Lorier surprised us at the Windup Watch Fair in Chicago last week with a new release dubbed the Rambler, a collaboration with Indiana based Janus Motorcycles. For Lorier to collaborate with a motorcycle brand might not make much sense at first, but stepping back, the two brands are very much in sync. Both have a trade in classic aesthetics rooted in mid century styles, and both brands prize simplicity in design. Most of all, Janus and Lorier both place a high value on actually getting out and using their products authentically. The experiences tied to riding or the types of sporting activities you might undertake while wearing a Lorier are core to each brand, and the Rambler evokes and invites those experiences in the same way that the brand’s prior watches have been successful in doing so.
The Rambler is built on the same 36mm case that will be familiar to owners of the Astra and the Falcon. Like those watches (especially the Falcon) the Rambler is inspired by the classic field watch. Something Lorier does in their marketing materials that I always appreciate is draw direct parallels to specific watches that provided inspiration in the design process, and for the Rambler they’ve cited classic field and pilot’s watches like the Rolex Oyster Imperial, Universal Geneve 20504, and the Omega 6B/159. More importantly than the specific references though, Lorier ties the Rambler to motorcycle culture through the people who would have worn those watches. These are the war watches of veterans returning home, seeking thrills and adventure on the open road.
The watch features a subtle off-white dial, a striking red seconds hand, and lumed Arabic numerals (with a triangular plot at the 12:00 position). The lume is a light orange color that, along with the dial, give the watch a heavily patinated appearance, which is appropriate given the inspiration. Branding is simple, with the Lorier wordmark near 12:00 and “Rambler” in a vintage inspired typeface near 6:00. The caseback features circular text acknowledging the collaboration with Janus, along with the same Rambler wordmark. The watch is paired with a brown leather strap meant to patina in the same manner as a leather jacket.
This is an incredibly charming release that puts the broad sphere of Lorier’s interests on display. It’s easy to think of the brand as specializing in watches inspired by the classic vintage divers and chronos we all know and love, but recent releases like the Astra and now the Rambler reveal that there’s more to it than that. Lorier seems to have a curiosity about a wide swath of mid century culture, and it’s exciting to see them continue to try new things that embrace that curiosity.
The Rambler will be available in late August, and has a retail price of $499. Lorier
