The Nero Aurelia

From Gorilla Watch Company -

Courtesy of Gorilla Watch Company

This is the latest addition to Gorilla's Fastback stable, the Nero Aurelia. This is one of two new models recently announced.

Courtesy of Gorilla Watch Company

This is a limited edition of 500 pieces, and shipping is projected for December.

Here are the pertinents -

CALIBRE
Miyota 9039, premium finish, self-winding, 4 Hz, stop seconds, personalized oscillation weight

FUNCTIONS
Hour, minute, sweeping seconds

CASE MATERIAL
DLC coated 316L stainless steel, screw-down crown, applied crown guards

CASEBACK
Open case back, engraved, sapphire crystal

DIAL
Matte finish, applied indexes filled with Super-Luminova™, radial brushed flange, hands and hour markers filled with Super-Luminova™

CRYSTAL
Scratch resistant sapphire,
anti-reflective coating on both sides

STRAP
Perforated Alcantara™ & FKM rubber hybrid

BUCKLE
Stainless steel pin buckle

CASE DIMENSIONS
39 mm case diameter
43.1 mm with crown guards
10.5 mm case thickness
50 mm lug-to-lug

WATER RESISTANCE
100M/330FT/10ATM

The Modena

From Gorilla Watches -

Courtesy of Gorilla Watches

A new take on the Fastback, this offers an interesting color way and a new strap type which is described by Gorilla as FKM Rubber & Alcantara™ hybrid.

Courtesy of Gorilla Watches

The case is carbon (woven, forged), with a ceramic bezel and aluminum "stripe" mid piece.

The movement is the Miyota 90S5.

Priced at US $1,350.

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

CALIBER

Miyota 90S5, self-winding,
4 Hz, stop seconds, exposed balance wheel, personalized oscillation weight

FUNCTIONS

Hour, minute, sweeping seconds

CASE MATERIAL

Woven forged carbon case, ceramic bezel, anodized aluminium pinstripe, screw-down titanium crown for improved water resistance

CASEBACK

Titanium, engraved, sapphire crystal

DIAL

Anodized aluminum dial, applied gunmetal plated numerals, Super-Luminova™ filled hour disc, minute hand, and hour markers

CRYSTAL

Scratch resistant sapphire,
anti-reflective coating on both sides

STRAP

FKM Rubber & Alcantara™ hybrid

BUCKLE

Titanium pin buckle

CASE DIMENSIONS

44 mm case diameter
48.5 mm with crown guards
13 mm case thickness
57 mm lug-to-lug

WATER RESISTANCE

100M/330FT/10ATM

The Truffelhunter

From Gorilla -

Courtesy of Gorilla Watches

Just when I thought I had enough Gorilla Watch goodness in my life, Lukas Gopp and Octavio Garcia had to get out the big guns and drop this one on me!


This is Fastback GT Truffelhunter.  The inspiration is based on a Porsche that had been designed for the 24 hours of Le Mans back in 1971, per Gorilla -

The Fastback GT Truffelhunter commemorates the outlandish livery of the 917/20. A Stuttgart born one-off prototype developed to race as an aerodynamics test car at the 24 hours of LeMans in 1971.

The track car’s extreme width, shortened length, and deep, rounded wheel wells inspired the factory design team to create the now-legendary pink body color, butcher-cuts style graphics and nickname the car “Truffelhunter” aka “Pink Pig.”

The Truffelhunter made a single appearance at LeMans, crashing shortly before the end of the competition due to brake failure. Despite not finishing the race, the cars strikingly unique livery won the hearts and minds of motorsports fans around the world.

Courtesy of Gorilla

And for another take on the car that inspired it, here's something from Jalopnik -

Say Oink To The Trufflehunter of Zuffenhausen

So, Lukas and Octavio, this puts me in a weird place as I now don't know whether to say thank you or f-you! 

I had said I had enough, I felt I was done with wanting, longing, craving. I felt that there were enough Gorillas in my midst (see what I did there?), and just like a side order of bacon that I should have the self-control to walk away from,  Gorilla has lured me back yet again!

Here are the pertinents  - but as this one is limited to 500, I am asking that only 499 of you pursue this one ; )

Courtesy of Gorilla Watches

CALIBER

Miyota 90S5, self-winding,
4 Hz, stop seconds, exposed balance wheel, personalized oscillation weight

FUNCTIONS

Hour, minute, sweeping seconds

CASE MATERIAL

Woven forged carbon case, ceramic bezel, anodized aluminum pinstripe, screw-down titanium crown for improved water resistance

CASEBACK

Open titanium caseback, engraved, sapphire crystal

DIAL

Applied rhodium plated numerals, anodized aluminum flange, hands and hour markers filled with white Superluminova

CRYSTAL

Scratch resistant sapphire,
anti-reflective coating on both sides

STRAP

Bicolor Viton rubber

BUCKLE

Titanium pin buckle

CASE SIZE

44 mm case diameter
48.5 mm with crown guard

CASE THICKNESS

13 mm

WEIGHT

110 grams

WATER RESISTANCE

100M / 330FT / 10ATM

Summer Repeat: Why I Bought It - The Gorillia Fastback RS White

So it seems it is going to be a "Gorilla - heavy" few days here at Tempus Fugit ; )

I have been somewhat beguiled by the Gorilla Fastback ever since I clapped eyes on it at last year's (2017) BaselWorld.  It was a fun watch with some very serious, very genuine design bona-fides.

And the limited edition introductory piece came and went before I could even blink, but another model would come to vie for my attention. 

The Fastback is available in the white you see above, and two black versions, one with a very cool acid green pairing, the other with a camouflage strap.  The white, however, has always stayed with me.  

The size and the shape of the Gorilla is a little bit out of my usual wheelhouse, and I suppose in a way that is part of the appeal.

A lot of what is great about the Gorilla is not really "knowable" until you have one on your wrist.  At that point, it is almost a moment of "conversion".  If you were on the fence at all, you will likely be in at that point ; )

The Gorilla benefits from a seemingly random confluence of cool things:

2 very talented designers with a very strong background in high end watches - Lukas Gopp and Octavio Garcia.

A very, very cool design.

A legitimate mechanical watch with a more affordable, Japanese self-winding movement.

A very affordable entry point at $880.

In the US, a very dynamic retail partner who introduced the Gorilla Collection to the US market place with their online store, Watch Gauge. 

And it was Watch Gauge where I was able to purchase my very own Gorilla Fastback, and it sits happily on my wrist as I write this post.

Ultimately, a watch is not something we need in this day in age.  It is something that speaks to us on a different level.  And thank goodness their are interesting options out there like Gorilla, and there are retail partners like Watch Gauge dedicated to offering those somewhat less obvious, but certainly more interesting options.

Enjoy your watches!