Influenced by the Guitar but does it strike a chord or a bum note?
Disclosure: I bought this watch directly from Luthier Watches at a small discount. If you decide to pick one up, you can use code WATCHJOURNEY10 for £10 off the £129 retail price.
7
Good
the Luthier LP Black earns high marks for its sleek 8mm profile, reliable Seiko quartz movement, and clever guitar-inspired details like the Gibson Les Paul cutaway at 12 o’clock. However, its score is held back from top-tier status by practical drawbacks
RRP
£129
Save £10 with my code WATCHJOURNEY10
CASE
40mm
Black PVD coated
MOVEMENT
Quartz
Seiko VJ-21
AVAILABILITY
Available
In Black, White or Blue
Every once in a while you’ll come across a watch that you’ll just like. Specs sheets, movement times, brand names all go out the window—you just like the watch. Maybe it reminds you of something, or it evokes a memory of a person or place, or maybe it combines your passion for watches with another love… say, a love of music.
This was exactly what happened when I discovered Luthier Watches and their LP series. I’ve grown up loving music, dabbling (in the loosest sense of the word) with trying (and failing) to learn a few instruments. But gigs and live music still remain a massive part of my life; it’s the go-to activity for me and my friends to be a group of 40(+)-year-olds trying to recapture our youth watching the likes of Limp Bizkit tear up the stage at Download, sweating it out watching Alexisonfire at Brixton Academy on one of the hottest days of the year, or travelling all the way to Dublin to see Biffy Clyro, or even watching them locally at the Utilita. I enjoy music, the louder the better!
Music-inspired watches or even more niche guitar-inspired watches do not seem to be too common. Timex has recently released a collab with Fender, but the pick of that bunch sets you back £400. US microbrand Trafford’s GMT Touring series had some great-looking watches, but they are small batch and sell like hot cakes—there is a definite gap in the market. I’m still searching for my perfect ‘ode to heavy metal’ watch. Luthier’s LP does come some way to bridging that gap.
Luthier’s inspiration comes from guitars—it’s in their branding, plain as day. The brand’s name literally means a person who builds or restores stringed instruments. The model name, the LP, is taken from the Gibson Les Paul. Their applied watch logo is shaped just like the guitar itself. The watch pays tribute to a passion and to an instrument. The question is: now that I have it in hand, is it everything I h1oped for? Has it scratched that music-watch itch?
The answer is yes… well… sort of. Don’t get me wrong, this is a great watch for the price paid, and its subtle tributes and guitar-inspired details are great. But at the end of the day, it is a watch, and there are a few watch-related drawbacks that mean it’s not perfect. Let’s get into the detail.
Pros
- Clever Guitar Design: Incorporating the Gibson Les Paul cutaway shape into the 12 o’clock marker is brilliant design work that keeps the dial ultra-clean.
- Affordable & Reliable: Powered by a grab-and-go Seiko quartz movement at a price point that leaves plenty of cash left over for gig tickets.
- Striking Dial Dynamics: The rose gold LP logo against the matte black dial and contrasting silver indices looks fantastic in the light and makes for a great wrist shot.
Cons
- Fiddly Mesh Bracelet: The end-clasp design makes getting a tight, precise fit a bit of a battle.
- Crystal Glare & Maintenance: Uncoated flat sapphire makes the crystal a mirror in bright light and a bit of a magnet for fingerprints and dust.
- No Lume: Absolute dark-venue stealth means you won’t be checking the time when the house lights go down.
Specifications
| Movement | Quartz Seiko VJ-21 |
| Case Diameter | 40mm |
| Case Thickness | 8mm |
| Lug width | 20mm |
| Case Material | 316L Stainless Steel (Black PVD coating) |
| Crystal | Sapphire crystal with Inner anti-reflective coating |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Strap/Bracelet | Stainless Steel Milanese Bracelet or Leather Strap |
| Lume | – |
| Complications | – |
Design
Before you even open the box, Luthier’s M.O. is clear: minimalist design, solid execution, with an emphasis on the guitar. It’s a no-frills approach, but it still looks good and doesn’t feel cheap. Inside, the watch sits nicely on a pillow alongside a QR card and a Luthier-branded plectrum—a nice touch that continues to hammer home the guitar theme.
The LP series comes in three color variants: a white dial and a blue dial (both in a 316L stainless steel case with silver hands/indices on white, and rose gold on blue), and the watch I purchased—the LP Black. It features a 316L stainless steel case with a Black PVD coating, a black dial, grey/silver hands and indices, and a rose gold logo at 12 o’clock.
All three variants feature a sapphire crystal, are powered by a Seiko VJ21 quartz movement, and can be purchased on your choice of strap: tan or black leather, or a steel mesh bracelet in black or silver depending on your choice of dial. I got mine on the black mesh, and here lies our first issue with the LP: that bracelet. The fold-over clasp is at the end of the strap, meaning to get a tight fit you need to feed the other end through to your desired position then click the clasp down to hold it. Now, I never mastered the guitar past the basic ‘Axis of Awesome’ 4 chords, so it may be my lack of dexterity, but it’s a real struggle to get the strap through to the right place, hold it, and then click it down without the strap slipping slightly, creating a looser-than-intended fit. I quickly swapped it out for a black distressed leather strap and confined the bracelet to the box it came in. It’s a shame because the bracelet itself was good quality and comfortable to wear.
The standout feature of this watch, though, is that dial. For something with such a minimalist design, it’s remarkably striking and well thought out.
