A Closer Look at the Gorilla Outlaw Drift

Gorilla is a newcomer to the watchmaking scene. The company launched in 2016 in Neuchatel, Switzerland, but its founder is certainly no newbie in the high-end watchmaking industry. He’s the former Audemars Piguet chief artistic officer. Octavio Garcia has had years of experience in fine watchmaking and he brought his talents to a new brand that is finding favor with the masses. Gorilla, just five years old is making waves in the watch community joining long-famous brands such as Patek Philippe and more. The brand offers a model called the Outlaw Drift with a special feature a wandering hour complication for time indication. It’s a piece that is deserving of our undivided attention to fully appreciate every detail of the fine watchmaking expertise that has gone into its design and presentation.

A closer look at the Gorilla Outlaw Drift

Review of the Outlaw Drift, focuses on how cool the wandering hours, otherwise referred to in some circles as “drifting hours,” or “satellite hour time,” or even Audemars Piguet’s description as “star wheel time,” Whatever you call it, the complication is interesting if not novel. At first glance, my perception was that it strongly resembled a compass with its thin needle-style red-colored seconds hand. The Outlaw Drift is aptly named as it blurs the lines of tradition, and for somewhat might be considered acceptable, with a unique take on telling the time. Nonetheless, the novel timepiece offers a bit of whimsy if not fun.

Specifications of the Gorilla Outlaw Drift

The case measures 42 mm in width with a chunky profile of 13.8 mm deep. The lug to lug distance is 52 mm. The case is made of a titanium material that is lightweight and durable, with a unique array of variances in the finish from matte to brushed. The small details combine to make a big difference. We immediately notice this in the screw-down style crown off to the side at 3 o’clock with a triangle shape and unique coin-ridged edges and a sculpted aesthetic. It’s lovely in form, but also highly functional for securing a firm grip when using it to make the necessary adjustments. It complements the three-pronged dial indexes of the wandering time complication presented on the dial, in blue and black. The red second’s hand provides a nice sliver of contrasting color that makes it decently legible against the background. The dial is protected by a sapphire crystal lens coated with anti-reflective treatment for enhanced legibility in bright sunlight. The fixed bezel is nicely polished to add yet another dimension of illusory depth, with a screwed-down styling that makes the timepiece appear masculine and sporty.

The movement

The Outlaw Drift is powered by a Swiss-made automatic caliber G-5238 movement, according to Worn and Wound. The module is a Vacher brand made especially for Gorilla with the wandering hours’ complication. The module uses a revolving satellite system to indicate hours. The top portion of the dial indicates minutes. It comes with a slight learning curve but once you get it, telling time is a simple task. It beats at a 4Hz frequency with a power reserve of 38 hours. On the back of the case, you can get a stellar view of the inner workings of the mechanisms of the movement beneath. It’s equipped with an exhibition flat sapphire crystal to allow for the viewing of the mechanics of the watch. The Outlaw Drift is nearly as impressive to see when the watch is flipped over as it is from a frontal view.

Other features of the Outlaw Drift

This watch is water-resistant to 100 meters or 330 feet. You can wear it in the shower, for light swimming or snorkeling. The strap is made of rubber, but you can replace it with compatible straps or bracelets to change up the look on a whim. The Gorilla Outlaw Drift was released for sale to the public in the Fall of 2020, for a suggested retail price of $3,950.

Our assessment

Gorilla’s Outlaw Drift isn’t going to be everybody’s first choice as it does take a bit of thought to properly tell the time, but it’s certainly unique among the Gorilla lineup of fine timepieces. It has a novel design that can stimulate conversation and help you get to know new people. Although it’s not a limited edition timepiece, it’s not likely that there will be many others sporting the novel model, so it’s likely to make you stand out in a crowd. It’s a sporty timepiece that offers yet one more interesting complication for the true watch enthusiast who is on the lookout for something a little different. It’s not likely to become a classic timepiece because it’s a bit too different for the mainstream watch wearer, but it does have a lot going for it. We like the size of the watch because it’s a middle-of-the-road model that is not too big and not too small. Whatever your wrist size, it’s likely to be a decent fit. The rubber strap allows the piece to rest comfortably against the wrist. The titanium material helps keep the weight to a minimum.

Final thoughts

The Gorilla Outlaw Drift is a watch that is worth investigating if for no other reason, the fact that it’s cool and attractive. When you learn how to tell time, it’s not that hard at all. The black, blue, and silver colors offer a sophisticated presence in a timepiece bearing a wonderful and novel complication called wandering time. Gorilla is a luxury watchmaker that is still fairly new to the market, but they’re making a big impression with their range of options that are uniquely appealing to those who are bored with the classics and looking for something new and different. We believe that this timepiece will find an audience with those who have eclectic tastes, yet prefer to remain within the luxury arena of quality watches made by expensive pedigreed brands, or at least new brands with pedigreed watchmakers at the helm.