Maserati: Do they make legitimate watches?

Maserati is probably one of the most evocative names in motorsport history. Having made performance cars for over a century, the brand has made some of the most aspirational supercars and luxury cruisers over the years. Distinctive and flamboyant style with subtle design cues that makes their cars recognizably theirs, Maserati is a true celebration of Italian style and performance. But what about their watches? The brand has taken a stab at creating accessible and stylish timepieces for their enthusiasts and that brings us to the question: Should an established luxury automobile manufacturer even be making wrist watches? And if so, how legitimate and well-made are their watches? Well, that’s what we’re here to answer today, and with a closer look at some of their most iconic designs and timepieces, we’ll finally be able to give a proper answer on whether you should own a Maserati watch.

Watchmaking isn’t exactly something that is easy to do, and pull off. Especially for a company that doesn’t have much to do in heritage and manufacturing of watches. Maserati knows this hence, the brand’s watches aren’t actually made by them, but are manufactured by an Italian watch manufacturing company called Sector. Sector doesn’t have their own brand of watches, but they are much more well known to manufacture watches for many other brands out there. Quite similar to how Rolex outsourced their movements and cases from third party manufacturers like Aegler during their early days. Maserati is doing something similar, only this time, they’re getting the entire package from one source. If you’re wondering how trustworthy it is to receive a branded watch from a third-party company, it actually is and really makes quite a lot of sense.

It’s actually a lot more effective and efficient to trust a company with the necessary expertise in a field that you’re looking to venture in rather than to actually go about it yourself. And if Sector is good enough for Maserati, and many other brands out there, then its good enough for us. The watches are designed and commissioned by Maserati, and Sector goes about with the tricky process of manufacturing and assembly. So, in terms of authenticity and originality in design, its pretty much as real as you can get.

Build quality, is great, with stainless-steel being a standard for all of their models. Their cases feature varying degrees of finishing too with brushing, polishing and even sand-blasting for certain models too. The brand uses a mixture of either mineral or sapphire crystal depending on the models, so you won’t have to worry too much about durability. The watches feature an array of different movements too, from basic quartz 3-handers, to chronographs and even full-on mechanical movements, sourced from either Switzerland or Japan.

While watch purists may scoff at the brand’s watches, it has to be said that these watches aren’t really made for watch enthusiasts or purists. For most folks out there, looking for a stylish and well built, reasonably priced designer watch, Maserati offers rather compelling and interesting options to the mix. As an accessory, their watches certainly do what they were made for well, but from an emotional standpoint, they do really offer a touch of Italian design and flair, without costing an arm and a leg like their cars do. To prove our point, we’ll be taking a look at a few of their new arrivals and best sellers, that we think are some of the best designer watches you can get today.

 

MASERATI TRIMARANO R8871632003 MEN'S WATCH

Kicking off our list today is a rather bold and striking take on what a casual sports chronograph can be. On paper, the Trimarano might seem unassuming at first, simple black dial, with a traditional 3,6,9 sub-dial layout for the chronograph and a date window too for added practicality. The case is where things start to take a turn for the interesting, right off the bat this looks like the sort of watch where the case and the lugs are two separate components. With the main housing of the watch in a perfectly round case set against a pair of thin, angular, elongated and extended lugs that gives the watch a very space-age feel to it. The execution of this is very Italian of course, with the chronograph pushers matching the angular and thin lugs, looking more like an extension of the case than actual buttons. The matte black dial with simple skeletonized markers and hands adds nicely to the overall style of the watch as well. The dark blue chapter ring adds a nice pop of colour that makes the watch much more interesting to look at, without compromising on the overall black stealthy nature of the design. Overall if you’re looking for a casual chronograph watch with a unique and unconventional design, then the futuristic Trimarano chronograph is certainly for you. 

