Robbiethepainter and His Tiny Ass Watches

Robbie Jones, better known as @robbiethepainter on Instagram, has taken the watch community by storm with his extremely detailed and realistic watch miniatures. I was able to speak with Robbie about his miniatures (which extend far beyond just watches), how he got started, the process he goes through to create a miniature watch, and his views on the watch community.

Tell our readers exactly it is that you do (besides create tiny replicas of watches):

I'm a miniaturist that primarily makes mini movie replicas for the doll community. But don't let collectors hear that because they are "action figures". I switched to this because of covid and my theatre job disappeared like so many others.

How did you start creating the watch replicas in particular?

I got asked to make a watch for my collector's community and had such a good time, I decided to make more. It seemed to be an area of the collector community that was missing. I've been working on them ever since. That was ten years ago I think. But two summers ago, someone photoshopped a Patek into my fingers and made some comment about an affordable Patek or something. It made its way around Instagram and people really wanted it. Even though I was making tiny watches, I didn't make that one. It was way too detailed for its size to be real. But I decided to see if I could do it. I think I can get really close to that fake photoshop picture. That's how I got noticed in the watch community I think. From a fake picture.

The photoshopped photo that started it all. Image courtesy of @crmjewelers on Instagram.

To the extent you are willing to divulge the information, what is the process you go to create a watch? From design to actual production.

Research a lot at the start. Need as many angles as possible and also sizing. Then build the 3D model. Send the file off to the foundry if it's metal or print it in house if it's a plastic based watch. The dial design comes next. High res photos are the start but I build the face in photoshop. Unfortunately I can't just print the watch face from a photo off the internet. It takes a lot of trial and error making slightest adjustments to be able to print the details. I will print and adjust as many 50-100 times just to get the details to be eligible under magnification. Ink of the printer bleeds and so controlling that in a very precise way is tricky. After that, I "do more stuff" for the hour markers and hands, I hand assemble the hour, minute and second hands on the watch face. Do some more stuff and the watch face is done. I have to clean and polish the castings I get. Each one is done by hand with tiny silicone polishing bits. Making sure not to erase all the details. Takes a lot of time. Install the faces and I'm done. I have to do that 50-100 times depending on the edition size.

Have you found the watch community welcoming of your hobby? How do you feel your work fits overall in the watch community?

It was through hashtags that I started getting noticed in the watch community. I had a Breguet representative contact me after I completed the miniature Breguet Tourbillon 7047PT from Batman vs Superman. She sent me several books about the watch and its history along with some swag. She was very nice. I sent her a piece as a thank you. Bremont contacted me last year while I was working on the Kingsman watch to see if I could put a video together showing my process. I hit a snag on that watch that stopped my production so I never made a video but I will be getting back to it soon. As a whole the community has been really kind.

The miniature of the Breguet Tradition Fusee Tourbillon 7047PT that is worn by Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne in Batman vs. Superman.

Are your tiny props a career, or just hobby?

Career at this time.

I see you have done popular pieces in the watch community, including the Patek Philippe Nautilus and the Omega Seamaster? Which watch has been your favorite to make?

I dig them all because each one has its own tricks that I've had to figure out along the way. The Patek is what has drawn all this attention though.

Which watch has been the most difficult to make? Why?

The Breguet so far. I had to layer three different pieces into its case. Then suspend the glass inside the case. Very tricky. But everything seems impossible at the start. You just have to grind it out till it's solved.

How long does it take to create a tiny watch?

The 3D model can take several weeks depending on the complexity. Then you have to wait to get the cast and also clean and polish. The dials can take another couple of weeks trying to get the prints just right and then adding in the trial and error of the hour markers and hands. And then the whole edition to replicate all that previous stuff requires several more.

What watches do you have your eyes on make next? I see you haven't done any Rolex or Audemars Piguet?

Perhaps a Daytona, Pepsi or Royal Oak? A Rolex is coming. It's the most requested. Some watches may not translate to scaled down or maybe I just haven't figured them out yet.

Are your pieces available for sale? If so, how do our readers buy their own pieces?

Most are sold before I start. This whole thing with rings has made me rethink how I offered them. As this has been in the last few days, I still don't have a good answer yet. Working on it.

One thing I’ve noticed is that a lot of artists who create watch content tend to find beauty in the subject matter, but are uninterested in the actual watches. Is watch collecting something that particularly interests you?

I don’t have the wallet to collect watches. Maybe if people buy my work, I can buy my own. I have a great appreciation for not only watch designs but also how they work and how they are manufactured. I think that's the reason I like to make the miniatures is because it's a mixture of aesthetics and engineering. Mine are a very different process but both require precision.

I saw you recently posted a video of a Patek Philippe Nautilus ring, which is very cool. Is a new direction (since you normally seem to focus on props). Is that something you are going to do more of? Is there any other types of jewelry you are going to do? Maybe a necklace?

It's all so new, so who knows. But I'm trying to figure out how to fit it in. I was already behind on projects and this just fell into my lap. Seems like a great opportunity that I need to capitalize on.

While all of Robbie’s tiny watches are currently spoken for, if you don’t want to miss his next batch, check out his website at www.tinyassprops.com.