Vintage-inspired pieces from Furlan Marri are the latest newcomers to the Time+Tide Shop
Borna BošnjakThroughout the last few weeks, we’ve brought you funky, affordable, sporty, vintage-inspired and some cult classics to the Time+Tide Shop. However, as a hub of some of the best independent brands in the business, it just wouldn’t do without Furlan Marri – one of the most impressive horological stories of the last few years. Combining entrepreneurial know-how and pure enthusiasm for watches, Andrea Furlan and Hamad Al Marri bring a collection inspired by watchmaking legends to an accessible price point. Their inspiration lies in holy trinity chronographs of the 1940s and mid-century time-only pieces with stunning cornes de vache lugs, relying on the affordability and reliability of modern Seiko mechaquartz and La Joux-Perret automatic movements.
Sector Dial Mechanical
The more recent of the two Furlan Marri collections is the “three hands mechanical story”, comprising of three sector-dialled beauties with lovely vintage touches such as the cornes de vache lugs and open sixes and nines. Initially introduced as a time-limited special edition, the Sector Dial Mechanical launched to an array of plaudits for its degree of finishing and relative affordability. However, its limited nature disappointed some, and this has been remedied by the introduction of this permanent collection.
Available in a textured salmon, classic sector white or subtle black reminiscent of the limited edition, the details all look the part of their 1940s inspiration, including the applied indices and domed crystals, with lovely touches such as the curved, three-dimensional handset.
A rarity even in contemporary vintage-inspired pieces are the cow horn lugs, which attach to the inside of the midcase and are truly beautifully finished. All three pieces feature open casebacks, differing from the closed-back limited edition, offering a look at the Miyota-derived La Joux-Perret calibre within. It’s pleasantly decorated with heat-blued screws and Côtes de Genève, sporting a 68-hour power reserve topped up by its tungsten rotor.
Follow the three hands mechanical story to the Time+Tide Shop
Sector Dial Mechaquartz
The mechaquartz chronograph is Furlan Marri’s bread and butter, the brand owing much of its current success to these well-executed pieces inspired by Patek Philippes of the 1940s. They were so successful, in fact, that it took them from a Kickstarter campaign to a GPHG award in just over half a year, winning the Horological Revelation Prize in 2021. They have since retired that particular collection, replacing them with three pieces incorporating pulsometer or asthmometer scales in a familiar 38mm case.
The largest departure from those previous models is certainly the Nero Sabbia, opting for an asymmetrical dial layout omitting the 24-hour indicator normally situated at three o’clock, outfitting the model in a stunning gilt and black colour scheme.
While we’ve seen plenty of tachymeter and pulsometer scales running the outer perimeter of chronograph dials, how about an asthmometer? Just like a pulsometer, asthmometers can trace their roots to medical instruments, and are used in a similar way. As the dials of the Rosso Grigio and Castagna would suggest – count five breaths upon starting the chronographs, and Bob’s your uncle – you’ve measured someone’s respiratory rate.
All three models are equipped with the Seiko VK64 movement, which relies on a quartz calibre for timekeeping and a mechanical chronograph module sitting on top.