In this review from our sister magazine, WatchTime Middle East, editor Nitin Nair spends some time with two timepieces from Gorilla Watches, a motorsport-inspired brand on the rise with some first-class pedigree behind it.
The Fastback GT Mirage (left) and the Fastback GT Bandit offer good value for those looking for a casual watch made with contemporary materials like ceramic and forged carbon at an a ordable price.
A motoring-inspired wristwatch might seem like a timeworn trope, but it?s a road that watch companies seem happy to cruise down for now. Some may argue that the industry needs another motoring-inspired timepiece like a man needs a hole in the head, but they continue to come. And strangely enough, some of these watches still hit the spot. Automotive engineering has had a profound impact on the design and construction of watches. While a mechanical watch?s heart is still run by gears and springs that can trace their origins back to the 18th century, it?s the design of the case that has benefited most from the industry?s obsession with motorsports. Most notable is the adoption of materials like ceramic and carbon fiber, synonymous with high-performance motoring.
The Gorilla Fastback GT Mirage
Audemars Piguet was the first to use forged carbon in the construction of a case when it unveiled the Royal Oak Offshore Alinghi Carbon edition in 2007. Incidentally, Octavio Garcia was at the helm of Audemars Piguet’s creative department during this time and he brings ...