For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been seeing Instagram ads for poker chips and various premium card decks. Is this a sign that I need a new set of poker chips? Probably not—I already own a set, even if it’s not currently in my possession. Is it a sign that I’m long overdue an article on the state of my playing card collection? Possibly. This might be it.
However, this is not that article. Instead, I decided to write a review of a deck of playing cards. But not just any deck. This is neither a Bicycle nor a Piatnik deck; this one is watch-related.
It’s a premium deck of 52 cards, advertised as casino quality, with a micro-linen finish for a softer touch. The deck is made in Paris, France, by the French publishing house Éditions de la Tour. In terms of quality, it is genuinely good—easily comparable to Bicycle. I’ll admit that before ordering three decks, I didn’t thoroughly check the promotional material, nor did I look into the project’s Kickstarter campaign. In hindsight, that was a mistake: the framed uncut sheet looks absolutely stunning.
According to the Kickstarter page, the project attracted 151 backers who pledged a total of €3,440, exceeding the initial €1,500 goal. Sadly, I wasn’t one of them. The page also features a very appealing sketch of the original concept, which adds valuable insight into the design process.
I’ve always wanted to design my own deck of playing cards—watch-themed, of course. Even though I once read that everyone can be an artist (or at least a sketch artist), my drawing skills would struggle to pass a third-grade art class. That said, I’ve always enjoyed technical drawing, where precision matters more than flair.
With that in mind, this is how I personally imagine a watch-themed deck of cards:
Ace – Patek Philippe;
King – Rolex;
Queen – Cartier;
Jack – Audemars Piguet.
For the numbered cards, diamonds could be represented by rubies or jewel bearings; hearts by an escapement; clubs by the gear train; and spades by the mainspring. Ambitious? Yes. Difficult and expensive to design? Almost certainly. But don’t we all appreciate a good challenge?
The Steel Watches deck takes a more restrained approach, featuring three iconic watch faces: the Rolex Submariner, the Patek Philippe Nautilus, and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, each rendered with striking dial designs. Would I have liked to see more variety—perhaps a different watch for each suit? Certainly. But as my first watch-themed deck of cards, I’m more than happy to take it as it is.
I hope these photos do the deck justice, and if the cards are still available for purchase, I can confidently recommend picking up a deck. Who knows—perhaps the team at Éditions de la Tour will design another one.
The photos were taken using my new 56 mm prime lens.
Poker, anyone?
Just a gentle reminder: I’ve previously written about my watch-themed cufflinks (yes, that article desperately needs better photos) and—believe it or not—watch-themed stamps. So what’s the one watch-related item I’m still missing?
Kindly,
Olaaf
