Depancel Pista GT Owner Review : Sporty, consistent and subtle

A lifelong watch lover, I was looking for a quality automatic to wear every day. If possible, made in France. After being exposed to the launch campaign on social media, it was in pre-order in the summer of 2021 that I was tempted by this P model, Pista GT. Delivered in bulky, slightly outdated packaging, the watch itself looks great. Despite a somewhat large-looking case, the watch on the wrist is still quite thin, very comfortable to wear. Its beautifully crafted black leather strap is perforated, stitched with red thread, and optionally equipped with a 22mm folding clasp. While many codes from motorsport adorn it (red stitching on the strap, red edging on the crown, graduation like the red zone of a rev counter), the design of the Pista GT is balanced and remains elegant. The sporty details can be appreciated by looking at it closely, which makes it less flashy than many models of the same kind. Its 42mm steel case equipped with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal is highlighted by a black PVD coated, notched outline, with the appearance of a sports tire. Within it, a skeleton dial reminiscent of a supercar rim and its brake disc. On the mechanical side, it is powered by a Swiss automatic movement (STP - caliber 6-15) with a 44-hour reserve, whose witness is judiciously placed in the location of the 'brake disc'. After a year, this Pista GT continues to proudly wear it on my wrist daily, without sparing it: as a biker, it endures the ravages of the weather.... In addition to a very good quality-price ratio, I do not regret this purchase at any time. The quality of assembly and the finishing details even impressed a friend working in Swiss precision watchmaking, a guarantee of quality. The only defect due to wear is at the level of the leather loops which are starting to split.