Ralph Lauren is back with a new version of its sports watch model, the RL Safari Chronometer, now in a 42mm case compared to the 45mm size of the original. Ralph Lauren watches walk the line between stylish fashion watch and fine watchmaking, using mechanical Swiss movements and cases that are water resistant to 100 meters.

Ralph Lauren’s watch and jewelry division is a 50/50 venture with the Richemont Group, which owns illustrious watch brands Cartier, Piaget, IWC and Jaeger-LeCoultre. As a Ralph Lauren product, the Safari Chronometer is in many respects a fashion watch, but as a Richemont product, it is also a luxury watch, with a Swiss mechanical movement – though not a chronometer-certified movement, as the “Chronometer” in the name would suggest. In general, a chronometer is a watch that is highly accurate, while a “certified” chronometer is one that has passed intense precision tests over a 15-day period to obtain an official rate certificate from COSC, the Official Swiss Chronometer Testing Institute. The Ralph Lauren Safari Chronometer uses the name in the former, general sense of the word. The movement is the RL300-1 caliber mechanical movement, a reworking of a base movement made by Sellita, a very reputable Swiss based caliber maker. It has a 50-hour power reserve, and drives hours, minutes and seconds.

As for the stylish side, the Safari is a typical fashion watch with several options and colorways. There are three different dial colors: khaki, camouflage and black. The dials are contrasted with a bold orange sweeping seconds hand, and luminescent oversized Arabic numerals, some larger than others. The case is a varnished matte “azure” anthracite, also referred to as “aged” stainless steel, which means it has a faux-patina finish. The look is in keeping with the theme of the watch, which is “the Ralph Lauren safari lifestyle and the thrill-seeking world traveler,” according to the company. It comes with a weathered dark brown canvas strap or on a black, stainless-steel three-link bracelet that is also aged steel, to coincide with an overall style that evokes a vintage-inspired aesthetic. The price is a budget-friendly $3,500.