The Retro Chrono Collection: My Love Letter to La Dolce Vita

By Don, New Manager & Creative Director of Filippo Loreti

You’ve seen a thousand watches. Blue dials, black bezels, maybe the occasional green.
I did not want to play that game. I envisioned something different for the Retro Chrono Red. 

Why the "I envisioned"? Because I was the one who conceived this watch. I did not base the conception on trends, but with retro dashboards from vintage cars & legendary 2 wheels. I wanted also to add something else: the smooth, fast-talking charm of a 1960s. Have you seen the movies La Dolce Vita? Roman Holiday?
I did and I wanted to offer you the same vibe.

Hommage to a legacy of films of a beautiful era, hommage to the history of watchmaking. 

Flashback: golden light on cobbled Roman streets, the growl of a vintage Alpha Romeo,
and also the Vespa’s needle dancing past 80 km/h. That’s what made me do the Retro Chrono Red—specifically, the visual language of classic dashboard instruments. If you’ve ever looked at an Alfa Romeo speedo and felt something, you get the idea.

And the cushion case? Do you know the first water resistant watches had a cushion case? Rolex, Omega, Longines made them in the past. Long time before Panerai seemed to take over this particular type of case. The reality? No brand owns the cushion case. It’s a historical legacy. It’s the fruit of watchmaking evolution. And this legacy and style, I wanted to offer them to you. And not with some third rate movement.

Premium Mechaquartz = Mechanical Chrono Module + Quartz Precision.

Let’s talk movement. I chose the VK63 Premium Mechaquartz for one reason: it brings mechanical feel without the drama. It offers : a Crisp pusher feedback, an Instant reset, No winding, no babying and it’s Always ready, like a proper daily driver.

There is something else : I am a watch collector and I collected both mechanical & electromechanical watches. Electromechanical watches were unique in watchmaking history.
They were mixing both a mechanical movement but the power did not came from a spiral, it came from a battery. It was a revolution at that time.
Hamilton & Lip were at the edge of this technology : the calibers 500 and the R27 were at the vanguard of this technology. They were called « electrical » watches. It was before the arrival of the quartz and they were not cheap movements, they were "Manufacture" calibers done by 2 great brands at the peak of their history.

I can speak about it because I wrote in another life an article about it. It is my passion : to discover and show to newcomers & watch enthusiasts all the incredible history of the watches that changed our lives.

Are these movements something of the past? No! They came back recently in another evolution.
One of the lead watch brand brought them back by marrying a mechanical module powering the chronograph function AND a quartz movement to provide the hour.

Why I think it is interesting?
Because the chronograph hand ticks as if it was a mechanical chrono. The chrono hand will tick 5 times per second instead of an average quartz which will tick only once per second. And bonus: do you know how much will cost a mechanical chronograph? Manual or Automatic, it will cost thousands of US dollars. Basically the opposite definition of an affordable watch. The MechaQuartz movement is more elaborate and expensive than a pure quartz chronograph but also more affordable than a mechanical one.

I wanted to give you a great looking chronograph with a good reliable movement and keep it affordable. That’s the real heart of Filippo Loreti. And that heart is for you now.
And that’s not the only one.

Dial Obsession : our own version of Red.

I didn’t just want red, I wanted more depth.

Flat red? That’s just not enough. I love the color, I confess it’s my favorite but what I envisioned for this watch was something gradient that transitions like a fine glass of Chianti under candlelight. Hence, the gradient red dial that is darker on the edges and gets a bit lighter at the center.

That’s those little details that make a difference.

The indices are applied, not printed.

The hands are lumed, to see them in the dark.
The subdials? Perfectly recessed and balanced, with matte texture that plays off the polished PVD gold case.

Every element was designed to punch above its weight—and yes, I have seen watches much more pricey that offer maybe an older name and have their own merits but all these details at 189$ without renouncing on the complexity of the design & the quality? I think that’s really something.

Quality Where It Counts

Let’s get nerdy for a second, the Retro Chrono Red gives :

• Golden Cushion Case: 42mm stainless steel with brushed and polished gold PVD coating. The right balance of flash on your wrist.

• Glass: it’s a Sapphire-coated mineral to give you a scratch-resistant glass and without exploding the bank account.

• Skeleton Caseback: yes, the back deserves attention and we don’t make it boring. It reveals what is really a Premium MechaQuartz movement.

• Leather Strap: it’s Italian leather. It’s 22mm of width and it’s made to give harmony to the 42mm cushion case. If you have the opportunity, feel the balance of this watch. There is the thought behind every millimeter. This isn’t luxury “lite, it’s for me a cool design & a great quality without the ego markup.

Why The Retro Chrono Red Exists?

