Ralph Lauren Automotive Skeleton Watch Review

MTF provides a hands-on review of the 2015 Ralph Lauren Automotive Skeleton Watch, a piece inspired by Mr. Lauren's vintage Bugatti Coupe. This article explores the design motifs, technical specifications, and overall allure of this open-worked timepiece, offering a collector's perspective on its place within the luxury watch market.

Amidst the ‘meet & greet’ at SalonQP 2015 with watchmakers and brand executives, I wanted to visit the Ralph Lauren display to see the Ralph Lauren Automotive Collection in-person. In particular, the Automotive collection has been inspired by the vintage Bugatti Coupe owned by Mr Lauren, in its use of carefully selected elm burl wood as a dial element — the same material found on the car’s dashboard. The highlight of the new collection is ‘clearly’ the RL Sporting Automotive Skeleton, their first open-worked timepiece. Having read reports on PuristSPro website about the watch launches in Hong Kong and Singapore, I wanted to see for myself if, in reality, the watch is as alluring as the glossy photographs implied. This is my hands-on watch review of the Ralph Lauren Sporting Automotive Skeleton watch.

Here is a little back story to set the scene. My first encounter with Ralph Lauren watches was at the S.I.H.H. trade show in Geneva a few years ago. I was drawn to the details like the screws and gun-metal distressed finishing on the watches as well as the colour matching of straps with the cases and dials, with aforethought. Back then, I noticed fewer visitors to the Ralph Lauren booth than other established exhibitors so I made it a point to visit them out of PuristS’ indignation; it did not seem fair. After all, we are about ‘Passion Opinion and Information’.

I list below the technical details of the Ralph Lauren Sporting Automotive Skeleton Model – 45 mm (RLR0220708), to give you a sense of the exactitude of Ralph Lauren design specifications.

MOVEMENT
Mechanical manual winding Swiss manufacture (IWC F.A. Jones) black skeleton movement, exclusively designed for Ralph Lauren
Caliber: RL1967
Frequency: 18,000 vibrations/hour (2.5 Hz)
Power reserve: ~45 hours
Components: 156

FUNCTIONS
Hours, minutes, seconds subdial at 6 o’clock

CASE
Black shot-blasted stainless steel with amboyna burl wood bezel
Diameter: 44.80 mm; thickness: 11.20 mm
Convex sapphire crystal, internal colourless anti-reflective treatment
Sapphire crystal back secured with 6 screws
Water resistance: 5 bar (~50 m)
Crown: black shot-blasted stainless steel with RL initials logo

DIAL
Colour: black matte galvanic
Azure subdial at 12 o’clock with beige RL logo
Azure second subdial at 6 o’clock with white Arabic numbers

HANDS
Hour, minute: sword-shaped hands; shiny black oxidized with beige Super-LumiNova®
Second: sword-shaped hand; shiny beige varnished.

STRAP
Black alligator, black Alsavel© lining

BUCKLE
Black shot-blasted stainless steel pin buckle

DESIGN MOTIFS

There is no doubt that the unique selling point about the watch is that sense of style imbued by the wooden bezel and other motifs from the vintage Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe owned by Mr Lauren.

"I've always been inspired by automotive design — the materials, the lines, but also the power and functionality. Cars are like art — moving art — an accomplishment in mechanics and precision." —Ralph Lauren

Wooden Bezel
Let’s start with the wooden bezel made of ‘Amboyna’ wood because the car has a wooden steering wheel. The name originates from Pulau Ambon (Ambon Island) in Indonesia where much of the distinctive wood was originally exported from. ‘Amboyna’ is not a distinct species, but is the name of the burl wood from any of the Pterocarpus species. Most commonly this is Narra (Pterocarpus indicus), but burl sections of Burma Padauk (Pterocarpus macrocarpus) are also sold under the name ‘Amboyna’; among the most expensive and sought-after of all burls. Some suppliers specify “Red Amboyna” with a rich reddish brown heartwood, or “Golden Amboyna” with lighter yellowish brown colouration.

Every bezel is different and thus every watch is unique. Ralph Lauren guarantees the availability of servicing and replacement parts for 15 years but even without that, that is the magic of wood. There will always be craftsmen able to turn a block of Amboyna wood into a bezel or even a whole watch case in the future, until the last dew drop falls.

I like that; it somehow connects me with humanity and Nature at the same time.

Case
The case shapes of the Automotive collection are derived from the coachwork of Ralph Lauren’s 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe with sweeping, graceful curves and distinct geometry.

Bugatti Atlantic Coupe tail

The lugs have step-curves like where the wheel arch joins the tail fender on the car.

Wrist comfort is assured even for the smaller wrist due to the drop of the curved lugs.

The black gunmetal steel of the case retains its colour when scratched. Although it is true that the colour is not a thin film deposit and cannot be scratched away, unfortunately the metal will still be scratched if a harder object is used. Sales personnel are now forbidden from attacking the watches with tungsten carbide points just to prove that the colour does not scratch off!

The case is shot-blasted for a satiny matte finish to accentuate the blackened bridges and skeletonised mainplates of the movement. The exposed screws on the bezel, as well as the brushed and polished surfaces of the cases, express the mechanics of an automobile engine.

