Furlan Marri Watches Brand Review: History and Buyer's Guide

Maté D

July 7, 2025

Brand History

Furlan Marri is a Swiss-based microbrand founded in 2021 by designer Andrea Furlan and collector Hamad Al Marri. The partnership uniquely bridges Swiss design expertise and Middle Eastern collector passion, resulting in a brand devoted to vintage-inspired watchmaking with extreme attention to detail. Conceived during the late 2010s and officially launched via a Kickstarter campaign in 2021, Furlan Marri’s debut was nothing short of meteoric. The inaugural project – a 38mm mecha-quartz chronograph line – hit its funding goal (CHF 75,000) in under one minute and ultimately raised over CHF 1 million from 2,000+ backers, an overwhelming success that far exceeded expectations. This stunning launch laid the groundwork for Furlan Marri’s identity as a community-driven brand with a knack for capturing horological nostalgia.

Key moments in the young brand’s timeline quickly followed. Just months after delivering its first watches, Furlan Marri earned the Horological Revelation Prize at the 2021 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève (GPHG), a prestigious award recognizing the brand’s remarkable debut. Achieving such critical acclaim within a year of launch (essentially going “from Kickstarter to GPHG” in about seven months) instantly elevated Furlan Marri from a hyped microbrand to a serious name to watch in independent horology.

Today, Furlan Marri operates out of Geneva with a growing team, a showroom for visitors, and even a network of select retailers, but it still primarily sells direct to consumers online.

Design and Quality

From the outset, Furlan Marri’s design philosophy has been rooted in vintage elegance and storytelling. The brand draws heavy inspiration from mid-20th century watch design – think 1940s chronographs with bicompax (two subdials) layouts, and sector dials. In fact, their debut chronographs proudly channeled classics like the Patek Philippe ref. 1463 “Tasti Tondi” (known for its round pump pushers), yet managed to avoid feeling like mere replicas.

Build quality is an area where Furlan Marri truly over-delivers relative to price. Despite many models being affordably priced (under $500 in the case of their quartz chronographs), the watches exhibit a level of finishing and execution typically seen in much costlier pieces. In other words, unlike many watches in this entry-level price range, Furlan Marri’s products do not suffer from the usual corners cut in finishing or materials. The brand’s motto sums it up: “crafted with care, and designed for detail,” emphasizing that nothing is overlooked.

Value Proposition

Furlan Marri has positioned itself as offering exceptional value for money, and this is a major reason the brand has won the hearts of seasoned enthusiasts and newer collectors alike. In a landscape where many microbrands promise “bang for buck,” Furlan Marri truly delivers: you’re getting design elements and finishing cues typically associated with high-end vintage watches, at prices that start in a few hundred dollars. Their initial mecha-quartz chronographs, for example, retailed around $300–$500 USD, yet exhibited case and dial work on par with watches several times the cost.

As the brand has grown, it has cautiously ventured into higher price tiers with mechanical models, yet it still maintains a fair proposition relative to peers. For instance, Furlan Marri’s first mechanical three-hander (reference 2116-A with a Swiss La Joux-Perret movement) debuted around CHF 1,250, a price the watch handily justified given its elaborate sector dial and top-notch build. Even the much-anticipated mechanical chronograph series (a limited-edition flyback chrono launched in late 2023) was priced at CHF 2,750 – not cheap in absolute terms, but very competitive for a 38mm steel flyback chronograph with a decorated Swiss movement, and significantly less than similar offerings from established brands.

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Furlan Marri Collections

Mecha-Quartz Chronograph Series

The watches that put Furlan Marri on the map were its debut set of mecha-quartz chronographs in 2021. They were all sold out pretty quickly, and although the initial runs were limited, Furlan Marri’s chronographs proved so popular that in 2022 the brand introduced a Permanent Chronograph Collection – three new mecha-quartz chrono models (e.g. the black-and-gilt “Nero Sabbia” Ref. 1072-A, the white and gray “Rosso Grigio” Ref. 1085-A, and the taupe-toned “Castagna” Ref. 1009-A) that carry forward the original’s design DNA and are continuously available. These permanent models feature some fresh tweaks, but they retain the same 38mm case and vintage charm. Priced around CHF 555 each, they ensure new enthusiasts can enjoy Furlan Marri’s signature chronograph without paying scalper premiums.

