March LA.B founder Alain Marhic’s love of the ocean can be traced back to his native Nantes, where he founded two windsurfing academies in the region in the early 90s. When he relocated to Biarritz, he worked for surfing lifestyle brand Quiksilver before turning his attention to the world of horology.

He continues to express his deep-rooted passion for the sport with his watches, through March LA.B’s latest release, the Bonzer, taking its name from the revolutionary surfboard created by Duncan and Malcolm Campbell in the 1970s.

The decade’s influence is strongly felt in its design, and indeed March LA.B’s overall aesthetic. It has seafaring credentials, waterproof to 100m and fitted with diver’s watch essentials including a screw-down crown and rotating notched bezel. Yet its sophisticated look, with its retro-inspired angular indices and hands, works just as well on shore.

The Bonzer comes in a bold, monochromatic version, along with iterations in shades of blue and green, available on a range of strap options from practical rubber to leather or metal bracelet.

From £1,065; march-lab.com