SJX Watches
Ralph Lauren Introduces The Polo Watch
One of the 20th century’s most enduring fashion emblems, the mallet-wielding polo player has been synonymous with Ralph Lauren since the 1970s. Found on everything from polo shirts to furniture – which admitted makes it excessively common – the logo now makes its debut on the Ralph Lauren Polo Watch. Because Ralph Lauren’s watch division is run by Guillaume Tetu, cofounder of independent watch brand Hautlence, the Polo Watch is an affordable mechanical watch, rather than a quartz watch with a logo. Automatic and Swiss made, the Polo Watch has the polo player on the dial printed in several layers of lacquer for a more three-dimensional result. Initial thoughts Having grown up in the 1990s when the polo-player shirt was something of a fad, this watch does have some nineties nostalgia to it. And despite appearances to the contrary, it is a proper watch with a solid automatic movement inside. Mr Tetu stated the goal was to make it proper mechanical watch rather than a “fashion” watch, and he succeeded; the Polo Watch appears to be as well put together as other watches in the US$2,000 price segment. It’s executed simply, but sufficiently well. Probably most attention was paid to the polo player on the dial, the visual focus of the watch. The polo player is printed with a good level of detail – Mr Tetu says the figure is meant of have the appeal of a miniature painting – and succeeds in seemingly being on the dial rather than part of its surface. The only sh...
