Killing time before Baselworld with a Ralph Lauren watch priced US$34,200 – is it worth it?

Ah yes, Ralph Lauren Watches: I’m still wonder­ing if this was ever a good idea. The company decided to make watches at the top of the boom market in Asia and, moreover, had a solid joint-venture partner in Richemont (which owns IWC, Cartier and so on) but, after all these years, I have to say I’m still not convinced. The brand has been dogged by price issues, with its watches not really justifying the cost. The Stirrup collection for women is worthy of praise, but the men’s watches have been a combination of odd and “meh”. 

The new RL Automotive is a step up; it is still a bit odd, but in a good way. I’ll get the things I don’t like out of the way first, primarily the large logos at the top and bottom, which seem too big and gratuitous to double up. Everything else about the watch is great. The skeleton dial shows real craftsmanship and the wonderful ValFleurier customised movement. The stand-out elements, though, are those inspired by Mr Ralph Lauren’s collection of 1950s sports cars, including the bezel made of hardwood to evoke the luxury car interiors and that, to me at least, looks like a steering wheel. Inside the watch, which comes with either a leather strap or steel bracelet, is an RL1967 move­ment with a 45-hour power reserve. Overall, this is a nice watch, but it’s priced at US$34,200, which is a huge amount, and more so because the case is made of steel. The jury is still out.