by Michael Satterfield - 08/19/2019
For the last few weeks, I have been wearing the Maranello 1961 by Omologato, a watch that celebrates one of Ferrari's most historic seasons in Formula 1 racing. In 1961, the Ferrari 156 "Sharknose" would bring home Ferrari's first constructor championship with five wins by Phil Hill, the only American-born driver to ever win a world championship. But the season was also marked with tragedy, driver Wolfgang von Trips' fatal crash at Monza, an accident which also killed fifteen spectators. Enzo Ferrari would pull out of the final race of the season, they had won the championship; but, it was a bittersweet victory.
Omologato's Maranello pays homage to the season with the bezel featuring each track on the Formula 1 schedule for 1961, the five tracks Ferrari won races at are highlighted in red. The Sunray Grigio dial features a classic design, with chronograph functions, and a date complication. The case is stainless steel, the strap is Italian leather with a stainless steel butterfly clasp. Inside is a Swiss-made Ronda quartz movement, a widely utilized movement known for its reliability and quality.
Watches and motorsports have been linked from the very beginning, with nearly every major watch brand having some tie to motorsports it is easy to see why a brand like Omologato has thrived with their motorsport-inspired watches. Unlike many boutique brands, Omologato isn't simply rebadging watches from China and adding a rally strap or a roundel and number on the dial, each Omologato is designed to reflect a specific racing series, historical event, or racing personality. They are also produced in limited quantities.
I was impressed with the overall quality, design, and construction of the Maranello 1961, in my opinion, the Omologato is on par with watches like the steel case Tag Heuer Formula 1 which also uses a Ronda quartz movement but will cost $1,000. Striking a great balance between value and quality I only see Omologato's popularity growing among both automotive and watch enthusiasts. I am especially excited about their new series including the Pikes Peak Chronograph which is set to lunch later this month.
A tribute to the 1961 Formula One Constructors' Champions
Case:45mm, Chrome Finish Stainless SteelDial Colour: Sunray Grigio Finish
Movement: Swiss Ronda Meca-Quartz
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Glass: Flat Sapphire Glass
Strap: 22mm, Black Italian Leather, Mesh Racer Strap
Luminous: The hour and minute needles are luminous
For more information and to shop the entire range of Omologato watches visit OmologatoWatches.com.
Omologato loaned me a watch for review, this is not a sponsored posts, all opinions are my own.
_websize.jpg)