 

MASERATI POTENZA R8821108026 AUTOMATIC WATCH

 

Certainly, one of the boldest and most recognizable designs in the Maserati line-up of watches, the Potenza is undoubtedly the watch you’ll think of when someone mentions Maserati watches after you’ve seen it. Featuring a rounded, angular case with angled lugs and integrated straps, the watch has visually taken inspiration from the bold angular sports-watches of the early 2000s, namely the Hublot Big Bang. But with a sense of Italian style, the design is much more subtle than its Swiss counter-part. Featuring two ‘claw-like’ protrusions on the side of the case and bezel, the pair at the top finished in a smooth polished whereas the bottom pair are ridged, the lines extending through the dial as well which is meant to represent the famed wide Maserati grille. The leather strap also features stitching in red, white and green, a subtle but noticeable hint of the company’s heritage with the colours of the Italian flag going through the length of the strap. Power comes from a reliable Japanese Miyota caliber which is great news for watch lovers and petrol heads alike. A watch with Italian Style and Japanese reliability sounds like the perfect timepiece for everyone.

 

MASERATI EPOCA R8853118004 MEN'S WATCH

We can’t have a list featuring Italian watches without having at least a simple elegant three-handed dress watch, now, can we? And here it is, the Epoca in a rose gold case and a matching rose gold bracelet too. First off, the dial is beautifully executed with applied golden indexes and roman numerals along the periphery and the iconic trident logo at 12 O’clock, matching golden lance shaped hands, a simple sub-second’s dial and of course that stunning sun-ray charcoal grey dial as well. The case is a simple Italian affair as well, sculpted in a simple traditional rounded design with no sharp angles, but with extended swooping lugs to complete the elegant look of the watch. Matching the elegant case is an equally elegant rose gold Milanese mesh bracelet that gives it a much dressier yet vintage feel. The watch is powered by a Japanese quartz caliber too ensuring smooth and reliable performance throughout its lifetime. If you’re in the market for a simple time only dress watch but want something with a little bit more style and flamboyance, the Epoca is certainly the watch for you.

 

MASERATI STILE R8821142001 MEN'S AUTOMATIC WATCH

The Maserati Stile Automatic is the brand’s take on the luxury stainless-steel sports watch design, but without the luxury price of course. It is a simple, elegant three hander with slim markers lining the periphery of the dial and slim matching baton hands as well. So far so simple, but there’s a catch, the watch features a lovely opened center dial showcasing the automatic movement powering it. The watch is fitted in an elegant and angled brushed and polished 2 two-tone silver and rose-gold stainless-steel case, with a contrasting white peripheral dial and blue strap as well. Despite the rather busy theme of the overall design, legibility isn’t compromised thanks in part to the bold blued polished hands against the intricate silver skeletonized movement and dial. If an elegant and well-built stainless-steel every day dressy sports watch is what you’re looking for, then the Stile R8821142001 is a properly good choice.

 

MASERATI POTENZA ANALOG QUARTZ R8851108015 MEN'S WATCH

 

The last of the Potenza series in our list and probably the most elegant, the Potenza R8851108015 quartz is the dressiest of the bunch (of Potenzas). Coming in at 42mm, the watch sits nicely on the wrist and thanks to the quartz movement powering it, is a relatively slim watch too, easily disappearing under a cuff. Matching the iconic and unique case design with a muted time only dial gives the watch all the flair and subtlety it needs to stand out from the crowd. The dial is finished in a tapisserie pattern, with applied indexes and of course, the whopping great trident logo dominating the center. It sounds ostentatious, but it isn’t. And that’s the beauty of Italian style, making something that should be flashy and ostentatious into something that is tasteful and overall, well put together, just like their suits. The blue alligator textured calf leather strap complements the watch nicely and will sit happily on your wrist whether you’re rocking it with a Valentino suit or casually with a pair of denim and a T-shirt. You’ll be hard pressed to find another watch in this price range that is as striking and well-built than the Potenza quartz.

 

Stunning Italian Designer Watches

If you’ve completed this article and find yourself itching to get a Maserati watch, we don’t blame you. Exquisite and unique design paired with exceptional craftsmanship and bearing one of the most evocative names of motoring history, it’s not hard to see why these watches are so desirable. We hope that we’ve managed to help you at least narrow down a few that you might want or ought to take note of, and if we haven’t. Well, it's just our opinions after all, at the end of the day you’re buying the watch for yourself and only you know what’s best for you. If you’d like to browse for the full collection of Maserati’s watches, you can do so on our site here. We are currently carrying the full range of the latest timepieces from the Maserati line-up and are their authorized retailer and partner.