Review of Ferragamo Asymetrique: A Genuine Surprise

I never thought I could truly appreciate fashion watches.

But Salvatore Ferragamo proved me wrong. When I was offered to test Ferragamo watches, I involuntarily rolled my eyes - a bias based on years of skepticism towards fashion watches prevailed. Most often, such watches, despite their build quality, don't reach the level of good watches. They are overloaded with design, abound with fake stones, overly polished gold, and branding that seems tasteless and excessive. Fortunately, Ferragamo doesn't do this. While the brand has several models that could be called derivative, the Ferragamo Asymetrique immediately stands out - restrained wristwatches in the style of the Cartier Tank, but with unique design solutions.

Ferragamo and Their Position in the Watch Market

Ferragamo is not the first brand that comes to mind when mentioning watches, probably because it's a fashion house, not a watchmaker. Yes, like Chanel, but Chanel has repeatedly proven its watchmaking competencies. Ferragamo is closer to Gucci in the watch segment: both are Italian fashion brands that make both jewelry and watches. Both have interesting models, and some less successful ones. Both brands rely on quartz movements and sell watches at a high markup for branded prestige. Both have been producing watches for decades but do not strive to become "real" watch manufacturers (although, for example, the sports model with an integrated bracelet, Ferragamo F80, was ahead of the trend by almost ten years).

Asymmetrical Watches: Playing with Form

I have always been attracted to asymmetrical watches. Not strange models like the Cartier Crash, but watches that play with familiar shapes, slightly altering them. Examples include the Cartier Privé Tank Asymétrique, Vacheron Constantin 1972, as well as Anoma, Toledano, and Chan models. Such watches look thoughtful and do not appear overloaded or excessive. They play with the norms of form, creating a unique effect. In the case of the Ferragamo Asymetrique, one small detail changes the perception of the entire model.

Case Design of Ferragamo Asymetrique

In fact, the Ferragamo Asymetrique is a Tank-style watch where the designer likely dropped the lower right corner of the case in a CAD system. And that's enough! This detail sets the model apart from other asymmetrical watches, where you can usually draw a line of symmetry. Here, there's no symmetry at all. This is what intrigued me the most: despite the small change in the shape of the case, the watch is devoid of any symmetry, which subconsciously attracts attention.

The case, measuring 24 mm in width and 33 mm sloping to 39 mm in length, is available in stainless steel or a two-tone version with gold PVD coating. There are also women's versions with a diameter of 22.4 mm made of steel, with pink or yellow gold PVD and diamonds. The matte finish of the case, with polished side edges and a sharply defined faceted cut dividing these two textures, impressed me the most. The matte finish dominates, while the bevel adds dynamics to the perception. As with other Cartier watches, the finishing softens the formal character of the watch, making them less "dry" classic dress watches. Although the Asymetrique can definitely be classified as classic dress watches, the finishing reduces the formality from 10 to 8-9 points on the dress code scale.

Comfort and Technical Specifications

The case thickness is only 7.5 mm, and on a 17.8 cm wrist, the watch sits very comfortably. They have a discreet presence that not everyone will like, as the Tank style is not universal, and the small case size does not suit everyone. The crown is large enough for convenient use. The glass is sapphire, and the water resistance is 50 meters - unexpectedly high for fashion watches (for example, Cartier has no water resistance at all). This means that the watch can be worn in most everyday situations without fear of accidental water exposure.

Bracelet and Clasp

The two-tone bracelet on the model I tested is well-made. The butterfly clasp can be inconvenient and may not allow precise sizing for some users. I was lucky - I was able to achieve a perfect fit. Usually, you expect a poor-quality bracelet from fashion watches, but here it feels as good as more expensive models. The decision to use a two-tone bracelet with a solid-color case seems interesting: it distances the model from the image of "fully gold" fashion watches, which are often considered the worst in this segment. It would be interesting to know the opinions of other experts.

Limitations in Strap Changes

The main drawback is the angled corner of the bracelet link attachment to the case. This limits the possibility of changing straps only to those offered by Ferragamo. For most buyers who are not watch enthusiasts, this is not a problem, as strap changes are not very common among the general audience. The blue dial version comes with a thin, flexible, and comfortable leather strap that seems of good quality (though I'm not a leather expert).

Dial: Signature Style and Legibility

The dial is both pleasant and meets the expectations of a fashion brand. It reminded me of a Burberry watch from college: a rectangular case, a silver dial, a multi-link bracelet. That watch had a Burberry Check embossed pattern, which I liked. Unfortunately, I lost it, leaving it on a bench on campus. Like Burberry, the Ferragamo Asymetrique uses the signature Gancini motif - "little hooks" inspired by the wrought iron gates of the brand's historic Florentine office.

The Gancini motif is executed with horizontal brushing on a background of vertical embossed lines on the blue or silver dial. This adds character to the dial but doesn't impose the brand as aggressively as Louis Vuitton or Versace do.

Indices and Hands

The hour markers neatly follow the shape of the case, with polished applied indices and matching colored hands. Gold hands are chosen for the two-tone case, silver for the steel, ensuring excellent legibility. The absence of luminescent coating makes the watch solely for daytime use, but even in low-light conditions, there were no issues reading the time.

Movement and Information Transparency

The case back is simple, with a matte finish and the necessary information. Inside is a Swiss quartz caliber Ronda 762E.3-2. I note that Ferragamo honestly specifies the exact movement, whereas many fashion and even some "real" watch brands just write "Quartz," leaving the buyer in the dark. Such transparency deserves respect.

Caliber 762E is a simplified version of 762, with nickel plating instead of gold and one jewel instead of four. However, it has an energy-saving function when the crown is pulled out (70% power reduction) and an impressive battery life of 10 years.

Quartz Watches in the Eyes of Enthusiasts

While novice watchmakers often disdain quartz, experienced enthusiasts appreciate it for its precision and reliability. Nevertheless, a single-jeweled, nickel, two-hand movement is not impressive, and at this price, one would expect a four-jeweled version. However, it's important to remember that these watches are not for enthusiasts but for a wide audience, who likely only need to know that the movement is Swiss, has jewels, and works for 10 years without battery replacement.

Conclusion: Why Ferragamo Asymetrique Deserves Attention

The key point in evaluating fashion watches is to remember that they are made for the mass market, not for niche specialists. This makes Ferragamo Asymetrique even more impressive: they are truly beautiful watches with quality craftsmanship, unique design, and unobtrusive branding that are comfortable to wear. Yes, you pay for the name, but the price matches Ferragamo's position in the luxury fashion segment. There are more expensive models with worse quality.

The Ferragamo Asymetrique SFNU00126 in steel costs $1395 on a leather strap and $1550 on a bracelet, while the two-tone model SFNU00526 is $1650.

Table of Key Characteristics of Ferragamo Asymetrique