BY DHANANJAY PATHAK
After releasing a few fun and colorful casual watches in the past couple of years, Ralph Lauren is now back with a slightly more serious and horologically inclined automotive-inspired watch. So, without further ado, here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the new Ralph Lauren Automotive chronograph.
The world of watches and automobiles has always had a close-knit relationship and has led to the creation of several intriguing timepieces. The Ralph Lauren Automotive Chronograph has been designed to emanate the old school charm of some old classic cars appreciated by the profound designer himself. The deep matt black face features a balanced twin register layout and is characterized by Arabic numerals which have been coated with custard colored paint to evoke a retro vibe. Both counters are nicely recessed to add a sense of depth and feature crisp white printing that offers great contrast against the black background. On the outer periphery is a minute track followed by a tachymeter scale. The hour and minute hands are of sword style, whereas the remaining hands are of baton style. Overall, the dial is clutter-free and quite legible, especially amongst watches with a chronograph complication.
One of the most attractive and peculiar aspects of this watch is the screwed wooden bezel that looks like the wooden steering wheels found in some vintage cars. The use of wood not only gives the watch a distinctive personality but also brings warmth to the overall design through the brown and orange tones. The case measures 42mm in diameter and is being offered in two variations: pure stainless steel and stealthy DLC coated stainless steel. Another detail that stands out on the case is the chunky screws on the lugs that look bold and sporty.
As I mentioned earlier, this is a more serious effort from Ralph Lauren both aesthetically and technically. Ticking inside this watch is the Calibre RL751A/1, which is based on JLC’s calibre 751, but excludes the running second’s complication and the date. The movement operates at 4 Hz and offers a healthy autonomy of around 65 hours.
The Ralph Lauren Automotive Chronograph is available to purchase through Ralph Lauren boutiques at a retail price of USD 9,900. The watch comes packaged with a quick release bracelet as well as a black leather strap.
Visit Ralph Lauren here.
