Ralph Lauren 867 Collection
The Ralph Lauren 867 Collection wonderfully showcases the design prowess of the eponymous Maison. Inspired by the Art Deco era, so inextricably linked with the brand’s home of New York, these latest additions to the company’s portfolio embrace symmetry, timeless dials and elegant proportions. The models will go on sale in Spring 2023, so we recommend would-be wearers form an orderly queue.
The Polo brand
Born in the Bronx, New York City, Ralph Lauren has always had an eye for style. A student of design, he began his career creating wide-cut ties, marketing them under his now legendary brand, ‘Polo’. From humble beginnings, Ralph Lauren embodies the ideals of the ‘American Dream’ and his name is now synonymous with success.
Today, the Polo brand includes clothing for men, women and children. The brand’s signature look is a fusion of British aristocratic ‘dress-soft’ style and a form of East Coast chic, befitting life in The Hamptons. Additional product categories include gifts, babywear, home products and, most notably, watches.
The 867 watch – Art Deco style
Underpinning Lauren’s meteoric rise is his aforementioned eye for style. Recently, his eponymous firm unveiled four new additions to its 867 timepiece collection. Each new model references the Art Deco style, a period of design that has worn well over the years. Indeed, many buildings and products embracing this design movement of the 1920s and 1930s remain devoid of age spots and wrinkles.
Named after the address of the brand’s New York flagship store at 867 Madison Avenue, these latest additions to the Ralph Lauren 867 Collection are offered in two sizes, 28mm and 32mm, and in a choice of two case materials, sterling silver or 18K rose gold.
Breguet-style hands
All four new Ralph Lauren 867 models feature off-white lacquered dials. The high-end brand has stylishly combined Arabic and Roman numerals, imbuing each dial with a highly distinctive hour track. In addition, Ralph Lauren has shrewdly employed Breguet-style hands, a timeless design that has never dated despite being conceived in the 18th century. Arabic numerals grace the minute tracks and are presented in double-digit form.
When appraising these four new models, it is clear that the Maison has endowed them with exquisite detailing, sidestepping clutter and unnecessary indications. After all, these are unequivocally dress watches with no need for counters and power-reserve indicators. Squares and rectangles abound both on the dial as well as on the case. The watch is supplied on an interchangeable shiny black alligator strap paired with a coordinating pin buckle.
Even the largest version of this modestly sized quartet measures just 32mm, with an inter-lug width of 28mm making it ideal for both male and female wrists. Furthermore, with a case height of just 5.7mm, the svelte profile of this timepiece reinforces the overall sense of elegance. Indeed, this watch is the horological answer to a pocket square and would certainly complement a lounge suit or black tie ensemble.
Calibre RL430 by Piaget
Part of the reason for the svelte profile of the Ralph Lauren 867 can be attributed to its hand-wound movement, the calibre RL430. This is made exclusively for Ralph Lauren by the prestigious Manufacture, Piaget, a firm known for being the ‘Master of Ultra-Thin’. Piaget has a rich tradition of making movements as well as some impressive Haute Horlogerie creations. The brand’s mastery for crafting high-end movements is manifest with the RL430, a calibre adorned with vertical Côtes de Genève and perlage.
Ralph Lauren style
These four new additions to the Ralph Lauren 867 collection once again serve to reinforce the brand’s cachet and enviable reputation for luxury and style. The models will go on sale in Spring 2023, so we recommend would-be wearers form an orderly queue.
Further reading
Technical specification
- Model: Ralph Lauren 867
- Reference: 468907335001 – 28mm sterling silver
- Reference: 468907989001 – 28mm 18K rose gold
- Reference: 468907337002 – 32mm sterling silver
- Reference: 468907339001 – 32mm 18K rose gold
- Case: height 5.7 mm, water resistance 3ATM (30m)
- Functions: Hours, minutes, small seconds
- Movement: calibre RL430, manual-winding movement, frequency 21,600 VpH (3Hz), 18 jewels, power reserve of approximately 40 hours, 131 components
- Strap: shiny black alligator strap paired with a coordinating pin buckle