If you’re like I was, Lapizta isn’t a brand that you’re too familiar with – and while the company is relatively new to the scene (founded in 2010, on the market in 2013), its founders are actually 3rd-generation watchmakers – so there’s a bit of a personal lineage, if not corporate. Located in Miami, FL, they’ve got a variety of themed watches for your consideration. Coming up today is one of their automotive entries, the Oryx.
Given that it’s pulling inspiration from the world of automobiles, let’s see what the Oryx offers up in terms of a tie-in, shall we? First, and most prominently, you’ve got a bezel topping the 48mm cushion case that has the look and feel of a miniature brake disc. It’s a little hard to see on our IP sample, but on the others in the lineup, where the disc is bare metal (shown here) , you can see the influence. Of course, the side view, where you can see the “vents”, helps reinforce the look.
Next up, you’ve got the subdials, which are doing their best to look like your dashboard gauges (including the needle-style hands). In particular, the chronograph minutes even has some “redline” hashing, to further reinforce the reference. The one other specific reference I see comes into play with the handset, with the circular cutouts on the tips reminding me of the efforts racers will take to lighten various components of their car.
The watch itself, on the other hand, is a relatively heavy one, coming in at 6.1 oz. This, combined with the 48mm case (stainless steel) made for a watch that wasn’t the most comfortable to wear, at least on my 7.25″ wrist. Once I got a little more used to the heft, it worked well enough in daily wear, though it wasn’t nearly as unobtrusive as some of the heavier divers I’ve gotten accustomed to. I think this is due primarily to the case size.
By the size of the case, I don’t just mean the diameter. This is a fairly thick (or tall, depending on your point of view) case. Which, depending on how you like to have your strap adjusted (I like to have mine with a touch of wiggle room), means that you very well could have that weight shifting around on your wrist throughout the day, as I did. I mention these things not so much as a specific hit against the watch since someone with a different sized wrist may not encounter the same things as I did. However, if your wrist is around the same size as mine, it would be something you’d want to consider.