Hands-On With the New Lorca Model 2 Chronograph

Sophomore releases are always tricky business. Just ask Depeche Mode, or Kiss. An innovative or evocative debut sound before the artist has really had a chance to flesh out their own voice can lead to unrealistic expectations from fans. Small, independent watch brands face a similar challenge, often expressing an exciting vision for a single watch without a firm framework to expand upon. This isn’t always the case, however, and just like Pearl Jam or The Strokes, there are some emerging watch brands with freshman success that manage an equally compelling follow-up vision. This is exactly what New York-based Lorca, founded by Swiss-Canadian Jesse Marchant, is looking to do with its new Model 2 Chronograph, hot on the heels of their popular initial release, the Model 1 GMT. The visionary behind the brand, Jesse Marchant, is also a recording artist, and is no stranger to the process.

The Model 1 GMT was a revelation when it was first revealed in early 2023. The design was subtle, and the execution well considered. All the little details worked, and it was a watch that managed to find its own style and identity in a sea of watches that had neither. The Model 1 didn’t break any new ground mechanically, but it did present a unique vision that touched on multiple genre points in a cohesive manner. It also featured a somewhat polarizing bezel that would ultimately add to the depth of its character. Beyond that, the bracelet, case, and overall fit and finish of the watch underscored a keen eye by Marchant, a newcomer to the space. There was enough here to trigger plenty of excitement and curiosity about what a second Lorca release might entail. 

This week, we got our answer to that question. The Model 2 Chronograph is launching with three unique dial variations, sporting a new design and a few details that will jump out at you straight away. This is a watch that, rather than hitting on the same notes as the initial release, seeks to expand the vision into new territory. The result is a watch that fleshes out the Lorca identity in a rather interesting way. The base design will undoubtedly look familiar to fans of classic chronographs, but it's the small details in between that once again set it apart. As we saw in the Model 1, I think the bezel will continue to be a point of contention among enthusiasts, but if you ask me, it's a vital element that sets these watches apart.

The Model 1’s bezel used a rather distinctive typeface for the numerals, which were all arranged horizontally, and it became a “love it or hate it” detail for the community. It also brought a distinct vibe to the watch which helped establish the personality of the brand as a whole. With the Model 2, the bezel is once again a focal point, and I suspect will find an equal level of frustration as it will adoration. But once again, it lends to the overall personality of the watch, and of the brand. Taking inspiration from watches like the Rolex Datejust Ref. 6609, the bezel of the Model 2 has a guilloché surface with the numerals rising directly from the texture itself. There are no blocks containing the numbers here, and they aren’t engraved after the fact. Rather, they have been made a part of the overall guilloché motif.

The bezel is marked for 12 hours, and the numbers, which have been designed by Marchant himself, have a decidedly throwback vibe to them (when they can be discerned). One side effect of this execution is that the numbers can get lost in the pattern, but this is less of a ding on practicality, as there is no tachymeter scale or anything else you’d need to measure against at a quick glance. Rather, the 12-hour bezel is a great travel option and offers a quick and dirty way to track a second time zone (assuming you can discern AM/PM on your own). It is also bidirectional, with a ball-bearing mechanism providing a stiff but satisfying click. 

This is an ornate bezel, and it has been created with far more care than we typically see from small independent brands operating at this price point (more on that later). A stamped bezel might have been an easier move here, but going that route would defeat the purpose of the craft, and what Marchant was trying to achieve here. Again, there is an old-school ornate quality to this watch, much as there was in the Model 1. It’s tough to nail down, but these watches evoke a similar feeling to special-occasion cocktail glasses used in the 1950s and ‘60s. The details evoke this feeling, but the watch as a whole escapes any overtly formal vibes. It’s a strange, unique, and, in my view, quite beautiful style. But it won’t be for everyone, and that’s an important quality to have and to own these days.

The Model 2 Chronograph employs a more traditional dial design, though there are a few interesting details to discover with a closer look. Marchant tells me that it was important to keep the classic three-register layout at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock to achieve the aesthetic he was going for. In that sense, this feels like a very safe approach, but it’s one that doesn’t compete with the bezel for attention. Rather, there are small details to appreciate with the dial, but it remains easy to navigate at a glance. 

There are three dial colors at launch, each bringing something different to the table. Seen here is black on black, but a closer look will reveal that the base of the dial is matte, with no texture, while the registers, which are very slightly sunken into the dial, get very fine rings emanating from their hands. This offers a visual contrast between the two sections, even though they are the same base color. There is also a “reverse panda”  dial being offered, but the contrast isn’t as harsh as you might expect, and there is an underlying warmth to the color, which shifts at different angles thanks to the sunray texture. Finally, a champagne-colored dial brings a lighter take to the design.

The dials are relatively straightforward at a glance, but there are a few details worth calling out. First is the use of lume. The wide, Dauphine-style hands get a healthy dose of BGW9 Super LumiNova, and you’ll notice that all of the applied bar hour markers get a sliver of the same material down their center. Finally, an “arrowhead”- style triangle at 12 o’clock marks the top of the dial. At the very perimeter of the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock hours, you’ll find small, polished domes to mark the hours, which are a welcome nod to vintage Daytona references that used similar plots for the lume at the edge of their hour markers. 

An emerging detail here is the care with which even the smallest elements have been handled. It’s the same with the bracelet, which is a nin-link affair in something of a “brick road” design that drapes like silk over the wrist. There is a light taper here, and the end link boasts a negative space as it leads up to the case as if to frame the detail of the bezel. The deployant clasp gets a quick-adjustment system within it, which uses a button to release a handful of millimeters for on-the-go adjustments. A bracelet like this is no small feat for a brand of this size, and it’s one of the more impressive elements of the watch. It also compliments and even heightens the visual style of the watch. 

Inside, Lorca is using a Sellita SW510 M hand-wound chronograph caliber, hidden under a closed caseback. The steel case measures 37mm under the bezel (38mm measured from the edge of the bezel), 46mm from lug to lug, and 14.1mm in total thickness with a domed sapphire crystal. It’s an easy watch to get along with on the wrist, if slightly tanky in stature thanks to the height of the case. It’s a watch that falls squarely within the “daily wearer” category, and one that I’d say has a surprising amount of versatility. It’s not formal, but you could certainly dress this one up were you so inclined. It even has a 100-meter depth rating. Marchant explained to me that this watch is intended for broad usage, and it certainly feels that way. Especially in this black-on-black configuration.

The Lorca Model 2 Chronograph will be priced at $2,650 when the pre-order window opens on October 1st. This is no small sum, but in light of the many unique details executed at a surprisingly high degree, from the bezel to the bracelet, it’s not a shocking number by any stretch. Like the Model 1 GMT, this is a watch that carves out its own path, and it won’t be for everyone as a result. But this is exactly the approach that new small independent brands need to take if they want to create a passionate fan base of people who understand and appreciate the small details. There are simply too many options out there at the moment to just play it safe with basic GADA-type tool watches designed after the classic archetypes. Lorca, and other brands like it, are trying to shift that paradigm, and that will require some risks.