Introducing – Ralph Lauren 867 Collection 35mm, Now in Steel – Casual Elegance

The story behind Ralph Lauren watches has been quite unpredictable over these past few years. Once doing fashion-oriented pieces, once playing in the Haute Horlogerie field, it does seem that for a couple of years now the brand found the right balance between an undeniable sense of style and a certain “watchmaking appeal”. More pragmatic and very well-designed, the 867 Collection (inspired by Ralph Lauren’s iconic New York men’s flagship store at 867 Madison Avenue) is now introducing some new members, made out of stainless steel. Casual elegance, as usual with the brand, great shape and proportions and mechanical movements inside. It’s quite an alluring package we have here.

We can’t start talking about a watch by Ralph Lauren without focusing first on the design! Style is, after all, what made this man famous. With these new Ralph Lauren 867 35mm in steel, the brand goes back to this quite outdated, slightly old-fashioned “preppy” design that has been the hallmark of Ralph Lauren for years. Classic, yet with a twist, elegant but not traditional, this Ralph Lauren 867 Collection plays on the codes of the brand to create a watch with casual elegance. It’s not overdone, not too formal, but not sporty either – even on a stainless steel bracelet.

These steel versions of the Ralph Lauren 867 feature the largest case RL has ever done in this collection… meaning a 35mm x 35mm square-shaped case. Those who have already experienced squared watches can tell that a 35mm size isn’t that small. In fact, such watches have more presence on the wrist than a round watch – it’s all about the surface covered here, which is far superior than for a round watch (12.25sqcm for this watch vs. 9.6sqcm for a 35mm round watch). And even if some will consider this watch too small on paper, we would encourage them to try it on the wrist. Going back to “normal” sizes is a move we approve of, especially with a watch that is slim, just like the Ralph Lauren 867 and its 8.9mm height. Overall, the proportions here feel in line with the design of the watch.

The case, as mentioned, is now available in steel – the collection was previously all about white and pink gold – and is nicely shaped, with a curved profile and various surfaces. Overall, 4 models will be offered, with a choice of leather strap or steel bracelet and black dial or white dial. The bracelet here is seamlessly integrated into the watch case and provides an alluring “cuff-style” – or if you prefer, you can choose a nice matte black leather strap. One main difference comes from the treatment applied on both the case and bracelet, depending on the choice of dial. Indeed, the black dial version has a polished case, while the white dial version has a brushed case.

The dials are lacquered, which gives this elegant and rich colour, with a glossy surface. On these are painted Roman and Arabic numerals, which have a domed profile. Time is indicated by classic Breguet hands, in white or black depending on the dial. These new Ralph Lauren 867 steel watches are time-only pieces, with only the hours and the minutes displayed. No date window disturbs the clean dials. To power these watches is the calibre RL300-1, based on the well-known and reliable Sellita SW-300 architecture, here decorated with Geneva stripes.

These new Ralph Lauren 867 35mm in steel are now available in stores, for a price of EUR 4,400 / USD 4,600 on leather strap and EUR 4,750 / USD 4,950 on steel bracelet. More details on www.ralphlauren.fr

Technical Specifications – Ralph Lauren 867 35mm in steel

• Case: 35mm x 35mm x 8.9mm – stainless steel, polished or brushed depending on the model – sapphire crystal on both sides – 50m water resistant
• Movement: calibre RL300-1 (Sellita base) – automatic – 4Hz frequency – 42h power reserve – hours and minutes
• Strap/Bracelet: steel bracelet on fold-over clasp or black calf strap with steel pin buckle
• Reference: RLR0150000
• Availability: in stores as of September 2017
• Price: from EUR 4,400 / USD 4,600