Very few emerging brands have impressed me at first sight. In fact, that’s the subject of an upcoming article on TPN. But before we get into that, let’s talk about the brand that gave me the idea in the first place. Because when Lorca released its very first watch, it completely blew me away. It was love at first sight, and I ended up buying one shortly after trying it on at the 2025 WeLoveWatches show in Paris, where I also had the chance to meet its creator, Jesse Marchant.
One year later, it’s time for a detailed review of what I consider one of the best microbrand GMTs out there—and one of the best microbrand watches I’ve ever encountered, period.
A Few Words About the Brand
Lorca is a young brand, founded in New York in 2022 by Jesse Marchant, a Swiss-Canadian singer-songwriter. It’s still difficult to put the brand neatly into a category with only two models to its name, but Lorca itself describes its watches as elegant, mid-sized, water-resistant Swiss Made mechanical watches — and so far, I see no reason to disagree.
A 36 mm GMT Is Still an Anomaly
The arrival of affordable GMT movements such as Seiko’s NH34 and Miyota’s 9075 around 2022 helped fuel an explosion of microbrand GMTs. Dozens of new models soon started appearing, much to the delight of collectors who love to travel — or, like me, have family scattered across different parts of the world. That’s when my search for the ideal GMT could finally begin.
Yet despite the sheer number of options available, I struggled to find what I was looking for, simply because GMT watches were — and still are — rarely offered in sizes below 38 mm, let alone with a reasonably slim profile.
And that’s where Lorca comes in, with proportions that are almost ideal for me: a 36 mm case (37 mm including the bezel) that is only 11.2 mm thick. With a lug-to-lug of just 44 mm, it is wonderfully proportioned.
The case isn’t just about great proportions, either. It is also a very successful combination of technical and aesthetic design. With 200 meters of water resistance, a screw-down crown and caseback, and predominantly brushed surfaces, this is the kind of watch you can wear in almost any situation without constantly worrying about damaging it.
And yet its flat, fixed bezel, with its sharp edges (we’ll come back to those) and elegant GMT markings, certainly doesn’t make it look like a mountain-trekking tool-watch. That balance almost defines the model. Elegance and robustness, an iron fist in a velvet glove.
While there’s nothing particularly original about the construction of the lower part of the case, the profile of the bezel is particularly distinctive and gives the watch that subtle touch of originality. And since we’re talking about design…
A Remarkably Cohesive Design
If the case design is a real success, it’s the dial that immediately grabs your attention. The design draws heavily on the 1950s, while successfully avoiding the trap of becoming an overly obvious vintage tribute. Although it may evoke watches such as the Universal Genève Polerouter, the Omega Seamaster or the Breitling Transocean from this era, the Lorca GMT clearly establishes an identity of its own.
For instance, the presence of a crosshair that divides the dial into for sections, the trapezoidal date aperture and those long, slender applied indices, all of which evoke the elegant design codes of the period without copying any particular watch.
This nod to what is sometimes referred to as the golden age of design, generally spanning the 1950s to the 1970s, is particularly obvious on the “Silver” sunburst dial version. The lacquered black version feels decidedly more modern.
Whatever the colour, though, the dial is another example of the watch’s versatility. It is elegant without being a dress watch, and sporty without being flashy. Quite simply, I wear this watch in pretty much any situation. Travelling, working, hiking, attending a wedding — it somehow manages to work with all of them.
The black version may be even more versatile than the Silver, but the latter is definitely my favourite. The name is actually a slightly odd choice because, depending on the light, the sunburst dial can shift from a steel-grey colour, sometimes with subtle greenish reflections, to a warm golden hue, so naming this dial variant as champagne would have been more appropriate.
Design is often said to be a matter of taste. And of course, that’s true, but I also believe there is an objective component to good design. For me, it comes down to two things: coherence and attention to detail. And to convince you that we’re looking at a good example of both, I’d point to two details in particular.
First, the two lines that appear almost like a subtle signature on the crown, caseback and clasp. Second, the diamond-shaped tip of the GMT hand, which echoes the GMT bezel marker at 12 o’clock. These are tiny details, but they show just how much attention has been paid to the overall coherence of the design, even in the least visible parts of the watch.
A Surprisingly Good Bracelet
I’ve never been a huge fan of steel bracelets. I often find them too bulky, too heavy, and less elegant and versatile than a good leather strap. So, sticking to my guns, I bought a Lorca leather strap alongside the watch (a very good one, I have to say), as well as a green fabric strap that gives it more of a tool-watch feel.
