Lebond has carved out a special niche for itself in the watch industry. The Spanish brand creates watches for architecture enthusiasts. For its first two releases, Lebond collaborated with famous architects. The inaugural Lebond Siza from 2023 was designed by the famous Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza, while the second release, the Lebond Souto Moura, was designed by fellow Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura. For this third release, Lebond founder Asier Mateo channeled world-famous architect Antoni Gaudí. The two new Lebond Attraction watches were inspired by Gaudì’s Hotel Attraction, a building that never came to fruition. I had a chance to find out more.
Immediately after the huge box containing the two watches landed on my desk, I felt intrigued. I knew the watches were to arrive in a wooden display case, but I had no idea that the abstract recreation of Gaudí’s Hotel Attraction would be this big. It shows the incredible dedication Mateo puts into every release and beautifully brings the watch’s concept to life. The new Lebond Attraction commemorates the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s passing. Instead of choosing one of the architect’s famous creations, Mateo opted for the Hotel Attraction. It’s a stunning unbuilt project with a unique story that isn’t as widely known, even among enthusiasts.
The story of the Lebond Attraction watches
Antoni Gaudì designed the Hotel Attraction in 1908 at the age of 56. At a planned 360 meters, this unique building would have become the world’s tallest skyscraper at the time. Gaudí’s Hotel Attraction was to be built in the Big Apple while the famous architect was working on the Sagrada Família in Barcelona. The organic silhouette of the building was way ahead of its time and would have made it a futuristic standout in New York’s modern skyline.
The two new watches, aptly named the Lebond Attraction, draw inspiration from an overhead view of the Hotel Attraction for their design. This results in an interesting pair of watches that are radically different from Lebond’s first two releases. Additionally, the way this watch displays the time in a fun way, using two discs, fits the architecture-inspired design perfectly. It made me curious to find out more about these new Lebond creations.
The details of the Lebond Attraction
The new Lebond Attraciton features a lightweight Grade 5 titanium case with a 38mm diameter, a 10.4mm thickness, and a 46mm lug-to-lug. It’s a very handsome, sculpted case that is elegant, lightweight, and beautifully proportioned. Additionally, it features a small onion-style crown on the right side. The case has a matte-sanded finish that immediately creates a distinct presence. To ensure you can handle the watch without leaving fingerprints, it even has an anti-fingerprint coating.
The combination of the case, bezel, dial, and crystal takes inspiration from the top view of Gaudí’s Hotel Attraction. It’s a layered and detailed design that immediately stands out. One glance at the dial and you will understand that the time is displayed with a combination of an hour disc and a minute hand.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet. First, I should mention that the watch is available in two versions. The Original Edition combines gray, silver, and light brown tones, while the Dark Edition combines the same gray and silver tones with black for a different aesthetic. While the colors are different, the dial design is the same for both.
The unique dial design of the Lebond Attraction
The dial construction for both models consists of a base dial with a white luminous railroad minute track. As you can see, every five minutes has an extended marker that serves as an hour index. Placed atop the base dial is a disc with a luminous trapezoidal marker that points to the hours.
Hovering over the base dial and the hour disc is a white luminous hand that extends to the minute track. Lastly, a rotating top disc replaces the seconds hand, subtly indicating that your watch is running. The sapphire crystal protecting the dial features the brand’s printed logo, which is a nice touch.
All in all, it’s a fun, contemporary dial design. For the Original Edition, the base dial and discs are silver with a vertically brushed finish, while the Dark Edition features an anthracite base dial and discs with a similar finish.
Rounding out the look of the Original Edition is a smooth, light-brown nappa leather strap with a titanium folding clasp. Fittingly, the Dark Edition comes with a smooth, black nappa leather strap, but the clasp is the same.
