A watch called Ibarra

For watch enthusiasts who are feeling particularly patriotic, there’s a new Filipino-branded timepiece that was launched just in time for the holiday season.

Photos: KP Aguirre/Ibarra Watches

The Ibarra watch is named after the iconic protagonist in Jose Rizal’s seminal novel "Noli Me Tangere." Designed and developed by a group of Filipino entrepreneurs led by Nico Moreno, the watch is touted as the first locally crafted dress watch for gentlemen and ladies.

“[Designer] Francis Libiran came out with a limited edition of a watch brand under his name, but Ibarra is really the first to be available to a broader market,” said Moreno during the launch at Pablo restaurant in Makati City last week.

The watch features a simple, no-nonsense design inspired by classic models like Patek Philippe’s Calatrava and Vacheron Constantin’s Patrimony collection. It uses scratch-proof sapphire glass and a Swiss quartz movement. The strap is made of calfskin leather. It’s also water-resistant up to 50 meters.

Moreno, who is a physicist by training, co-designed the watch with a team. On the decision to come out with a classic watch design instead of something with unmistakable Filipino elements, he said it was important to show the world that the Filipino “could compete at a language everyone speaks.”

“We came up with a Western design in order to be a global brand,” Moreno said. “We wanted something that can appeal to the world but is still very much Filipino.”

The entrepreneur said his watch journey began about two years ago, when he couldn’t find an elegant timepiece that carried a distinctly Filipino brand. Right away he saw the opportunity. Using his manufacturing background and a deep passion for watches, he created the Ibarra watch and developed a prototype assembled in China.

Moreno and his business partners say they chose the name Ibarra because it connotes “a classic Filipino gentleman who possesses a strong and sophisticated demeanor, well-educated, and one who is both a visionary and a dreamer, not only for himself, but for the community.”

There are four pieces in the initial Ilustrado collection, each with a price tag just under P9,000: Rizal 36mm Rose Gold, Rizal 36mm Silver, Rizal 40mm Rose Gold (P8,950), and Rizal 40mm Silver.

Moreno says Ibarra watches are unisex, and adds that he hopes they convey the impression that Filipinos do value time and that “Filipino time” can mean “Filipino On Time.”

Talk about an idea whose time has come. — BM, GMA News

Ibarra watches are available online through ibarrawatches.com and zalora.com.ph. It can also be purchased at Talas Manileño Barbershop in Cubao Expo, Quezon City.