Two prominent industry insiders have recently collaborated to establish a new watch company, Gagà Laboratorio, based in Switzerland. Mo Coppoletta will serve as the Art Director, and Ruben Tomella as the owner of the Italy based Gagà Milano brand and the newly formed company, Gagà Laboratorio.
Mr. Tomella has had a successful tenure with Gagà Milano for two decades. He founded brand offshoot Manufacture Gagà in Switzerland, which has focused on creating high-end products for Gagà Milano in collaboration with leading industry partners, including the development of tourbillon movements in partnership with Hysek, a Swiss independent brand.
In 2020, Mr. Tomella decided to redirect the activities of the Swiss company and embarked on establishing a new brand, Gagà Laboratorio. The mission of Gagà Laboratorio is to create entry-level luxury timepieces that emphasize design while maintaining high-quality movement standards. To achieve this vision, he partnered with artist Mo Coppoletta, a long-time friend. Together, they have initiated this new chapter for Gagà. Mo Coppoletta is a world-renowned artist, designer, and tattoo artist, known for his collaborations with Bvlgari on two Octo Finissimo limited editions featuring his tattoo artwork.
In my interview with Mr. Tomella, he discusses the vision of Gagà Laboratorio. “After 16 years in the watchmaking industry at the helm of Gagà Milano, in 2020, I felt a strong pull towards the world of independent watchmaking and decided to embark on a new journey in this direction,” he told me. “Recognizing that I could not undertake this journey alone, I chose to collaborate with a world-renowned artist and longtime friend, Mo Coppoletta. Leveraging the strengths that have always defined Gagà Milano, Mo and I set out to create a timepiece where design takes center stage, complemented by the craftsmanship of our esteemed partners. The vision of Gagà Laboratorio is to produce timekeeping instruments that combine exceptional design with outstanding Swiss mechanics, all at a fair price.”
Even though the Swiss independent brand is a different concept than Mr. Tomella’s Italian watch company, there is one key element that remains common – the crown at twelve. Gagà Milano was born to adapt a pocket watch to “wrist use,” welding lugs on a pocket watch case, hence the crown remains at the same position. Other than one common feature, the design on the watches is completely new.
The first series of watches are under the umbrella of Labormatic collection. According to Gagà, the term “laboratorio” serves as the inspiration behind this collection, evoking the dual notion of an artist’s studio and a skilled artisan’s workshop. The Latin etymology of “labor” conveys a richer meaning, encompassing not only the concept of work, but also the values of effort, industriousness, and enterprise. By combining this ethos with the precision of an automatic movement, the Labormatic collection transcends mere timekeeping, instead inviting the wearer to cherish every moment.
Within this collection, there are two distinctive timepieces that embody the essence of the Labormatic philosophy: Cinquanta and Bauhaus.
The Cinquanta design aesthetic draws inspiration from the Mid-century modern style of the 1950s. Characterized by clean lines, simplicity, and an authentic use of materials, this design philosophy is rooted in the cultural and economic influences of the era. According to Gagà, the inspiration for Cinquanta is twofold, drawing equally from the Italian economic boom, which elevated everyday objects to works of art, and the vibrant American culture of the time, marked by iconic symbols such as chromed “space cars,” the “Jet Age,” and jukeboxes.
The case gives the appearance of a spaceship landing pad with saucer shape and flared lugs. I asked Mr. Coppoletta about the various design elements, as there is so much to unpack. He states, “The concept of the lug originates from the very inception of the brand Gagà Milano. Our objective in Gagà Laboratorio was to maintain a subtle connection with the hallmark features of Gagà Milano, specifically the lugs and the crown positioned at 12 o’clock. These two elements form the cornerstone of the Gagà Laboratorio brand and will remain fundamental to our design philosophy. However, it was essential to reinterpret the lugs of Gagà Milano in a more sophisticated manner, allowing us to completely depart from the bold design characteristic of Gagà Milano. This evolution has led to a contemporary design, where the lug consists of two pieces—each with a distinct finish—one nested within the other and featuring a reduced thickness. The same principle applies to the crown, which continues to be positioned at twelve o’clock but is now elegantly integrated into the case, creating a seamless and cohesive design.”
The seven-part case measures 42mm x 13.3mm, however after testing the watch for a week, I can confidently state that it wears smaller. The digital hour display (it is not jumping hour) and minutes disc are powered by a La Joux-Perret G-100 automatic movement with a custom rotor. The case dial is protected by double curved anti-reflective sapphire crystal. With the dual-disc system, time is easy to read at a glance. Even though an instant jumping hour complication would have been amazing, it would be impossible at the entry level pricing. One minor note about the crown at twelve – while it fits the overall scheme of design perfectly, it is like any good Italian design – a bit less practical. It took a couple of tries to pull out the crown and then use the thumb to change the time.
The watch comes with a nice, soft, Italian made Saffiano leather strap. The price is 3,900 CHF.
Bauhaus is the second model, and is a variation of the Cinquanta. It strips down the dial even further to make it more minimalist, hence the name Bauhaus. The center minute disc features only markers, with a red minute indicator. I prefer the Cinquanta model for legibility, since I can read the time faster with the frame indicator. Although, the coolness factor is higher with Bauhaus.
All the technical details remain the same, and the watch is paired with a black Saffiano strap. The price is 3,900 CHF.
I love Italian design, and Mid-Century modern style even moreso. Both the watches join the ranks of recent watch releases that feature unusual case designs inspired by period architecture. I am in favor of creative watch designs with less focus (an obsession, really) on in-house movements, and I would like to see how Gagà Laboratorio develops in the coming years. Gagà Laboratorio
