Jordy Bellido
Ideal for summer, the Gucci Grip in sapphire crystal lets the intense summer light shine through its 40mm case. Among the three models that arrived in the office, I flashed on the green one first. If you regularly read these team tests, you will know that I never hesitate when this colour is available. Another element that I particularly like about this watch is its cushion shape. It is not something you see very often, so it is a refreshing feature that is very welcome. As you can see, the digital reading is extremely intuitive. The use of sapphire crystal is interesting at this level, because it lets the past and the future hours show through, reminding us that we must be aware of the present moment and enjoy life to the full. Let’s finish with the comfort of wearing it. The use of rubber is a wise choice, as this material fits the shape of the wrist perfectly. Whether your arm is on the chunky or delicate side, it will appreciate your choice of watch.
Sophie Furley
We were originally expecting to receive the green Gucci Grip in the office for our team test, but at the very last minute the lovely people at Gucci were able to send us the blue one and the transparent version too. Normally, this would be a good thing, only it made choosing a favourite particularly challenging as I loved them all. So, here is a little review on all three! The first thing that you notice about these timepieces is their sapphire crystal cases that give then their luxurious feel. Then, the eye falls on the dials that indicate the time using discs instead of hands. The hours are on the outer ring, while the minutes are indicated on the inner circle, making them as easy-to-read as a digital display. The green and transparent versions have a different coloured window for the reading of the time ¬– pink for the hours and yellow for the minutes – while the blue version uses a lighter shade of blue for its time indication. The jelly-style straps are also important to note as they are incredibly comfortable as they literally mould themselves around the wrist. So, once you put this watch on, you won’t ever want to take it off.
Suzanne Wong
Raise your hand if you watched Gucci present their Spring 2022 collection in Los Angeles last November. Anyone? No, me neither. I do have a bunch of friends who are as deep into fashion as I am into watches, though, so I can confidently reveal that Gucci’s ready-to-wear collection this season draws hard on lush Hollywood glamour for inspiration. If you like your fashion evocative rather than conceptual, then this is for you. And, yes, that includes their watches too. Sumptuous colour, structured outlines, heightened play with light and textures — these translate easily from runway to wrist, as demonstrated by the Gucci Grip Sapphire. Available in several hues, the Gucci Grip Sapphire exposes both hour and minute discs in an exuberant burst of transparency. I vastly prefer this interpretation to the metal-cased versions — and not just because I enjoy watching the jumping hours and minutes at work. Being a prolific desk snacker (my colleagues have seen me demolish half a kilo of pistachios in one sitting), to my calorie-clouded eyes the metal-cased Gucci Grip has the rather reproachful look of a set of bathroom scales, while the Gucci Grip Sapphire evokes fond memories of hard candies and those excellent jelly sandals everyone wore to the beach in the 90s.
Marie de Pimodan
At times like these, when the editorial office is overwhelmed with summer heat, we take any opportunity for a little refreshment! With impeccable timing, Sophie just pushed open the door of my room, the Gucci Grip Sapphire in her hand — “Team test,” she declared. I did not hold back my delight in discovering its mint-coloured sapphire-crystal case of 40mm. And this was only the beginning. This watch has style, and assuredly so. It exhibits the famous touch of chic exuberance that we would expect from any Gucci watch. Above all, it proved as comfortable as it was original in its method of time display. No hands here to capture the hours and minutes, but instead two concentric discs (jumping hours on the outermost disc and minutes on the inner disc) driven by a self-winding movement. Reading the time is extremely easy and intuitive, paired with its graphic aesthetic, since the hour and minute discs marked by numerals reminiscent of a digital watch are revealed through the transparent sapphire case. Refreshing indeed!
