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! 

The SVIPE

From Gorilla -

Courtesy of Gorilla

This is the latest offering from the dynamic duo behind Gorilla, Lukas Gopp and Octavio Garcia.  But before you jump to the conclusion that this is just a different color variation to the Fastback Collection, one key thing sets this limited edition apart.  

Courtesy of Gorilla

The casebook and crown are of titanium, the first in the Gorilla stable to use it.  

Courtesy of Gorilla

The SVIPE is limited to 77 pieces, and was produced in collaboration with Alejandro Salomon (AKA Salomondrin).  
Priced at $950, the SVIPE is limited to 77 pieces total.  It is 
available either direct from Gorilla, or at Mr. Salomon's online retail site.

Here are the pertinents -

MOVEMENT
Miyota 9015, Self-winding
4 Hz / 28.800 vph, stop seconds

FUNCTIONS
Hour, minute, seconds hands

CASE DIMENSIONS
44 mm case diameter
48.5 mm with crown guard

CASE MATERIAL
Titanium, anodised aluminium,
ceramic

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

CROWN
Screw-down for improved water resistance

WATER RESISTANCE
100 meters / 330 feet / 10 ATM

BRACELET
Bi-color Viton rubber strap,
titanium pin buckle

WEIGHT
110 grams with strap and buckle

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!

A White Gorilla

This was, for once, a very enjoyable BaselWorld.  It brought a lot of new things to the watch world's attention, but for me personally it prodded me to dig a bit deeper into what some of the new brands were doing.  

You may recall reading about Lukas Gopp and Octavio Garcia (probably coolest first name I've heard in years) venture, Gorilla watches last year -

http://www.tempusfugit.watch/2017/04/the-fastback.html

Here in the US they are well represented by Watch Gauge
and I encourage you to check them out, because they are super-dope!

And yes, even we who write about this stuff are not immune to their charms.  So in terms of what is available right now, I have to say that the RS White has stung me with visceral dart.  It is nothing I can rationally, calmly explain.  It has attached itself to my psyche on a much more emotional level.  With a Rolex GMT you can reason out the interest - history, perceived value, popularity.  But with some watches, and the Gorilla is certainly among them, you are captivated by something far stronger than rationale.  Something speaks to you.  It often speaks in a language or tone that is not immediately clear to everyone else.  But isn't that what makes life interesting?  And this watch speaks to me loudly and clearly -

Courtesy of Gorilla

Desire is a funny thing.  Sometimes you just need to accept and embrace it ; )

A 44 mm case crafted of forged carbon, anodized aluminum,
titanium, ceramic, and steel with a Miyota 8215 under the hood and rated to be safe and dry down to 100 meters.  

The Fastback

From Gorilla!

Courtesy of Gorilla

So after you've collectively worked for Omega, Audemars Piguet and IWC among others, what's the next logical step?  You create a brand new watch brand called Gorilla, of course!

Courtesy of Gorilla

I got to spend some time with the two men behind Gorilla, Lukas Gopp and Octavio Garcia during this year's Wine & Time event and then later during my "office hours" at the Ramada.  And they are both very interesting guys with impeccable backgrounds.  But I'm going to swim against the stream and focus on the watch itself.  

I think the first thing that truly struck me was the way that the different materials used for the case truly complemented each other.  All too often, brands both mighty and small spit out watches with cases that look more like the result of a fifth grade art class than an actual design.  Not so with the Gorilla Fastback.

Courtesy of Gorilla

I draw your attention to the layered effect of the case (above). The base of the case is titanium, upon which the main portion of the case (carbon) is anchored.  And that would have been sufficient.  But the Fastback's design was informed by childhoods spent working on cars and descending alpine passes on sleek road bicycles, so a few wonderfully fun but appropriate design elements were added.  The red layer is, in fact, anodized aluminum and is described as a charter line or "pinstripe".  It doesn't need to be there, but it looks REALLY cool and sets off both the carbon of the main case below it, and the ceramic bezel above it.  And while another brand might have looked for a matching crown, I really applaud the use of a bright titanium crown.  It stands out, but for the right reasons.

Courtesy of Gorilla

While the case design is a departure, Gorilla didn't stop there.  The dial and hands are a visual treat.  The dial is described as "multilayer", and it does display a true sense of depth and texture.  The time is told by integrating an hour disc with the more traditional minute and second hand.  

Courtesy of Gorilla

I think more than anything else, I truly appreciate the lack of pretension shown by the two gentlemen behind Gorilla.  BaselWorld is overpopulated by egos poured into suits droning on as if it was 10 years ago.  Spoiler alert, it's 2017 and things have changed, and the good old days are not showing any signs of a speedy return.  The future of the watch industry is not going to be shaped by the same aging guys hanging onto the glory days of the past while they drink the night away in the 3 Kings, regaling anyone within earshot about who they were and what they did.  No, the future is going to be driven by people like Messrs. Garcia and Gopp.  People who are focused on a truly unique design and identity, willing to put their idea out there, and offer a truly desirable watch at a realistic price.  No celebrity ambassadors, no red carpets, no bullshit.  Just a cool watch.

Here are the pertinents, straight from the source -

FASTBACK SPECIFICATIONS

LAYERED CASE CONSTRUCTION: forged carbon case, anodised aluminium character line or “pinstripe”, ceramic bezel, titanium screw down-crown, titanium caseback.

MULTILAYER DIAL: unique hour disc, skeleton minute hand and contrasting old school automotive inspired typeface design, central dial segment with circular graining pattern, luminescent hands and numerals.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION: 110 Grams with strap and buckle, case diameter bezel 44mm, 48.5mm with crown protection, self-winding Miyota 8215, recto/verso AR sapphire crystal,
100 meters (10ATM) water resistant

COMMERCIAL INFORMATION: first 500 pieces will be numbered (NOT LIMITED, but identified as the very first
production pieces), delivered with an additional integrated rubber strap. Price 880$ (excl. Tax)