Bold independent watches combining automotive-inspired design, advanced materials, mechanical movements, layered construction, and accessible high-horology concepts.
Gorilla Watches is an independent family-owned Swiss watch brand founded in 2016 by designer Octavio Garcia, former artistic director at Audemars Piguet. Based in Neuchatel, Gorilla draws heavily from custom cars, motorsport, and performance engineering, using forged carbon, ceramic, titanium, rubber, and multi-layer construction across collections such as Fastback, Touring, Wandering Hours, and Chronograph Skeleton.
Gorilla Watches is an independent Swiss watch brand founded in 2016 by designer Octavio Garcia, a former artistic director at Audemars Piguet. Based in Neuchatel, Switzerland, the family-owned company was created around a more unconventional approach to contemporary mechanical watch design.
Automotive culture is central to the Gorilla identity. The brand draws inspiration from custom cars, endurance racing, muscle cars, performance engineering, and historic racing liveries, translating those influences into bold colors, layered cases, technical materials, and highly dimensional dials.
The Fastback collection forms the core of the brand. These 44mm watches combine materials such as forged carbon, ceramic, titanium, aluminum, and FKM or Viton rubber with automatic mechanical movements. Different references vary considerably in construction, color, and materials while retaining Gorilla’s recognizable motorsport-inspired case architecture.
Many Fastback models use reliable Miyota automatic movements. Depending on the reference, Gorilla has used calibres such as the Miyota 8215, pairing Japanese mechanical movements with lightweight multi-material cases and sapphire crystals.
The newer Touring collection reduces the case size to 39mm and takes inspiration from 1970s sports watches and endurance racing. Models such as Rosa, Cielo, and Mirage use automatic Miyota movements, 100-meter water resistance, sapphire crystals, and integrated rubber straps while maintaining Gorilla’s emphasis on color and automotive design.
At a more complicated level, the Wandering Hours collection introduces an unconventional method of displaying time using rotating satellite discs. The proprietary G-5238 wandering-hours module was developed in collaboration with respected Swiss movement specialist Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and is mounted on an ETA 2824-2 automatic base calibre.
The wandering-hours mechanism reflects Gorilla’s broader goal of making complications traditionally associated with much more expensive independent watches available at a more accessible price. Current Wandering Hours models use Grade 5 titanium cases and are produced in limited editions.
Gorilla has also explored mechanical chronographs through the Chronograph Skeleton collection. The Thunderbolt Skeleton combines a customized Dubois Depraz chronograph module with an openworked movement architecture and the brand’s characteristic automotive-inspired design.
Advanced materials are one of Gorilla’s most recognizable characteristics. Forged carbon appears throughout the range alongside high-resistance ceramic, Grade 5 titanium, DLC-coated stainless steel, anodized aluminum, sapphire crystal, and durable FKM or Viton rubber straps.
Not every Gorilla watch uses the same movement origin or manufacturing structure. Some collections use Japanese Miyota automatic calibres, while higher-complication watches incorporate Swiss ETA base movements and modules developed with specialist Swiss manufacturers such as Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier and Dubois Depraz.
Most current Gorilla watches provide approximately 100 meters of water resistance, making them practical for everyday and active use while remaining primarily design-focused mechanical watches rather than dedicated professional dive instruments.
Current pricing spans a broad range. Core Fastback models begin at around $880, Touring watches are generally around $1,000 to $1,400, higher-specification Fastback models can reach approximately $1,680, and Wandering Hours watches cost around $3,250. Limited high-complication chronographs have reached approximately $8,500.
Price Range: $880 - $8,500
Positioning: Mid-Range
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Yes. Gorilla Watches is an independent family-owned watch brand based in Neuchatel, Switzerland, and was founded in 2016.
Gorilla Watches was founded by Octavio Garcia, a watch designer whose career included senior design roles at major Swiss watch companies, including serving as artistic director at Audemars Piguet.
It depends on the model. Gorilla is a Swiss-based brand, but its collections use different movement and manufacturing approaches. Wandering Hours and Chronograph Skeleton models are presented as Swiss Made, while other watches use Japanese Miyota automatic movements.
Gorilla uses several mechanical movements depending on the collection. Fastback and Touring models commonly use Miyota automatic calibres, while Wandering Hours watches combine an ETA automatic base movement with a proprietary Swiss module developed with Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier.
Fastback is Gorilla's core 44mm collection. It combines motorsport-inspired styling with multi-layer cases, automatic movements, forged carbon, ceramic, titanium, aluminum, sapphire crystal, and rubber straps.
Gorilla's Wandering Hours watches display the hour using rotating satellite discs rather than conventional hour hands. Their G-5238 module was developed with Swiss movement specialist Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier.
Gorilla watches are water resistant rather than permanently waterproof. Many current models provide 100 meters or 10 ATM of water resistance, although owners should check the specification of their individual reference.
Gorilla is based in Switzerland and works with several international and Swiss specialist suppliers. Manufacturing details vary by collection, with movements sourced from companies including Miyota and ETA and complication modules developed with Swiss partners.
Current Gorilla watches start at around $880. Most Fastback and Touring models cost roughly $900 to $1,700, Wandering Hours models are around $3,250, and limited complicated models can cost substantially more.
Gorilla positions itself around accessible high horology and independent Swiss design. Its watches combine mechanical movements, advanced materials, limited editions, and specialist complications at prices generally below traditional high-end independent watchmakers.
