Culture

Luxe: Portable jackpot

High fashion for the slot fiend

Kate Silver

It appears I wasn’t alone when I thought, “What if my connection to a slot machine didn’t originate from the neck strap that holds my players card? What if I could actually carry an extremely portable version of a slot machine around on my person?”

Well, the gambling angels have answered in the form of the Vintage 1945 Jackpot Tourbillon, which is not just a timepiece but also a working slot machine. On your wrist. No neck strap.

This little piece of Nevada heaven has been in development for more than two years, and the way it works is admittedly over my head—I just know that you pull a handle on the right side of the watch, and the reels fly! They operate by some combination of kicker cams, gear trains, flywheels and other things, but I skipped over that explanation to get to this: “The watch chimes every time a reel stops. A hammer is released and strikes on a gong.” Gong!

The diamond, heart, spade and liberty bell symbols are modeled after the original slot machine, created by Charles August Fey in 1894. So it’s historical, this piece, but, sadly, not exactly attainable by those of us who actually carry players cards. Each watch will retail for $563,000. Gong! Snatch them up at Wynn & Co. Jewelry at the Wynn Esplanade.

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