Lorier has a talent for mixing and matching vintage watch elements to create fresh and authentic designs, like a producer making beats from old soul records.
The Astra pulls inspiration from one very famous source, but more so from a lesser-known and equally masterful watch design.
At arm’s length, the Astra resembles a 1950s Rolex Datejust, with a nearly identical case shape and fixed bezel. Lorier nailed details like the 36mm case size, off-white dial and dash applied indices that feel genuine to the era.
A closer look reveals a dial that looks much less like a Rolex, even with the 1950s alpha-esque hands, and more like a deeper-cut watch from the same era, the Universal Genève Polerouter. This collector’s favorite, which ended production in 1969, has a look as timelessly elegant as the Datejust.
Lorier put its stamp on the design with the inclusion of the brand’s distinctive flat hour and minute hands with wide lume insets. The New York-based watchmaker also included its tell-tale oversized crown and preferred date window placement of six o’clock.
First released in 2023, the Astra is finally back in stock and boasts an updated bracelet with a tool-free micro-adjustment feature.
