We first brought you word of the newer brand Maranez back in April with our review of their Racha diver. Today, I want to cover one of their other divers that has a more vintage sort of feel, the Layan.
Much like the Racha, the Layan features a cushion case, albeit this time made in brass, rather than steel; the Layan also only carries a 300m WR rating (the Racha has 1000m). Like the Racha, though, the Layan also sports a sapphire crystal and a Miyota automatic movement (a 8215, in this case). Of course, styling-wise, the Layan is definitely a different animal.
For starters, you’ve got that brass case with no ratcheting bezel, so it simultaneously has a cleaner (and older) look to it. When paired with the green California dial (and the included brown leather strap), you’ve got a nice color palette going here. That California dial is one thing that might give me some pause, I have to say. It’s not that I’m against the style – it’s just that you can find so many of them in all manner of knockoff watches, that the Layan may carry some “guilt by association” just by having the style (note: you can opt for a regular numerical dial as well; either style comes in black, brown, or green).
That may all be moot, though, if the Layan carries the same quality that I experienced with the Racha sample we had in. In terms of wearability, the 43mm case (14mm thick) seems about right for this style, and isn’t overly thick. I’d be interested to see (or hear, if one of our readers have one) how the weight of the case is, given the change in material. That is one thing – with the brass, it may give an option for someone who was wanting to get a bronze case, but needed a lower price point.
And that price? It’s a very affordable $250. No, the Layan isn’t a groundbreaking design by any stretch of the imagination – but, for the mix of very familiar parts, it comes together to create a very tidy-looking package. And, frankly, at that price, I’d say this is nice step up for folks who might have been considering any of the various Panerai homages that are out there on the web for purchase. Step up due to the movement, of course, but also with the unique case material (there is some guessing that the cases are actually the ones Magrette ran into a while back; you can read more on that, as well as a hands-on review, over at Worn & Wound). maranez.com
