Deco Ibarra Gran Luz

The Gran Luz is the debut creation from Deco Ibarra, a design-forward line under Ibarra—the Filipino watch brand established in 2014. Designed by Ibarra founder and now a Tokyo-based watchmaker Francisco Moreno, the Gran Luz reflects a bold vision: to distill Filipino heritage into contemporary form through storytelling, symbolism, and cross-cultural design.

Named Gran Luz—Spanish for “great light”—the watch is a study in balance, light, and narrative clarity. The dial features mother-of-pearl inlays at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock, evoking the iridescence of South Sea pearls native to the Sulu Sea. The polished applied hour markers reinterpret the sunburst motif of the Philippine flag in a clean Art Deco geometry, honoring both national symbolism and global design language. A clean base and dauphine hands bring structure and quiet brilliance to the dial.

The 36mm polished stainless steel case (38.5mm with crown) takes cues from mid-century American dress watches—forms that found fertile ground in the Philippines during the rise of Art Deco architecture across Manila. With a domed sapphire crystal, brushed screw-down caseback, and 50m water resistance, the case is at once nostalgic and modern. The bracelet, a polished stainless steel expansion band, is inspired by the "banig"—handwoven mats from Samar—reimagined here as an expression of craft and geometry.

At its heart is the Miyota 9039, a slim Japanese automatic movement beating at 28,800 vph with a 42-hour power reserve. It is housed not simply as a technical component, but as part of a narrative-driven object—a watch that connects cultures, histories, and identities.

The Gran Luz is not just a debut. It is a design manifesto from the Philippines: a celebration of heritage shaped into contemporary horology. In a world where storytelling increasingly defines luxury, Deco Ibarra introduces a voice that is both deeply rooted and globally resonant.