Sometimes, extravagant timepieces come along and light up my life as a watch writer. You should have seen the look on my face when three Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic models landed on my desk. I knew that they were coming in, but they still surprised me. These extravagant watches display bold Italian design that looks like nothing currently out there. As a design enthusiast, I was more than happy to take these three watches for an extensive spin.
Gagà Laboratorio is the brainchild of Ruben Tomella. After leading Gagà Milano for two decades, he wanted to explore a different challenge. For this visionary new project, he focuses on creating timepieces that captivate collectors through design. To do so, Tomella teamed up with renowned Art Director Mo Coppoletta. The London-based designer definitely puts a strong signature on the inaugural Labormatic series. It’s hard to forget the Labormatic once you’ve had one on your wrist. Dave had the pleasure last year of trying out the blue Azzurro model, and I recently had the chance to find out more.
The story of the Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic Series
Let’s start at the beginning. As mentioned, the Labormatic is Gagà Laboratorio’s inaugural watch series. The brand sent us three models from it, each with a different name. The first is the Champagne, which combines warm cream and gold tones.
The second model was the Cinquanta, which uses a soft mint green. Lastly, there was the Bauhaus version, which is plain black with red details. All three arrived on matching rubber straps. Gagà Laboratorio also offers all of its watches with a matching leather strap for a slightly different look and feel. I loved trying the watches out on the rubber straps because it made wearing them a great joy.
All three watches have an elegantly sculpted 42mm case with a 13.3mm profile and a 51mm lug-to-lug. But don’t let the numbers fool you. As you can see in the pictures, the stainless steel case is something else.
I’m not denying that the Labromatic is substantial in size, but the way that translates on the wrist shows the magic of Coppoletta’s design. The Champagne version has gold-tone case sides that flow nicely into the lugs. As a result, this model is by far the most extravagant.
The unique way of displaying the time
The remarkable case of the Labormatic Cinquanta is matched with a unique dial. The time display consists of a scrolling, digital hour display at 12 o’clock and a smaller minute ring with a hand that indicates the minute on the Bauhaus and Champagne models. The Cinquanta model features a small blur box that travels around a circular track in the center. That box features a small red arrow-shaped marker that points to the current minute. This is different from the Champagne and Bauhaus variants, which both have a central spade-shaped minute hand. They also have applied radial-style five-minute markers, whereas the Cinquanta uses printed numerals to mark every five minutes.
On the outside of the minute ring, you will find polished steel sector frames forming a circle that is interrupted by the hour display. It’s not an incredibly intricate design, but the difference in texture and colors between the base dial and the sector frames adds plenty of detail. Another interesting point is the lack of a seconds indicator. However, the small, central rotating disc featuring the brand’s logo indicates that the watch is running.
As you can see, the classically shaped crown is located at 12 o’clock. It’s a remarkable spot reminiscent of pocket watches, but the push/pull crown is easy to pull out and operate. I wouldn’t say it’s ideal, but setting the time with the crown closely positioned to the indicators for hours and minutes makes sense in terms of placement. On top of that, as Dave also explained, it doesn’t interfere with the natural flow of the uniquely sculpted case.
The La Joux-Perret movement inside the Labormatic
The crown controls the La Joux-Perret G100 that powers all of the Labormatic models. This automatic caliber operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour and provides a 68-hour power reserve. The movement is visible through the sapphire display in the case back. As you can see, Gagà Laboratorio outfits the G100 with a customized rotor that features the brand’s logo. It’s another fun element that reflects the distinctiveness of the brand and this watch in particular.
More proof of that comes in the form of the text on the case back. The brand used a nice Art Deco font that sets it apart from typical case backs with rather boring fonts. The team at Gagà Laboratorio avoided that, and I love it because it adds more signature details to a watch that oozes character.
Wearing the Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic series
As soon as you put any of the Labormatic models on your wrist, you’ll realize the remarkable case design sits super nicely there. It immediately creates context apart from the dimensions on paper. First off, the rubber straps with the branded buckles are an absolute joy to wear and balance out the watches perfectly on the wrist. On top of that, they are easy to switch thanks to the quick-release pins. The second thing that stands out is how nicely the curved lugs wrap around the wrist. It certainly doesn’t feel like a 51mm lug-to-lug length in real life.
Sure, the presence is grand and shows you are wearing a fairly large watch, but the curved lugs and double-curved sapphire glass also help make the watch feel slimmer than its 13.3mm thickness might suggest. I was so pleasantly surprised by how well the watches wear. I have said multiple times here on Fratello that dimensions mean less and less to me these days, and how a watch fits the wrist is far more important. Admittedly, I was skeptical when I first saw these watches, but as soon as I put the Champagne model on my wrist, I became a fan of the Labormatic series.
Finding my favorite of the three Labormatic models
Once the watch is on the wrist, you can quickly adapt to reading the time display. It’s not that it’s difficult, but the hour disc features a large numeral for every hour and a smaller “in-between” numeral for the same hour as the disc slowly turns. This makes it easy to read the time as the disc slowly rotates clockwise. It took me about three quick looks, and then letting my eyes go from the hour disc to the minute hand felt natural.
Once you understand how easy it is to read the time, you can also check out the case’s distinct sculpture and beautiful finishing. The polished surfaces truly emphasize the watch’s remarkable design. Though it is extravagant due to the wide, shaped lugs and Art Deco-inspired details, I quickly started to love wearing the watches. After mixing things up, I quickly found that I preferred the lighter colors for this design. As you can see, the black Bauhaus model features some contrasting red details, but it also feels the most mundane. This extravagant design profits from a nice bit of color.
That’s why I liked the Champagne model and its gold-colored details. However, the gold-tone case sides were also a bit too much for me at times. Although I liked this variant, I gravitated most toward the Cinquanta model, with its light, minty-green dial and strap. The colorway instantly makes this a summery watch, but if paired with the right outfit, it will be a great watch to wear all year round. Each of these Labormatic models sells for CHF 4,000 (ex. VAT), making choosing one not a question of budget but simply of personal preference.
Final thoughts on the Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic series
All in all, it was refreshing to take the three Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic watches for a spin. It was truly a different experience from any of the other watches I have tried on recently. It also shows the unique intentions of Ruben Tomella and Mo Coppoletta for this brand. They truly try to create watches that celebrate great Italian design and combine that with Swiss precision and high-quality watchmaking.
The result is a series of watches that stand out immediately for many reasons, and I love that. In a world of safe designs and watches inspired by archive pieces, these Gagà Laboratorio Labormatic models offer something new and exciting. It might not be for everyone, but I have to applaud the two men for creating such characterful watches that made me smile. That doesn’t happen that often, but these watches had me grinning every time I wore them, and that is a powerful realization.
For more information, please visit the official Gagà Laboratorio website.
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