The watch dial itself, despite being minimalist, is actually pretty interesting to look at. The contrast changes under different lighting conditions—from a deep matte black, almost stealth-like look, to softer greyish tones. The indices then catch the light and shimmer in an almost silver color or can appear dark and black like the dial. The LP guitar logo at 12 o’clock in rose gold provides the perfect contrast on the all-black dial, again lightening and darkening depending on the angle. This has genuinely been one of my favorite watches to try and photograph because it looks so different in various light.
This does bring me to my next drawback: the crystal is a dust and fingerprint magnet! Due to the matte black dial, smudges are quite noticeable, and while it’s a minor issue, I did find myself constantly trying to clean the dial to remove marks.
The case itself is well constructed at only 8mm thick, making this a great wear under a shirt or jumper. The case finishing has a polished look, with a single line running around the perimeter that adds depth and detail to the case. For an all-black watch, the polished finish works well and suits the overall aesthetic. The crown is small, unsigned, and simple, but easy to operate and does its job effectively.
The caseback is a screw-down silver plate with the brand’s guitar motif and name etched in the center, alongside details of the watch’s water resistance (50m), case material, and movement etched around the outer ring.
The standout feature of this watch, though, is that dial. For something with such a minimalist design, it’s remarkably striking and well thought out. Using the guitar logo as the 12 o’clock marker works brilliantly and removes the need for additional dial text or clutter.
Performance
Movement & Execution Under the hood, the LP Black relies on the Japanese Seiko VJ21 quartz movement. In a world where watch enthusiasts often get caught up discussing automatic rotors, power reserves, and mechanical beat rates, opting for a quartz caliber here makes absolute practical sense. It keeps the case silhouette razor-thin, holds the price down, and provides that grab-and-go convenience where you can leave it on a nightstand for days and know it’s still running to the exact second when you pick it up.
From an accuracy standpoint, the VJ21 delivers steady precision—gaining or losing only a few seconds a month. The seconds hand lands with a clean beat, and pulling out the crown engages a hacking function, stopping the seconds hand completely so you can synchronize the time precisely. The small, unsigned crown takes a firm pinch to grip but once engaged, setting the time feels direct and responsive. Powered by a standard SR621SW cell with an expected 3-year battery life, long-term maintenance costs are practically non-existent.
However, translating that internal accuracy into quick visual legibility brings a few real-world performance trade-offs:
Glare & Optical Clarity: The flat sapphire crystal is a fantastic spec inclusion for scratch resistance at this price point. However, because the matte black dial underneath absorbs light while the crystal reflects it, the front glass frequently acts like a mirror in direct sunlight or under harsh fluorescent ceiling lights. Reading the time isn’t impossible, but it often requires a subtle twist of the wrist to angle the glare away. Low-Light & Dark Venue Legibility: In keeping with its minimalist geometry, there is zero luminous material (lume) anywhere on the dial, indices, or hands. The polished hands and rose gold LP logo rely entirely on reflecting ambient light to remain visible. Step into a dimly lit music venue or out on the street at night, and the dial effectively goes stealth mode. If you need to check how long until the main act comes on while standing in a dark crowd, you’ll be checking your phone instead.
On The Wrist
While the crystal reflections and lack of lume require some real-world compromises, the physical wearability of the LP Black is easily one of its strongest selling points.On paper, a 40mm case diameter can sometimes feel wide for a dress-leaning, minimal-bezel watch. However, Luthier balances this out with a compact 45mm lug-to-lug distance. The short, downward-curving lugs wrap around the wrist rather than extending flat across it, preventing any awkward “lug overhang” or floating gaps.
Where the watch truly excels on the wrist is its profile:
The 8mm Profile: At just 8mm thick, it is impressively flat. It slides effortlessly under tight shirt cuffs, leather jackets, or fitted jumper sleeves without catching on fabric. The lightweight 316L stainless steel construction means the watch head sits balanced and centered without twisting around your wrist throughout the day.
The Strap Transformation: As touched on in the design section, swapping out the stock black mesh bracelet for an aftermarket black distressed leather strap completely transformed the wearing experience. With a standard 20mm lug width, the LP Black is a total “strap monster.” Shifting to a soft leather strap eliminates the fit issues of the mesh, hugs the wrist naturally from day one, and visually anchors the matte black PVD case. On leather, it turns into an exceptionally comfortable, lightweight piece you can wear all day without a second thought.
Should you buy it?
Buy it if
You want a subtle, music-inspired watch that offers a clever nod to guitar culture, while remaining sleek and minimalist. Combining a reliable grab-and-go Seiko quartz movement with an ultra-thin 8mm profile.
Skip it if
skip the Luthier LP Black if legibility and low-light visibility are priorities for you, as the lack of any luminous material makes it impossible to read the time in dark venues.
Final Thoughts
Has the Luthier LP Black scratched that itch for a music-inspired watch? Yes, in some ways it has—even if it comes with a few small quirks along the way.When you buy a watch like this, you aren’t buying high-end horological specs, 300 meters of water resistance, or multi-layered anti-reflective coatings. You’re buying into a passion.
You’re wearing something on your wrist that nods directly to a love of guitars, live music, and that incredible feeling of standing in a roaring venue with thousands of other fans. Luthier has managed to capture that spirit in a subtle, clever way without resorting to tacky gimmicks or over-the-top graphics.
At the end of the day, no watch is perfect, especially at around £100. But the LP Black doesn’t need to be perfect to be enjoyable. It’s a sleek, comfortable, and well-executed minimalist watch that lets you carry a little piece of your music passion on your wrist every day. If you’re willing to swap the strap and ignore a bit of crystal reflection, it’s a brilliant, stylish alternative to the generic minimalist microbrands out there.
Where to buy and more reading
Further reading
Check out ThisisWatchCountrys great review of the LP in White.