Dial
The dials of the Automotive watches are styled after the cockpit instruments with Arabic numerals, although not exact replicas of the font on the Bugatti gauges. I like their readability.

The most controversial aspect of the Ralph Lauren Automotive Skeleton watch is the logo and brand name together. The black matte galvanic dial has an azure subdial at 12 o’clock with a beige RL logo and the RALPH LAUREN name under the azure seconds subdial at 6 o’clock.

I think the RL logo-only is sufficient.

As a crude experiment to prove that Mr Lauren knows what is right, I removed the logo from a mock-up image that you can compare side-by-side with the actual watch.

Immediately, I am reassured that the RL logo is needed to balance the seconds subdial. Quod erat demonstratum.

Thus, we are left only with the minor argument against the size of the brand name, if any, at the bottom of the dial.

RL Sporting Automotive Skeleton: Black on Black

Strap
The rivet lines on the car are mimicked by the stitches on the glossy black alligator leather straps.

Movement
I have nothing to add about the calibre RL1967 that started as a blackened IWC supplied F.A. Jones 98290 movement before skeletonisation by ValFleurier. As one of the best IWC movements as used in their haute de gamme F.A. Jones Tribute watches, I was surprised that Ralph Lauren got a supply. That probably shows how respected the RLWJ Company is within the Richemont Group.

Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Company (RLWJ)
In 2007, Polo Ralph Lauren and Richemont announced the formation of the Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry Company, S.A.R.L., based in Geneva, Switzerland. Polo Ralph Lauren and Richemont formed a 50:50 joint venture to design, develop, manufacture and distribute luxury watches and fine jewelry through select Ralph Lauren boutiques and independent jewelry and luxury watch retailers globally. The first Collection was shown in 2009.

RALPH LAUREN DESIGNS

“To design something legendary that has a sense of timelessness; that is what I aspire to do. That means taking risks, going with what you feel, but never losing sight of your vision and conviction.” – Ralph Lauren.

That was the first misconception I had about the watch (and jewellery) brand. It is not about a Fashion House making fashion watches. It is about two luxury behemoths combining their considerable powers and expertise: watchmaking and design.

Ralph Lauren has famously said: "I’m in the fashion business, but I’m not in the fashion business"; much to the bemusement of the casual observer. Delving deeper, we may get a sense of what he is saying. It is all about context and the person’s lifestyle: “I make movies with my clothes. Movies via fashion.” – Ralph Lauren.

He was contracted to provide clothing styles for the movie 'The Great Gatsby' as well as for Diane Keaton's title character in the film, 'Annie Hall'.

I get that. If you are a journalist and dress like a journalist – you are a journalist to the world.

“I am interested in the lifestyle behind the person who wears the clothes. My collections are about a way of life. I’m not designing clothes or furniture or accessories in my mind; I am designing a whole world.” – Ralph Lauren.

Ralph Lauren (Ralph Lifshitz) was born and bred in the Bronx, NYC to Belarusian parents of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. As a teenager, his sense of style was already different from his peers.

He began his design career in 1967 and started the “wide-tie revolution” that marked the beginning of the Polo label. For nearly 50 years, Ralph Lauren has expanded and refined his vision into Collections for men, women, children, fragrances and the home; taking inspiration from his favourite things. From the golden age of Hollywood glamour and vistas from his Colorado horse ranch to sleek vintage automobiles, Art Deco motifs and equestrian polo. Ralph Lauren’s collections are found in discerning homes all around the world; he designs for the way people live, paying homage to tradition but never bound by it.

For 50 years he has dressed America; I think he knows what he likes and what he likes, look good.

Designing Watches
If only I could be a fly-on-the-wall at a Ralph Lauren design meeting….but wait – I have the next best thing – an anonymous eyewitness report. It seems that Ralph Lauren takes a very hands-on approach for designing his watches in these intensive 3-hour meetings. He is neither a watchmaker nor engineer. The design team compiles ideas, sketches, materials, textures and lifestyles for the Concept Board. Running through them, Ralph Lauren quickly and decisively lays down the thema and details that he wants for the Look. He knows exactly what he wants the watch to look like even if the technical processes have not yet been found. The solutions for his designs are for the next meeting….

CONCLUSION

Pros:
I like this watch not only for the design but also the execution of a philosophy. I like being “a way of life” and I like that my style has been captured by Ralph Lauren. 

Cons:
Logo and Brand name: I even forgive the extra brand name at the bottom of the dial.
Costly: the RL Sporting Automotive Skeleton is more than three times the price of the RL Sporting Automotive timepiece that is similar in all aspects and with the same base IWC 98290 movement but without skeletonisation.

Bottom Line:
If you must have skeletonisation as part of your style, the RL Sporting Automotive Skeleton hits all the right apices but if, like me, the wooden bezel and other motifs are sufficient, you could choose the more affordable RL Sporting Automotive model - wood bezel.

Previous Publication: [CLICK] following URL link to read:
RALPH LAUREN RL Automotive Skeleton Unveiling in Singapore
www.watchprosite.com

Dr M. Teillol-Foo, 2015