Coddi Club began releasing images to their social media @coddicclub last week in anticipation of their launch September 23. Yes, they have used the ever-popular ape concept that permeates NFTs today, but they have given it their own unique spin. Each profile picture depicts an ape in the classic Paul Newman pose (that one featuring his Rolex Daytona) and wearing one of over 130 watches the founder carefully selected based on his own immersion into the watch world. Coddi Club founder, Nauti Coddi, says he based his online profile name on his favorite watch, the Patek Phillipe Nautilus 5711, one he purchased for a shocking $22,000 in 2012 after randomly spotting it in a jewelry store. He knows those days of random Patek spottings are over, and it is this fact that inspired him to launch the Coddi Club. Nauti Coddi states, “Inflated prices and low inventory have taken a lot of the fun out of watch collecting, and made it pretty impossible for most people to get their hands on something like a Nautilus. I got inspired to create this NFT collection of the watches that I have always loved so that it could be a way for people to ‘collect’ watches and have a little fun with them. I mean, you can have a tattooed ape in a cowboy hat wearing a million-dollar watch.”
Coddi Club seeks to provide a way of connecting people together who share a love for watches, art, and maybe a little adventure too. Rather than being city-specific chapters of a watch club, Coddi Club desires to provide a space for watch enthusiasts to gather virtually, as well as at meet-ups locations worldwide, all involving some type of unique experience. Nauti Coddi says, “I like connecting watches to experiences, which is what I hope to help others to do through this club. All of our meet ups involve more than just talking watches. There’s an experiential, adventure component that you can tie to the watch you choose to wear for that situation, which I always find fun. And you can get some epic wristshots while bonding with other club members.” They have four events already planned, including falconry in Dubai, mixing craft cocktails in Singapore, watching Formula 1 racing in Austin, and boating and shark feeding in the Bahamas.
When asked how this NFT watch project differs from others that may be out there, Nauti Coddi replied, “Every aspect of this project was developed with an effort to provide a fun experience for the watch enthusiast, starting with the adventure component of the meet-ups and the Club Directory that allows people to tell the story of their ape and watch choice. But most importantly, our watches are accurate. These are hand drawn images, so it is an artist’s interpretation, but I wanted the art to highlight all those details that separate one model from another. Some people really care about that, and I am one of those people.” Coddi Club can be found on Twitter and Instagram, with their NFT sale beginning this week (September 23rd). Access to the club server and the events will only be available to NFT holders.
