Not all images were able to load for printing. Please close the print window and try again. The Funky Depancel Serie-R 80s Edition
The French brand's latest creation pays tribute to a divisive and distinctive era.
The story behind Depancel, a young French brand, is all about inspiration from cars and motorcycles. The name comes from three different French car manufacturers, Delage, Panhard and Facel Vega, and each collection looks at different parts of the automotive world. While the brand has many collections now on offer, the most distinctive lineup is, without a doubt, the Serie-R and its square case inspired by the radiator grille of a vintage car. The model returns in a new, more impactful version, bright and bold in shape and colour. Here’s the new orange-toned Depancel Serie-R 80s Edition.
The Depancel Serie-R, a watch originally launched on Kickstarter, was inspired by a rather different era of the automotive industry. It was a tribute to an iconic car, the timelessly elegant Delage D8-120, powered by a straight 8-cylinder engine and featuring a distinctive front radiator grille that has given the collection its original shape. The days of classic elegance and vintage vibes are gone, leaving space for the spirit of the muscle cars and turbo engines of the 80s. According to the brand: “The world of cars has long been identified as one of the major sources of these stylistic feats that stand the test of time with impertinent ease, and the Testarossa is the epitome of this phenomenon, albeit one that’s particularly divisive and distinctive.”
With this in mind, and without altering all the elements that made the Serie-R popular, Depancel injects the unique flair of the 1980s into a watch that’s certainly not going to fly under the radar. The distinctive case remains the same as previous editions, with its compact square shape measuring 42mm in height and 36mm in width. At just below 13mm in thickness, it’s not the thinnest of watches, but it remains relatively easy to wear, and the 50mm claimed lug-to-lug isn’t as large as you’d imagine. It has some presence on the wrist (even more so in this colourful edition) but remains easily wearable. Compared to the first watch of 2019, the latest Depancel Serie-R offers more presence, dynamism and better execution. The case is more angular and better defined and now features a bevel-cut sapphire crystal, a new crown protector and sharper lines.
The dial is where this Serie-R 80s Edition truly comes alive. Textured, mixing shapes and bright colours, it is not your typical dress watch. There’s coherence and style, however, with a base dial that’s anthracite coloured with horizontal grooves. The rest is all about bringing back the flair of a 1980s dashboard, with digital-like numerals and blocky hands and markers. The circular inner flange frames a multitude of indications, with central hours-minutes-seconds, a date window at 3 o’clock, the indication of the day at 9 o’clock, a power reserve and a 24-hour AM/PM, respectively at 12 and 6 o’clock. Look at the dashboard of a Testarossa or Delta HF Integrale, and you’ll see what it’s all about!
Under the hood is a reliable movement sourced from Japanese maker Miyota. The automatic calibre 9110 runs at 4Hz and delivers 40h of power reserve. It is visible under a see-through caseback with its own personalised rotor. This new 1980s-inspired Depancel comes fully equipped with a black, padded leather strap with orange stitching and a metal bracelet with horizontal, brushed links. Both feature quick-release spring bars for easy interchangeability.
Available now for pre-order and not limited, the Depancel Serie-R 80s Edition is priced at EUR 795 (incl. taxes) or USD 795 (excl. taxes), with deliveries expected at the end of November 2023. For more details, please visit depancel.com.
