Let it not be said that we at aBlogtoWatch do not cover enough watches for ladies because what we have here is a pretty special one from France. The Lornet LA-02 is only the company’s second watch and their first watch for ladies. But guys will find it worthwhile to learn about this young brand as well because the Lornet LA-02 shares a lot in common with the larger men’s Lornet LA-01 watch.

You are probably wondering who Lornet is and why they should be called special. So before we talk about the new LA-02 watch in detail, let’s spend some time to talk about Lornet. The roots of Lornet began in 2014 when founder and watchmaker Anthony Simao started development on their debut LA-01 watch, wanting to make a watch that he could proudly proclaim was made in France.

Fast forward to today and Lornet watches are designed, manufactured, and assembled entirely in France. The case and movements are manufactured in Besançon, the sapphire crystals are made in Morteau, even the handmade wood presentation boxes and hand-stitched alligator straps are crafted in eastern France, in Cramans and Orchamps-Vennes, respectively. The debut LA-01 men’s watch features a stainless steel tonneau case shape with very strong lines and a powerful profile. Coupled with the partially skeletonized dial that reveals the in-house MLA-01 movement within, the watch manages to grab attention in a crowded marketplace.

The MLA-01 movement is also notable because it was designed to be modular, allowing Lornet to add complications on top in the future via modules. Also noteworthy is that the movement is constructed mostly out of aluminum, and it has a tungsten rotor. The MLA-01 beats at 4Hz and the power reserve is a very adequate 55 hours.

The new Lornet LA-02 for ladies follows closely the “recipe” of the LA-01. Like the LA-01 watch, the LA-02 watch has a tonneau-like case shape with a strong profile. The case width is a pretty sizable 38mm wide, and lug to lug measurement is given to be 41mm (the LA-01 men’s watch is 41mm by 50mm). This means it is pretty big for a ladies’ watch, certainly not what I would call petite. However, to keep it wearable, the Lornet LA-02’s case is made using titanium, this keeps weight down to just 69g. The LA-02 also features rose gold accents on the case sides to keep it feminine. Water resistance is just 30 meters, so do keep it clear of liquids.

The Lornet LA-02 also has a skeletonized dial that reveals the inner workings of the new MLA-02 movement within. There are plenty of rose gold accents to keep things looking interesting and to provide contrast. The spear-shaped hour and minute hands, for example, are in rose gold, as is the off-center seconds hand, which is represented by a three-spoked rose gold wheel. Like the MLA-01 in the Lornet LA-01 watch, the MLA-02 is constructed mainly out of aluminum and features a heavy tungsten rotor, which is visible through the sapphire display case back. Beat frequency and power reserve are the same as the MLA-01 mentioned above.

Personally, I think the Lornet LA-02 could be an interesting proposition for ladies for a few reasons. For one, it is made in France, which is not something you can say for many watches. Second is its unique aesthetic, which, to my eyes, is successful even though it foregoes the “delicate” nature of a lot of ladies pieces. And finally, there is the price. The Lornet LA-02 in titanium is priced at €5,400, which is quite appealing for a watch that is unapologetically unorthodox and different. In gold, the Lornet LA-02 is €7,900, which isn’t all too crazy either. For ladies who want a break from the usual suspects from big brand names, the Lornet LA-02 is an interesting option. lornet-watches.com