 2001 as the brand’s first rectangular model. While the original Manatee was a worldtimer, the brand’s current custodian, Christian-Louis Col, has tended to take a more minimalist approach with the brand’s more affordable, quartz-powered watches, and the Minipod is a heritage reissue that embodies this philosophy. 

While I’ve yet to have the chance to get hands-on with the Minipod collection, it’s exciting to see Ikepod continuing to develop the vision that Newson and Ike founded the brand with, exploring case shapes and dial designs while remaining true to the brilliant simplicity that has always made Ikepod so special. Combine the purity of the Minipod’s design with the truly approachable print point that Col continues to offer his clients, and we’ve got a collection I could happily see myself reaching for as a no-fuss daily wearer that’s sure to start a conversation.

Brand: Panerai
Model: Minipod
Reference Names: Volta (black), Crystal River (metallic copper-tone), Lusca (white), Sirenia (blue), Orenoque (orange with white dial), Lamantino (green), Robin's Egg Blue (light Robin's Egg blue), Calusa (orange with black dial)
Length: 38.3mm
Width: 33.3mm
Thickness: 8.7mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Colour: Black and white
Indexes: 3D as part of the raised dial frame
Water Resistance: 50m
Strap/Bracelet: FKM rubber strap, colour-matched with raised dial frame

Calibre: Miyota 2036
Functions: Hours, minutes
Battery Life: 3 years
Winding: Quartz
Chronometer Certified: No

Price: A$1,132 (U$875)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: Only the Robin's Egg Blue (50 pieces) and Calusa (25 pieces)

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