Actor Robin Williams spotted wearing a Ikepod

In October 2018, Christie's offered the personal watch collection of the late Robin Williams, one of Hollywood's most beloved and complex figures. Among the lots was this Ikepod Hemipode Chronograph — a piece that speaks volumes about Williams's refined, unconventional taste. Far from the expected Rolex or Patek Philippe of a Hollywood A-lister, the Ikepod signals a collector who sought character over status.

The Ikepod Hemipode Chronograph is a product of one of watchmaking's most distinctive creative collaborations. Swiss brand Ikepod, founded by Oliver Ike in 1994, enlisted Australian industrial designer Marc Newson to create a case language unlike anything else in horology. The result is a cushion-adjacent, lozenge-shaped stainless steel case with a seamlessly integrated bezel that flows organically into the lugs — or rather, the absence of traditional lugs. The dial on Williams's example is a rich cobalt blue, populated by three symmetrically arranged sub-dials: a 30-minute counter at nine, a 12-hour counter at six, and a running seconds at three. A date aperture sits prominently at twelve, displaying bold numerals in Newson's signature typographic style. Orange-tipped chronograph pushers and a matching seconds hand provide the only color interruption to an otherwise cool, architectural composition. The movement inside is a COSC-certified chronometer, denoted by the "Chronometer" inscription on the dial.

Among collectors, the Hemipode occupies a peculiar and coveted niche. Ikepod produced watches in limited quantities throughout the 1990s and early 2000s before the brand went dormant and later attempted a revival. The Marc Newson design association gives these pieces genuine crossover appeal — sought by watch collectors, design enthusiasts, and Newson devotees alike. Finding one in clean condition, with provenance as extraordinary as a Robin Williams estate sale, is exceptional.

Williams was known for intellectual curiosity and an appreciation for the crafted and the unusual. The Hemipode fits that profile precisely — it is not a watch that announces wealth, but one that announces taste.

On the secondary market, clean Hemipode Chronographs with blue dials trade between $3,000 and $6,500 depending on condition and completeness. The Williams provenance almost certainly pushed the hammer price significantly beyond that range at auction.