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Ralph Lauren has long looked to automobiles as a source of inspiration for his designs. From a chair created utilizing the same carbon fiber used in one of his race cars, to a luggage line inspired by the sleek black, urban sensibility of another sports car, the designer has time and again infused his collections with elements from the automotive world.

RALPH LAUREN SPORTING COLLECTION – SIHH 2011 PREVIEW

'Every Bugatti is in a certain way an art object, from its dashboard to its tooling to its engine.

Every detail on the car is like fine art, or maybe I should say like a very fine watch.'

– Ralph Lauren

For 2011, Ralph Lauren presents the first timepiece inspired by his personal car collection, with the introduction of a Ralph Lauren Sporting watch featuring a wood dial. Combining his passion for fine automobiles with his passion for fine timepieces, Ralph Lauren unveils this new timepiece design recalling the refined interior of his model 1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic Coupe.

The new Ralph Lauren Sporting timepiece features a stainless steel case with a unique dial in rich loupe d'orme or elm burl–in honor of this car's iconic wooden dashboard and trim detail. Elm burl is a hallmark of elegance and quality in carpentry. Prized for its highly figured patterns and rarity, this wood has been traditionally used by artists and sculptors and is often found in the consoles of luxury automobiles.

The warmth of the wood is contrasted by the dial's matte black galvanic center and by the black calf leather strap, reminiscent of the distinct juxtaposition of the wooden dashboard and black leather seating in Ralph Lauren's prized vintage automobile. True to the car's original dials, this watch displays Arabic numerals for enhanced readability. Sword-shaped hands tell the hour and minutes– marked by an open railroad-style track, while the seconds are indicated by an arrow-shaped hand and closed railroad-style track within the subdial at 6 o'clock. The bezel and dial are accented by functional screws, while the crown displays the iconic RL initials logo.

Showcasing both beauty and functionality, the Ralph Lauren Sporting watch combines a one-of-akind and sophisticated aesthetic with the precision of a manual winding mechanical movement– caliber RL98295 made by IWC for Ralph Lauren–featuring a power reserve of 45 hours. As with all Ralph Lauren Sporting Collection models, this timepiece features a sapphire crystal case back, revealing the movement's Côtes de Genève and Perlage finish work on the plate.

RALPH LAUREN SPORTING WATCH

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS

MOVEMENT

Mechanical manual winding

Manufacture movement made by IWC for Ralph Lauren

Caliber: RL98295

Frequency: 18 000 vibrations/hour (2.5 Hz)

Power reserve: 45 hours

Components: 156, including balance wheel with screws and Breguet-style spiral

Décor: Vertical Côtes de Genève and Perlage

FUNCTIONS

Hours, minutes, seconds subdial at 6 o'clock

CASE

Steel, polished/brushed

Diameter: 44.80 mm

Convex sapphire crystal, external and internal colorless anti-reflective treatment

Water resistance: 5 bar (~50 m)

Crown: Steel with RL initials logo

DIAL

Color: matte black galvanic, matte brown elm burl wood decoration

Shiny beige luminescent substance Arabic numerals, printed

Shiny white open railroad-style minute track, printed

SUBDIAL

Color: matte black galvanic

Shiny white closed railroad-style second track, printed

HANDS

Hour, minute: Sword-shaped hands

Color: Shiny black oxidized with beige luminescent substance

Second: Arrow-shaped hand

Color: Shiny white

STRAP

Black calf, black leather lining

BUCKLE

Steel pin buckle, polished/brushed