The ETA 2892-A2 inside the Lebond Attraction
Though the time display is unconventional, the watches are powered by the trusted ETA 2892-A2. This automatic caliber operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, features 21 jewels, and offers a 50-hour power reserve. The movement is finished neatly with blued screws, Geneva stripes, and perlage. Through the sapphire display on the case back, you can see the caliber in action. Additionally, this sapphire crystal features a white depiction of the hotel’s design. Mateo picked the trusted ETA 2892-A2 after it also powered the inaugural Lebond Siza and its follow-up, the Souto Moura. The big advantage of this caliber is its slim profile, which allows Mateo to keep the watches quite thin. Thanks to this, they are not just fun in terms of design but also super comfortable on the wrist.
Wearing the Lebond Attraction
This brings me to the wearing experience of the two Lebond Attraction models. The first thing that stands out is that both watches are incredibly light, weighing just 33 grams each (not including the straps). But there is more to it than just the weight — or lack thereof. Both the proportions and the overall dimensions make for a watch that sits very well on the wrist. Adding to the comfort is the nicely curved case shape, which flows with the curvature of your wrist. As a result of all these traits, the Lebond Attracion is an absolute joy to wear.
Additionally, the way the watch displays the time is original and fun if you can keep the concept behind it in mind. While the practicality of reading the time with the hour disc and the hand is a nice alternative for displaying the time, it’s the connection to Gaudí’s Hotel Attraction that defines the design solutions Asier Mateo created for these two new releases.
That adds a layer that also explains the matte-sanded finish of the case, which doesn’t rely on the traditional visual appeal of a mixture of brushed and polished finishes. I especially love the look of the Original Edition, with its softer tones that, in my mind, relate more to great architectural works and materials.
Overall impressions of the two Lebond Attraction models
If you recall the concept behind the watches, you will greatly appreciate the work Mateo put into these two new Lebond Attraction models. I have a healthy interest in Gaudí’s work, and it also triggered me to read more about the thought and design behind Hotel Attraction. On top of that, Mateo and I had an animated conversation about Gaudí’s work, which included the Netflix crime series City of Shadows (Ciudad de sombras), set in Barcelona and featuring Gaudí’s architectural creations as the main locations for the murders.
Most of all, it reminded me that I haven’t been back to the city I love so much. Over the course of six or seven visits, I saw most of Gaudí’s works, but it’s time to go back and revisit them. If anything, these two new Lebond Attraction watches are a great reminder of that. If you love architecture, especially Antoni Gaudí’s work, you will undoubtedly be intrigued by these watches, available for €2,400 (ex. taxes) on the brand’s official website.
The magic of the first two Lebond models is greater to me because they are the design of two legendary architects. But the romance of the story of these two new Attraction models cannot be underestimated. Instead of focusing on the great works of Gaudí that were built, choosing a work that never came to fruition most definitely adds a layer of intrigue.
A magnificent display stand
In addition to creating the watches, Lebond went the extra mile to bring Gaudí’s skyscraper to life. For the true, dedicated collectors, Mateo offers a hand-crafted wooden exhibition stand that is a scale model of a part of Gaudí’s Hotel Attraction. It stands 42 centimeters tall and weighs a hefty three kilograms. The case reproduces the exact proportions and geometry of the upper section of the Hotel Attraction.
Each case takes 20 hours of dedicated craftsmanship and features 12 vertical and 24 horizontal lines. A Barcelona master turner creates the case from solid sapele wood, which is then finished with a matte varnish for enhanced durability. You can get this stunning exhibition stand to display the watches for an extra €1,600 (ex. taxes).
A continuing story
As mentioned, these new Lebond watches prompted me to read more about Gaudí’s lesser-known project. The way that Mateo integrated all the different cues from the Hotel Attraction shows great love and dedication, and that deserves praise. Additionally, the watches wear like a dream. So I would say that Mateo created a great third Lebond release that will undoubtedly find its way to fans of both watches and architecture.
It’s great to see Lebond releasing nice watches inspired by the world’s great architects. As a huge fan of architecture, I hope that the brand will continue to do that successfully for years to come.
Jorg Weppelink
2026-02-11 12:00:00