An enterprising Aussie is crafting watches out of dismantled supercars. Best of all, they’re not out of reach to everyday folks.
For most of us, there comes a time in adulthood where we are made to face some harsh realities. For example, the fancy apartment overlooking the water in Double Bay will probably never be within our budget, and the closest we’ll ever get to putting a ring on Beyoncé’s finger will be humming along to her catchy pop song. Eventually, the cruel reality also dawns (for your correspondent included) that visions of one-day owning a supercar are a mere pipedream.
We can’t help with property aspirations or your love life, but a novel solution looms for those who might not ordinarily gain access to the supercar club – in the form of a watch.
David Giammetta is a Sydney-based designer and avid car enthusiast who came up with the concept of manufacturing timepieces hewn from the bodies of wrecked exotic supercars about two years ago.
Fuoriserie was born as the ultimate form of both accessibility and upcycling – taking supercars that were beyond repair and allowing their beauty to live on as everyday, functional timepieces. The Fuoriserie name loosely translates from Italian to ‘mechanically bespoke’.
“I never outgrew playing with cars and don’t think I ever will,” explains Giammetta, who is of Italian heritage.
“I always knew I wanted to make a functional, affordable and usable product for kids or adults with a passion for cars who may never get the opportunity to see, feel or own a supercar. I like the idea of turning unloved pieces into something people will use again.”
In its debut collection, the Fuoriserie line comprises two individual watches – one with a Storm Black dial fashioned from the bonnet of a 2011 Aston Martin Rapide, and the other a Rosso Red dial wrought from the doors of a 1993 Ferrari 348 TB. It is highly possible that without David’s enterprise, the parts of either supercar would now have been laid to waste in the backlots of a wrecking yard.
Concept to creation
The catalyst for Fuoriserie occurred in 2018 when David was mounting a Sebring-style stopwatch on the dash of a project car he was building at the time.
What originally presented as a straight-forward extension of that process – using the paint wrought from the wrecked bodywork of supercars as the face of a wristwatch – soon turned into quite a complex engineering and manufacturing task.
“There were many failed attempts to get the watch to work due to the thickness and weight of the dial sourced from doors of a Ferrari and the bonnet of an Aston Martin versus that found in a traditional watch, which is paper thin,” explains David.
In the end, David settled on a watch case measuring 42mm with scratch-resistant K1 glass and a quick-release leather band suitable for everyday use. Note that the watch face isn’t the only car-inspired design theme, either: “A keen eye will note the dial is reminiscent of a vintage Jaeger speedo, the lugs are inspired by the bumper bar/over rider found on a 1948 Cadillac and strap motivated by vintage steering wheels such as the iconic Momo Prototipo.”
Designed here in Australia and manufactured in China, the Fuoriserie timepieces utilise a Japanese M203A quartz movement, which is the same found in Citizen Watches, run by a standard SR626SW button cell watch battery. According to David, not only are these movements reliable and robust, they help ensure a more accessible price of entry.
Speaking of which, both Fuoriserie watches cost $450, and are limited to 150 timepieces respectively. Due to the variation of the patina in the recycled dials, all 300 watches are visibly unique with light marks, scratches and other imperfections telling the story of a previous road or track-going life.
We have been ‘road testing’ the 348-sourced Fuoriserie timepiece for a few weeks now; here’s what we thought.
Road test
In person, there’s a distinctly minimalist air to our Rosso Red timepiece. White numbers and indexing on the watch face present cleanly and legibly, while the leather strap pays homage to its automotive inspiration while also being thick enough and durable for daily use.
The red face of our timepiece takes centre place, as it should, and ties in tastefully with the brown band and stainless steel casing. Elsewhere, hour and minute hands are made from brass and second hands are made from aluminium.
A delicate scratch across the middle of the watch face (from about the 10 to the 3) gives our timepiece its own unique stamp and is only visible upon inspecting the watch closely and in a certain light. The domed glass lends dimension to the watch face, which is otherwise mechanical and simple – much like the car it was fashioned from.
We’re not about to become watch critics, but for the lay user, the Fuoriserie timepiece fits the wrist nicely and feels light and imperceptible. After a handful of outings, the leather on the band is wearing nicely and the glass is easily returned to its new condition with a quick wipe over. Naturally, it keeps its time and the hand adjustment is easily made.
The Fuoriserie timepiece isn’t the kind you’d wear on a labouring job or while scuba diving (though it is technically 30 metres water resistant). Its 22mm leather strap is much too nice for that.
Instead, it’s a handy accessory for social outings and special occasions.
More than anything the Fuoriserie timepiece is a conversation starter, irrespective of whether people around you are car-inclined. If the eye-catching red of the watch face isn’t enough to nab people’s attention, the story behind it does.
According to David, that’s the whole point.
“I wanted anyone and everyone who has ever appreciated a classic car or supercar to be able to enjoy that feeling every day,” he says. “A lot of people think I created it just for gearheads and people who appreciate nice cars but I actually wanted it to appeal to everyone!”
Since the Fuoriserie brand hit virtual shelves late last year, the public response has been strong. In fact, plans for another ‘model’ are now underway in earnest.
“There have been a few changes to the make, model and movement of the next editions: they’ll be mechanical, from a car of which is very rare and was featured in an early James Bond film,” hints David. “What I can say right now is that they’ll be extremely special and are made possible thanks to the talented team at McCarroll’s Classic Collectors.”
The Fuoriserie line gives everyday people the opportunity to go some way in achieving supercar ownership. It also prevents vehicles with exceptional pedigree being completely laid to waste – something we can all be thankful for.
Fuoriserie watches
How much: $450 (free shipping in Australia) Colours: Rosso Red (Ferrari 348 TB), Storm Black (Aston Martin Rapide) Available: Fuoriserie online and Aristocrat Jewellers in Sydney CBD
Warranty: 12 months from the date of purchase
Keyword: We road test the watch made from a wrecked Ferrari