Ralph Lauren’s clothing and accessories designs have long been known for their aesthetic evocations of the American West, and with the new Ralph Lauren American Western Watch Collection, a range of limited editions launched to coincide with the fashion giant’s 50th anniversary, the designer brings that same sensibility to the timepiece brand he launched in partnership with the Richemont Group back in 2009. Here’s a closer look.
Ralph Lauren RL Western Cushion in Engraved Rose Gold (Ref. RLR0911700)
Described by the company as an “artful blend of Swiss watchmaking and iconic Ralph Lauren style,” the timepieces bring to mind the look of the vintage rodeo and concho belts worn by Ralph Lauren himself, with both the metal cases and leather straps adorned with the ornate, organic motifs found on such belts. The materials chosen for the various models, and their finishing, are also a nod to the historical tools and apparel of the American frontier: antiqued sterling silver and antiqued 18k rose gold for the cases and burnished vachetta leather for the straps. And while the watches are manifestly Swiss at their technological heart, they are also defiantly American in their outward-facing exterior design details: the metal cases and buckles are hand-engraved and aged in New York City, the worldwide headquarters of the Ralph Lauren company, while the leather straps are hand-tooled and burnished in Texas, from which much of America’s Old West mytho...