Earlier this year we talked about the March LA.B AM2 Millisime March 2024 edition, which evidently made an impression because you, the Oracle Time readers, nominated it as one of the best microbrand watches of the year in our Community Watch Awards (voting is open now until October 31st 2024). Now though, we’ve got the opportunity to get hands on with their latest creation, the March LA.B AM2 GMT.
The choice to make a GMT was a no-brainer. The LA.B portion of the brand’s name is an acronym that stands for Los Angeles and Biarritz, two cities closely connected to their heritage. They also happen to be separated by 8 hours of time as Biarritz is in the GMT +1 time zone with the rest of Europe while LA is located at GMT -7. Hence a GMT makes sense because you can track both of those time zones at the same time.
There are actually two versions of the March LA.B AM2 GMT being produced. There’s a standard steel version and then the version we have here called the March LA.B AM2 ‘Shades’ GMT, a black, DLC coated limited edition. The black case measures 39mm in diameter with a steel base that’s protected by the scratch resistance diamond-like-carbon coating.
The thickness is 12.5mm but I always find that square watches (technically it’s an octagon due to the angled facets) sit higher on the wrist than their thickness suggests. Plus, the integrated bracelet is very lightweight so all the mass of the piece is concentrated in the watch body which I think subconsciously makes it feel larger and more weighty than it is. Although that’s not necessarily a bad thing because it has heaps of presence and genuinely suits wrists of any size.
Focussing in on dial, it’s an intricately layered affair. The central, raised portion has a honeycomb-esque textured pattern. That’s then surrounded by trench in matching black that houses the applied indices that sit at striking angles. On the other side of the lower portion is the titular 24-hour GMT scale, split into day/night sections in silver and black, that corresponds to the green-tipped GMT hand. Compared to the Millisime March edition, I find the pattern of the dial to be a touch simpler but that works well to balance out the added complexity of the GMT display.
Taking the March LA.B AM2 ‘Shades’ GMT off, which takes a second due to the slightly fussy clasp (it’s fine when you get used to it), reveals the exhibition caseback. It’s a very unique exhibition window with a vibrant green tint, which in combination with the black case makes me think of the Mysterons from Captain Scarlet although I appreciate that’s probably a very deep cut for most people.
The movement visible through the green window is the La Joux-Perret G110, an automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve. It’s equipped with a March LA.B patterned rotor to keep it wound as it moves on your wrist. The standard AM2 uses the La Joux-Perret G100 and that proved so popular that it was only when LJP launched a GMT variant that March LA.B felt confident enough to tackle this complication.
In terms of price, it’s $2,200 (approx. £1,650) excluding taxes. As briefly mentioned the ‘Shades’ edition is also a limited edition with only 133 pieces available. If you’re wondering, the standard steel version with green dial is non-limited at a slightly lower price. Between the two I definitely prefer the ‘Shades’ for its bolder appearance and more durable, scratch resistant construction.
Price and Specs:
More details at March LA.B.
