Ralph Lauren SIHH 2014

Ralph Lauren’s Sporting, Stirrup and Slim Classique collections are quickly becoming iconic, gaining a foothold for this power house brand’s watch division, a partnership with the Richemont Group. At the SIHH this year, it introduced several gentlemanly sports watches in its showcase Sporting Collection, beginning with the Black Safari Flying Tourbillon. It contains the Caliber RL167, made exclusively for Ralph Lauren by La Fabrique du Temps. The very sporty case is shot-blasted stainless steel with a black finish, and the dial has an elegant outer ring of elm burl wood.

The Classic Chronometer and the RL67 Chronometer were also introduced in this collection. The RL67 has a 38.70mm aged-steel case – created with a technical treatment that transforms blackened steel with a patina. It is inspired by the romance of the safari and features a black aged stainless steel case with an olive green weathered canvas strap. It contains the Caliber RL300-1.

Ralph Lauren also launched pieces for ladies this year, set with plenty of diamonds – because, as company Chairman Callum Barton remarked at the brand’s presentation in Geneva: “women like diamonds better than motor cars.”

The new RL 867 collection is named in honor of the designer’s historic New York flagship at 867 Madison Avenue and reflects the Art Deco aesthetic of the ladies’ watches. It is set with over 400 diamonds and contains the manual wound RL430 Caliber. And finally, among the new options in the Stirrup Collection – including smaller (23mm) cases and mother-of-pearl dial – is one with a snow-set diamond bezel and another with a full pavé setting on case and bracelet.