$15,900 DeLorean watch won't go back in time

With $16,000 in 1983, you could buy yourself a post-bankruptcy DeLorean and cruise around with Irene Cara on the radio. Today, you can blow the same sum on this chunky wristwatch manufactured from real DeLorean parts.

The automaker went under in 1982, but its DMC-12 sportscar was immortalized as the time machine in the "Back to the Future" films. Swiss watchmaker RJ-Romain Jerome recently announced its $15,900 DeLorean-DNA, which shares the look and some parts of its namesake.

"Entirely made of brushed stainless steel, this chronograph uses the same materials as the original bodywork of the DeLorean car, of which certain elements have been melted together with the steel of the bezel," the company said in a release.

It has a mechanical self-winding movement, 23 jewels, and a rhodiumed and satin-brushed dial, as well as smaller dials with chronograph functions.

There's an engraving of the DMC-12 on the back. If you want to go for a plunge, the watch is water-resistant to 30 meters.

Romain Jerome is known for its unusual watches that contain rare elements, such as its Moon-DNA timepiece, which apparently contains actual moon dust. The Eyjafjallajökull-DNA watch has a dial that incorporates ash from the volcano in Iceland of the same name.

Before he died in 2005, John DeLorean himself was pushing luxury stainless-steel watches called DeLorean Time. They were apparently meant to raise funds for a revival of his car-making dream, and gave the owner dibs on ordering the new DMC model.

About 6,500 DeLorean DMC-12s are around today, as well as enthusiast clubs. Surely some of the owners would have bought these watches, but neither plan came to fruition.

However, you can certainly buy one of the 81 limited-edition DeLorean-DNA timepieces from Romain Jerome if you're a fanatical fan and want to "live the dream" as the vintage ad tells us in the vid below.

After all, brands never die. They just fade away -- until they get revived.