I wore the watch regularly in both configurations, but eventually decided to give the steel bracelet another chance, and in the end, it completely won me over.
It is quite unusual, in the best possible sense. For starters, the end links have a very distinctive look. It took me a little while to appreciate them, but I eventually found them incredibly charming. At the other end, there is a very good clasp. Solid, reassuring, nicely finished and equipped with a five-position tool-free micro-adjustment system for a perfect fit.
But the real strength of this bracelet is its exceptional comfort, thanks to its nine-row construction using very thin links. It is lightweight yet robust, hugs the wrist beautifully, and simply looks fantastic. It is neither a beads-of-rice nor a mesh bracelet — it sits somewhere in between.
The section where I nitpick about the watch’s shortcomings later in this article won’t have a single word to say about the bracelet, that’s for sure.
And A Good Movement
The watch is powered by a Swiss-made Soprod C125 R4 in “Top Grade” configuration. While it is less well known than the Sellita SW330 or the ETA 2893-2, the C125 occupies a similar niche. It doesn’t have the decades-long track record of the movements mentioned above, making its long-term reliability harder to assess with the same degree of confidence. It has nevertheless been used by brands such as Baltic, Serica, Lorier, and Zodiac for several years.
This is an office or caller GMT, meaning that the GMT hand can be adjusted independently of the main hour and minute hands. It is regulated to ±4 seconds per day — comfortably within COSC’s daily rate tolerance, although it is not COSC certified — and offers a 42-hour power reserve.
Although it is hidden behind a solid caseback, the movement is finished with gold engraving and Geneva stripes.
My personal experience has been excellent. The movement is as accurate as advertised and gives me a greater impression of quality when setting and winding the watch than its counterparts from Sellita, Seiko, or Citizen.
A Few Minor Flaws
So, does Lorca achieve perfection with its very first model? Almost, but there are a few minor details worth mentioning if we want to be entirely honest.
1. The 6 mm crown is small and tucked underneath the bezel. When winding the watch, your thumb can occasionally catch on the sharp edge of the bezel, which isn’t particularly pleasant.
2. The date window could have been framed rather than simply cut into the dial. That said, its unusual shape adds some visual interest, so this is really a very minor point.
3. In my experience, the lume isn’t particularly impressive. The tiny luminous dots at the top of the hour markers are small and ultimately not especially visible in the dark after a few hours. Fine, but not top-notch either.
4. Although it is clearly an aesthetic choice that works well as part of the overall design, some people may not love the 19 mm lug width. Personally, though, I think the original steel bracelet is by far the best configuration, so it’s not a real issue.
And that’s about all I can nitpick when I really go looking for things to complain about. I’m French, so I have to complain a little bit as it is a sacred national pastime and a recognized art form in France.
But to be clear, there is nothing remotely deal-breaking here.
In summary (I know you like lists and bullet points!)
The Pros
- Rare dimensions for a GMT
- well-executed design
- 20 ATM water resistance
- Fantastic bracelet
- Excellent movement accuracy
Nitpicks
- 19 mm lug width
- The date window could be framed
- Average lume
- The sharp edge of the bezel, even if it looks amazing!
Detailed Specifications:
Case: Dimensions – 36 mm diameter × 11.2 mm thick and 44 mm lug-to-lug, Stainless steel case, drilled lugs, brushed with polished chamfers
Water Resistance: 20 ATM, screw-down crown and caseback
Bezel: Fixed, engraved 24-hour scale, brushed on top, polished underneath
Crystal: Double-domed sapphire with AR coating inside
Dial: Black or silver
Lug: Width 19 mm
Bracelet: Multi-link steel bracelet, tool-free micro-adjustable folding clasp
Movement: Soprod C125 R4, automatic
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT
Final Thoughts
For a first-ever watch from a new brand, this is about as close to a home run as you can get.
For starters, it occupies a space that was remarkably underserved until recently: an elegant yet capable GMT in a compact package. Such maturity of design is quite rare for a first watch. Everything feels harmonious, striking a remarkable balance between elegance and robustness.
One thing is for sure, it’s not leaving my collection anytime soon, and I’ll be keeping a very close eye on what Lorca comes up with next. Its second model, a chronograph unveiled in late 2024, has already impressed me just as much, so I’m already looking forward to the Model No. 3, which I know is currently in the works!
In my excitement, I forgot to mention the price. It’s currently available at €2,013.95, duties and taxes included. For a microbrand, it’s a price that may seem substantial, but for this level of quality, I find it reasonably positioned.