I didn’t create this to chase market trends. I created it because I wanted something I’d actually wear. Something mechanical-feeling, but also with lots of effortless charm. You know, take it like your favorite place, like a restaurant or a café, to have the best meal you love, something you like to go back every day to let go and refill your energy.

This is the kind of watch you get to actually wear it because it speaks to you, not just because someone told you it is a “budget watch.”

We’re not playing the “affordable luxury” game anymore. That phrase is dead.

We’re doing the collector game : the one where you know how to spot value and style in the same case. And I really think you will enjoy it.

Bonus Style Guide: Red Means Go!

A little add-on from my time I was writing articles about watches, some suggestions and they are totally optional. You have your own style and my aim is just to give you options if you want to try something on your look.

Worried red is hard to wear? Don’t be. Before green lighting a release, I wear the watch because it’s a pleasure but also to judge it and finally to see what are the best matches in styles. Here is my personal feedback :

• White T-Shirt or Polo, grey or light blue Hoodie, Chinos & your favorite Converse Shoes: yes, it rings America, it’s the casual look but you can associate our Retro with its strap or another custom. It’s contrast but that will be your touch of color, just what’s needed to shine without screaming it to everyone.

• Navy Blazer, red or wine-tone Pocket Square: you are maybe on a date or up to an event, the Retro comes as classy and yet eye-catching accessory in your outfit.

• All Suit or Navy (or Black if you go very formal): let the Chrono Red steal the scene, at work or at a formal event, maybe the wedding of your best buddy. Make it not boring and get that classy red eye-catcher, not another round watch, try the cushion watch. You will see :)

• Summer Linen or Seersucker, vintage car or retro 2 wheels: you got it. The Wind & Sun are yours.

The Retro Chrono Red was built to stand out without trying too hard. It’s confident color, with a vintage soul and modern execution. But again, it’s made to wear it without any effort, your style, your game.

What Our Collectors Say?

I like to do something else : to get the opinion of other people prior to its release. Not necessarily from some marketing people (they get to say their opinion though) and here are some of them: again, they are personal feedbacks and you should take them as you want but they are real:

• « I love it, would be great to have it for my boyfriend » (Livia, my ex-colleague in a previous job, always straight to the point)
• « That’s really cool red and how much? 189$? That’s great what you guys did » (Ben, entrepreneur & founder of a big fashion media, he loves great & durable fabric and it happened he loves watches too, used to wear a beautiful vintage Rolex)
• « Wow, I remember what used to do FL and that’s better, would like to wear one & shoot it with my camera » (Winson, photographer, he likes outdoor pics instead of being in a studio) 
• « This feels like an expensive watch but you got it wearable without looking like a firecracker. Très joli » (Jean, french adventurer & former oil prospector)
• « You watched Roman Holiday? That gets way back but cool. It’s Sprezzatura like we say in Italy. Send me one? » (Luca, Italian friend, womanizer, always gets his hair somehow perfect)

I can continue on but now it’s time to get your own opinion. We built this watch for people who love cool watches—not just logos.

Final Thoughts

Here’s what matters: I want to change the game for Filippo Loreti. It’s harder than creating a new brand. From a new brand, you don’t inherit history, you do what you want. I know because before joining Filippo Loreti, I created my own watch brand with a fiery passion. Now I am here to make a big change. To turn around FL, upscale the game and have fun and never loses focus on what matters : make damn cool watches at an unbeatable value for FL.

Daily wear reliability. Standout look. Quality components. Real finishing. Gradient red dial. And all that at 189$. When the world seems to go crazy, that’s where you get your dose of coolness and the feeling you get for your money.

If it feels it was made for you, because it is. For real people who wants to experience on their wrist La Dolce Vita. Or simply : a cool & quality chronograph with an eye-catching red.

See you next time / Arrivederci / Hasta la proxima / A la prochaine!

Tech Specs:

• Case Diameter: 42mm

• Case Material: Stainless steel with gold PVD

• Glass: Sapphire-coated mineral

• Strap: Italian leather, quick-release spring bars

• Movement: Premium VK63 Mechaquartz

• Chronograph: 60-minute, 24-hour, and seconds subdials

• Water Resistance: 5 ATM

And if Red isn’t your vibe every day?

Maybe you’re the type who loves the calm confidence of green.

Because there’s also Verde. Same cool cushion case, same Premium MechaQuartz heart, same devotion to detail — just in a rich gradient green that feels like a nod to vintage dashboards, and different than the too traditional British racing green.

That’s why both exist. Because style shifts with your days, your moods, your moments. Whether it’s the warmth of red or the elegance of green, each was made to feel natural on your wrist. They are the effortless extensions of who you are.

See you later for new adventures with the New Filippo Loreti!

Don