Manometro Polished Steel Ivory

A truly classic example of retro-inspired contemporary styling, the stainless steel Manometro wristwatch by legendary Italian designer Giuliano Mazzuoli is a piece of timeless cool, and an icon which has come to define his company's portfolio of distinctive, somewhat unconventional, but always charming creations.

Taking as his muse an otherwise unremarkable and everyday piece of industrial equipment, which could be found in any mechanic's workshop or garage, Mazzuoli recognised the beauty and design genius of the simple hand-held air pressure gauge, with its thumb activated release valve and at-a-glance readability, and realised that it provided the perfect basis for a wristwatch. From this spark of inspiration his Manometro was born.

Introduced in 2005, and essentially unchanged since its unveiling, the Manometro retained many of the characteristics of the humble air pressure gauge, with Mazzuoli remaining faithful to the source of his inspiration, right down to the generously proportioned, tactile fluted crown at the two o'clock position and its simple but ingenious lugless design, with the ends of the soft calfskin straps disappearing into openings in the tall, flat side of the stainless steel case, allowing for a perfectly unpolluted circular head-on profile.

The rounded lip of the bezel sits just above a flat disc of sapphire crystal, which covers an ivory coloured dial whose punctiliously styled black arabic numerals and segmented minutes track, coupled with straight and slender hour and minute pointers, and a red arrow-tipped seconds hand, all with luminous accents, ensure crisp and clear legibility, whilst also capturing to perfection the instrument-like look and feel of the pressure gauge dial.

Measuring a not insignificant 45mm across and standing 14mm high, the Manometro is undoubtedly an eye-catching watch, which has a unique personality and an imposing presence on the wrist. It is powered by a premium grade Swiss ETA 2824/2 self winding movement which boasts a 40-hour power reserve, while beating at a brisk 28,800 vib/hr (4 Hz) frequency.

A watch which is instantly identifiable in any crowd, the Giuliano Mazzuoli Manometro is a masterclass in the power of simple and understated design, which in its almost twenty-year history, has achieved a cult following, thanks to its accessible pricing and cool individuality.