French microbrand Serica has toiled since 2019 to create an aesthetic that makes their watches instantly recognizable—rounded design elements with precise proportions, even wildly varying models like their field watch, diver, and stadium-shaped Parade contain unifying hallmarks: carefully considered dial balance, 1970s-esque styling, and prominent bezel designs all signal a Serica timepiece. Over the past seven years, they’ve continued to refine their watches from a mechanical standpoint, too, introducing complications and added robustness to withstand tool watch duties. The 8315 line of GMT models is perhaps their most function-forward design, first debuting in 2022. Like most Serica watches, it favors a cleanly balanced dial, meaning no date function—ideal for a travel watch, which is the intended use of the 8315, earning it the “Travel Chronometer” name. Now, Serica unveils a slick new colorway for the popular model: Golden Green.
The 8315-3 Golden Green doesn’t purport to be a grand deviation from the Travel Chronometer formula. In fact, it bears the same internals and basic design as its line-mates, primarily the Swiss chronometer-certified Soprod C125 automatic movement, which allows for 42 hours of power reserve and 200 meters of water resistance. This movement powers the GMT hand and “caller” GMT function. This gives it a simpler use case than the more complicated local jumping “flyer” GMT seen in watches like the Tudor Black Bay GMT; basically, you can independently manipulate the 24-hour GMT hand and bezel to your desired alternate timezone while using the normal 12-hour hands to track your local time. It’s a simpler system that works best for infrequent travelers or those who regularly speak with friends, coworkers, or clients out of their local zone—or, if you’re someone like me, serves as a great way to remind you that the San Jose Sharks are on at 5pm, not 7, since they’re playing away against the St. Louis Blues.
That being said, the Golden Green takes the rather distinctive two-tone GMT bezel design of the 8315 series (indicating AM and PM, and day and night) and splashes it with a coat of the eponymous green color. Like previous models, the two-tone coloring is asymmetrical, giving more visual credence to the white PM section to both more accurately depict how the light changes, and make it easier to interpret at a glance. The freshly green upper AM portion, though featuring slightly less coverage than its counterpart, is striking enough to balance the division and keep it from feeling too top-heavy. It’s a brilliant little design cue that adds the touch of neo-vintage charm that enthusiasts have come to expect from Serica, and it fits the 39mm 316L stainless steel case’s silhouette very well, giving it visual heft on top of the 12.3mm height (with double-domed sapphire crystal).
Moving on to the dial, it bears the same design as previous models, but dressed in a handsome dark green. The white indices are outlined in the same olive green as the bezel, which also makes an appearance within the hour and minute hands, inversely framed in white. The tip of the GMT hand has a little copper-colored circle, echoing the circular motif of the hour markers. A railroad-style minute tracks ups the vintage flair, while the lack of any obvious Serica branding keeps the focus on function and form, rather than clout. Similarly, the caseback is kept incredibly simple, bearing nothing but etched specifications around the circumference. A crown at 3 o’clock is the final functional item; along with the brand’s popular 20mm Expedition bracelet, which marries guilloche endlinks with woven, folded, and machined stainless steel.
Serica continues to produce watches that stand out from the microbrand rush in their cohesiveness across wildly different models, lines, and functions. The 8315-3 is a continuation of that, albeit with an exciting new colorway that even further elevates it above similarly priced caller GMTs. The Serica 8315-3 Golden Green Travel Chronometer retails for $2,342 USD (€2,090.00 EUR). Serica
