MJW's A-OK! is too legit to quit

I’ve always loved the whimsy of Mr. Jones Watches, but their last two releases have pushed past amusing into artistic. With the Whoomm and Wildstyle, they upped the technical game substantially, bringing Swiss automatic movements and Cloisonné hand-enameled dials. The A-OK! is no technical masterpiece, but it is another entry in MJW’s legit art collection—with the same legit STP1-11 mechanical movement.

A-OK! is a collaboration with graphic artist, printmaker, and designer Anthony Burrill. Burrill is (apparently) known for his “Work Hard and Be Nice to People” poster.

Burrill’s “Work Hard and Be Nice to People” has become a mantra for the design community and beyond.

The watch features Burrill’s primary-color pictograms and industrial icons printed on both the dial and the front mineral glass. The dual-layer design means the flat sausage hands are obscured at times as they travel around the dial. It’s a neat little surprise you can see at about 1:00 in the video.

Burrill explains: “My work is essentially collage based—I’m a big collector of found objects and graphics, so the design is an assemblage of different, interesting things. I wanted to create something that, when you see it on someone’s wrist is a definite talking point.” I think he’s nailed that.

A-OK!’s dial and glass were handprinted with a pad printer in MJW’s London workshop. The watches were then assembled and regulated by hand. It uses the familiar round case/wire lug shape that we see in a lot of MJW products and a Milanese bracelet. I’d like to see MJW venture into some more interesting case designs as they continue to up their dial and movement game.

The movement is Fossil’s answer to Swatch’s ETA 2824-2 and Sellita’s SW200. Like the Sellita, the STP1-11 is a Swiss Made ETA 2824-2 design, but the STP1-11 is made in part with a robotic assembly line. The exhibition caseback gives you a glimpse at the sparsely decorated workhorse. We first saw MJW use this movement on the significantly more expensive Whoomm and Wildstyle, so it is nice to see it in a more modest MJW offering.