Furlan Marri x CLE: A Warm, Desert-Driven Collaboration
- Balance & Bridge
- 14 hours ago
- 4 min read
Furlan Marri has always treated watchmaking as storytelling, so it’s no surprise that its collaborative retailer series—Furlan Marri Editions—leans heavily into narrative and place. Each Edition is shaped in partnership with a boutique that shares the brand’s values, creating a small chapter in a longer tale of design, heritage, and community. The newest entry, the Sahra Edition, arrives through a partnership with CLE: The Gallery in Riyadh, and it may be one of the brand’s most emotive pieces yet. Balance & Bridge is happy to cover another awesome release from the brand.
Limited to just 750 pieces, this special edition launches exclusively at CLE on November 25 before making its way to Furlan Marri’s website on December 3. And like other Editions before it, it won’t be reproduced—adding a little bit of urgency to a watch already rich in meaning.
CLE and Furlan Marri: A Shared Perspective
CLE began in London in 2013 as a luxury concierge service created by Saudi entrepreneur Yasmine Al Shathry. What started as a bespoke, collector-focused service soon evolved into a modern, human-centered entryway to fine luxury. Today, CLE: The Gallery stands as a physical extension of that ethos—a space that feels curated, inclusive, and deeply connected to regional culture.
That mindset naturally aligns with Furlan Marri. Both brands value authenticity and community, but more importantly, both approach design as something that grows from real people and real stories. The Sahra Edition is the result of that shared belief, tying together the heritage of Saudi Arabia and the emotional approach that has shaped Furlan Marri from day one.
A Dial Rooted in the Desert
The heart of this edition is its dial—a warm, layered tribute to the Saudi desert. Furlan Marri refers to the Kingdom as the brand’s “second land of origins,” and this inspiration pulls from that connection in a way that feels subtle and thoughtful.
Golden-brown tones form the dial’s foundation, drawing from the brightness of dunes under the midday sun. Deeper browns echo the textures and hues found in Najdi architecture—earthy, structural, and unmistakably regional. Together, they build a palette that feels grounded in the idea of resilience and hospitality, two cultural values that sit at the center of Saudi identity.
Look closely and the details add even more depth. The center dial features lacquered sand-dune patterns that shift gently with the light—almost like watching wind pass through the desert. Applied half-spherical indexes and a domed outer ring nod to the rounded, geometric harmony often found in Islamic architecture. Hindi-Arabic numerals complete the picture, acknowledging the intellectual and artistic history of the region.
Flip the watch over and the storytelling continues. The engraved coordinates point to a specific place outside Riyadh, chosen not for symbolism alone, but for its raw beauty—capturing the colors and curves of the landscape as seen from above. The Sahra Edition feels less like a themed watch and more like a distilled piece of the desert, translated into metal, lacquer, and light.
Why Mechaquartz Still Matters
While the aesthetics will draw most of the attention, part of Furlan Marri’s identity is tied to the movement inside. The brand launched on Kickstarter with mechaquartz chronographs—a choice they’ve stood by not out of convenience, but philosophy.
The Seiko VK64 hybrid movement gives the watch its characteristic mechanical-feeling pushers, instant chronograph reset, and smooth tactile engagement, all while allowing the brand to invest heavily in case construction and finishing. It’s reliable, thin, and practical, but it also brings that emotional “click” that collectors love.
Historically, mechaquartz has roots in the late 1980s, when Swiss and Japanese watchmakers tried to blend quartz accuracy with the charm of mechanical chronographs. For Furlan Marri, this hybrid approach creates space for storytelling and detail—things the Sahra Edition carries in abundance.
Crafted with Intention
The finishing here is impressive for the price bracket—something Furlan Marri has become known for. The 38mm case mixes perlage, mirror polishing, satin brushing, deep embossing, and an engraved decagonal caseback. A sapphire crystal with multiple anti-reflective layers keeps the dial clear, while a slim 12mm profile and 46mm lug-to-lug help it wear comfortably and proportionally on most wrists.
The included straps—a textured dark brown leather and a cream counterpart—are both crafted from Italian or French leather, each with quick-release hardware and signed pin buckles. Even the packaging plays along, arriving in a sand-toned box with a cleaning cloth, certificate, and archive documents.
Final Thoughts
Limited to 750 pieces, the Sahra Edition feels like a true collaborative creation: part Riyadh, part Furlan Marri, all held together by the idea that watches can tell stories in ways words sometimes can’t.
With its desert-inspired palette, architectural details, and the warm philosophical fingerprints of both partners, this release is a reminder of why Furlan Marri has made such a rapid impact since its founding in 2021. It’s a watch built with intention, depth, and a sense of place—and for collectors who appreciate design with meaning, that’s an irresistible combination.
For more info, and to secure yours on December, 3 - check out more at Furlan Marri.
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