Specs:

Movement: Mecha-Quartz
Caliber: Seiko VK64
Case Width: 38 mm
Lug-to-lug: 46 mm
Price: Around $600

Sector Dial Three-Hand Collection (Ref. 2116-A and beyond)

After establishing itself with chronographs, Furlan Marri expanded into time-only watches that further showcase its design prowess. The first of these was the Ref. 2116-A, released in mid-2022, which marked the brand’s first fully mechanical watch. This model (and its later variants) can be seen as a distilled expression of Furlan Marri’s aesthetic: it’s a 37.5mm three-hand watch with a sector dial, offered in various colors (grey sector, white sector, and a particularly popular salmon sector among them). The sector dial format – with its concentric circles and segmented minute track – has become a Furlan Marri hallmark, lending the watch a 1930s Art Deco vibe. Inside, these watches use a high-grade La Joux-Perret automatic movement (LJP G100 series, tuned for this model) which provides a healthy power reserve at around $1,300 USD.

Specs:

Movement: Automatic
Caliber: La Joux-Perret G100
Power Reserve: 68 hours
Case Width: 37.5 mm
Lug-to-lug: 46 mm
Price: Under $1,300

Disco Volante

Complementing the core sector dial pieces, Furlan Marri also launched the “Disco Volante” collection in 2024 – a trio of hand-wound dress watches that pay homage to a classic case design of the 1940s. Disco Volante, Italian for “flying saucer,” refers to a case with a wide, flat, circular bezel and slender profile (famously seen in some vintage Vacheron Constantin models). Furlan Marri’s take on it upsized the concept to a contemporary 38mm diameter while keeping an ultra-thin case height under 9mm, resulting in a beautifully balanced dress watch. The Disco Volante series was offered in three dial variants: Celeste (blue), Verde (green), and Havana (brown). These watches run on a manual-wind ETA/Peseux 7001 calibre, known for its slim profile. Impressively, Furlan Marri invested in decorating this movement, adding perlage and blued screws visible through a snap-open caseback. With pricing around the ~$2,500 mark, the Disco Volante models demonstrated Furlan Marri’s commitment to creative, niche designs that still deliver solid value and heaps of vintage charm.

Specs:

Movement: Manual
Caliber: Peseux 7001
Power Reserve: 42 hours
Case Width: 38 mm
Lug-to-lug: 38 mm
Price: Around $2,500

Buyer’s Guide

Who should consider a Furlan Marri?

In short: anyone who appreciates vintage watch design and artisanal detail, but who also values modern reliability and bang for buck. Furlan Marri’s products will especially appeal to fans of mid-century design. At the same time, the brand is also a great entry point for newer watch lovers: the accessible pricing of the mecha-quartz models (under $600) and the transparent direct sales model make it easy for a newcomer to join in.

What to watch out for when purchasing?

First, be aware of the movement and function of the specific model you’re eyeing. The mecha-quartz chronographs, while fantastic for the money, do have a battery (with a roughly 3-year life) and a quartz base. If you prefer an automatic or manual movement, consider the newer releases like the mechanical three-handers – these will cost more and may be harder to obtain, but they offer that purely mechanical experience.

Second, availability and buying channels: Furlan Marri primarily sells through its official website (often via pre-order windows for new models, and direct stock for the permanent collection). Popular limited editions can sell out in a very short time, so if there’s a hyped release (e.g. a collab chronograph), be prepared to act fast or potentially miss out.

Lastly, think about your own preferences in size and style. All Furlan Marri watches as of now are on the smaller, vintage side of the spectrum – 37-38mm cases, with designs that are more dressy or retro than sporty. They typically have modest water resistance (e.g. 50m) – fine for daily wear and the occasional splash, but they’re not dive watches or rugged beaters. So if you regularly go swimming or need a lume-soaked tool watch, these are not built for that purpose. However, for daily office wear, casual outings, or adding a tasteful touch to your attire, they excel.

WRITTEN BY

Maté D

Maté is the founder and chief content creator of The Watch Resource. Since 2021, he has been dedicated to sharing his expert insights and highlighting his favorite brands and timepieces. Driven by a decade-long interest in horology, this watch blog is the result of Maté's deep knowledge and passion.

Furlan Marri Watches: Brand Review

Brand History

Design and Quality

Value Proposition