While we await the release of the limited edition Fastback Thunderbolt Chronograph from Gorilla (which will be the brand's most expensive product to date), I would like to review another limited edition, the entirely different Gorilla Outlaw Drift model. There are two very important points to note about these intriguing Outlaw wristwatches from the Swiss watch brand Gorilla by Octavio Garcia. Firstly, it is the second Gorilla watch to feature the wandering hours complication for time indication, and secondly, it is the first Gorilla watch presented by the brand that does not have a polarized Fastback-style case.
The predecessor to the Gorilla Outlaw Drift was the Gorilla Fastback GT Drift watch, which used the same mechanism. Gorilla also refers to the wandering hours complication as "drifting hours," and sometimes people call this system "satellite time" (as Urwerk does) or "star wheel" (as Audemars Piguet calls it). Octavio Garcia fell in love with this complication while working at Audemars Piguet as head of design. What Garcia achieved with his Gorilla brand in collaboration with the Swiss movement manufacturer Vaucher was to create the world's most affordable Swiss Made watch with a wandering hours complication - without compromising on quality and functionality.
Thus, the movement in the Outlaw Drift watch is a basic Swiss automatic ETA movement with a module above it, known as caliber G-5238. This module was developed by Vaucher for Gorilla and transforms the movement into a wandering hours complication, using a rotating satellite system to indicate the hours and the upper third of the dial to indicate the minutes. The dial also features a traditional seconds hand that rotates around the entire dial. Reading the Outlaw Drift is quite simple if you know what to look for, but it's perfectly normal for people to be confused about what they are looking at. The trick lies in understanding that only the upper third of the dial is used for reading the minutes, which starts at the "00" position around 1 o'clock and continues to the "2 o'clock" position, where the "60" mark is located. Once the current hour passes the "60" mark, the next hour is indicated on the next four-sided satellite disc.
The G-5238 module also does not negatively impact the characteristics of the basic automatic ETA 2824-2 movement: operating frequency of 4 Hz, power reserve of 38 hours. I like that the movement is visible through the back of the case, and there is certainly a lot of value here, but I would have liked Gorilla to choose more decorated automatic 2824-2 movements to better mimic the superb polishing of the Outlaw Drift's titanium case.
The blue metallic dial of the Outlaw model (mainly made of anodized aluminum) elegantly transitions into the polished and matte titanium case. I did not know that the Outlaw Drift was titanium until I read the specifications, as I had the impression that the fine polishing was done on a steel case. Alas, Gorilla uses a thin Grade 5 titanium case, which is indeed well-polished for a tonneau-shaped case 42 mm wide, 13.8 mm thick, 52 mm lug-to-lug, and water-resistant to 100 meters. Above the dial is a slightly domed sapphire crystal with AR coating. Note the luminescent coating of the dial: the hour markers and minute track are colored with Super-LumiNova.
Gorilla developed the Outlaw case in response to some customers' feedback that the Fastback case was too large. I do not deny that the Fastback is a large case, but it is very comfortable to wear. In any case, the Fastback style is not universal, and Gorilla set to work creating a design that would match the inspiration of American 1970s muscle cars, be original, and not be "typical boring round watches." Details like the countersunk screws around the polished and sloping bezel are really interesting, and I like how Gorilla linked the Outlaw to the rest of the brand's watches by using a crown design that, although different, is similar to the crown designs used on the Fastback models.
The integrated blue rubber strap tapers elegantly, and the lugless case design helps wear the watch on the smaller side. While the Outlaw Drift cannot be called a small watch, its 42 mm width (without the crown) is much closer to mid-sized watches than the 44 mm, more square-shaped Fastback collection. The blue rubber strap has an outer Cordura fabric lining that looks very attractive upon closer inspection. It fastens with a custom-made Grade 5 titanium buckle.
The Gorilla Outlaw Drift is a much thinner watch than the Fastback, yet no less detailed and original. This makes it a better option for those with conservative tastes who like the idea of the wandering hours complication but do not want to wear something bold like the Gorilla Fastback. The Outlaw watches are the type of watch you can put on any watch aficionado and receive a lot of approval - even if it's not the most expensive product in the room. This is a great reason for many people to purchase them because they are true watch exotics without an exotic price. However, the Outlaw Drift is a luxury watch, and in my opinion, its price is appropriate given its pedigree, originality, and quality of manufacture.
Currently, this version of the Outlaw with a blue dial and red seconds hand is the only version released by Gorilla, and it is part of a limited series of 250 pieces. A lot of work went into the Outlaw case for this model to be the only one. Although Gorilla is known for releasing new color variants with unpredictable shade combinations, I fully anticipate that Outlaw will receive additional Outlaw Drift versions with the G-5238 wandering hours module or perhaps even as a cheaper three-hand model. The blue version with a titanium case is a wonderful start and possibly one of the most underrated limited edition luxury watches of recent times. The price of the limited edition Gorilla Outlaw Drift watch is $3,950 USD. Learn more or place an order on the Gorilla watches website here.
ESSENTIAL DATA
>Brand: Gorilla
>Model: Outlaw Drift
>Price: $3,950 USD
>Dimensions: 42 mm width, 13.8 mm thickness, and 52 mm lug-to-lug distance.
>When the review reader will wear them personally: Great all-around watch to wear if you want to impress other watch enthusiasts with a true conversation piece.
>Friends we would recommend them to first: Those interested in wandering hours watches but unable to spend many times more on such timepieces - and those who like the Gorilla brand but perhaps do not prefer their Fastback case models.
>Best feature of the watch: Very high-quality finish of the elegantly designed titanium case. The movement module works well and efficiently. Attractive presentation of a rare product.
>Worst feature of the watch: The movement is not as beautifully decorated as one might expect from a product in this price range (though this is not crucial). Lack of additional strap options.