Hands-On With The Exciting New March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon

March LA.B initially caught my eye with the release of its AM2 GMT Grall Edition in 2024. But the French brand has been around for much longer than just a few years. It is the brainchild of three friends — Alain Marhic, Jérôme Mage, and Joseph Châtel. They share a passion for surfing and 1970s design and started the brand back in 2008. Marhic is the brand’s CEO and operates out of Biarritz, France, while Creative Director Mage lives in LA. The two cities also explain the way “LA.B” is written. For its annual March Millésime release, the brand unveils the special AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon. It’s a lightweight version of March LA.B’s popular AM2, featuring a special forged carbon case. It’s time to find out more.

When I found out that I’d have a chance to review the March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon, I was excited. The AM2 is the brand’s standout octagonal watch. While the three-hand AM2 is a nice retro-styled series, the GMT version adds some contemporary details I like. While the new March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon is not a GMT, it does have some other tricks up its sleeve. The watch takes the retro style of the AM2 and modernizes it with a lightweight forged carbon case that brings some spectacular green into the mix. It completely transforms this new AM2 into something new.

The story of the March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon

Every year in March, March LA.B celebrates its birth month with a Millésime release. These special editions are great tributes to the brand’s history, but in their execution, they are a conceptual look into the future, making them great storytellers.

Last year, March LA.B released a special Grade 5 titanium version of the AM2 Slim GMT that looked rather nice. For this year’s Millésime release, the brand unveils a special version of its AM2 Automatic with a forged carbon case and 3D solid Super-LumiNova hour markers. As you would have guessed, these indexes light up brightly in the dark. That’s also partially why the watch got its “Nyctalope” nickname. In French, this word refers to people who can see well in the dark/low-light conditions and animals with excellent night vision.

But the 3D lume markers are only part of its nightly story. If you take out your UV flashlight, you will be in for a brilliant surprise. As it turns out, the green parts of the forged carbon case light up brightly when exposed to UV light. Even under normal light, though, the lightweight two-color case stands out immediately.

The details of the March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon

Let’s go over some details to give a better idea of the watch. The AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon’s 38mm case has a 44mm length and a 12.8mm profile. It takes a 20mm-wide strap and offers a 100m water resistance rating. The octagonal case also features a knurled black PVD-treated crown at 4 o’clock. While I’d prefer the crown at 3 o’clock for visual balance, practically, its current position never bothered me while I was wearing the watch. On top of that, it’s become a signature element of the AM2 series and is present on all models.

Inside the black-and-green carbon case lies a dark green two-part dial. The central part features a special “armor” motif inspired by the two jacquard-woven straps that come with the watch. The outer portion of the dial houses the large 3D lume markers, connected by the white-printed minute track. As you can see, the large markers at 1, 5, 7, and 11 o’clock are horizontal. I like this design detail because it adds character.

The dial of the AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon features nice details

Placed on the outside of each hour index is a smaller dot-shaped marker that also lights up bright blue in the dark. At 6 o’clock, you will find the framed date window, which shows the date in white numerals on a black disc. However, on the third day of every month, it displays a green “3” to indicate this watch’s special status.

This, of course, refers to March, the month of the brand’s founding, and it’s a nice little touch for people who know the watch’s story. Lastly, a set of gunmetal-tone PVD-treated hands hovers over the dial. As you can see, the hour and minute hands are filled with Super-LumiNova that lights up bright green in the dark, just like the large solid lume markers.

Rounding out the look are two jacquard-woven straps included with this limited-edition release. These straps come courtesy of the Julien Faure ribbon mill in Saint-Étienne, France. That’s the same ribbon mill that provides Tudor with its fabric straps.

The first strap is black and green with a black PVD-treated steel buckle, while the second is all black with a black titanium buckle. Additionally, the keepers of this strap feature small French flags, and the long end features green stitching. I love the little attention to detail, and both straps feel very nicely made, as we have come to expect from Julien Faure straps.

The La Joux-Perret G100 caliber

Unfortunately, the straps do not come with quick-release spring bars. The brand does, however, provide a black PVD pin pusher if you want to change straps. Once you have removed a strap, you also get a good view of the La Joux-Perret G100 caliber through the green sapphire display in the black PVD case back. The automatic movement operates at 28,800 vibrations per hour, features 24 jewels, and offers a 68-hour power reserve. It features a custom skeletonized rotor and is finished nicely.

As you will understand, though, you can only fully see the caliber in action if you remove one of the straps. It almost makes the green sapphire window another little Easter egg, as you will only see little glimpses of it when one of the straps is fitted to the case. This little detail doesn’t bother me because I wouldn’t be looking at the movement very often anyway. I do like that the straps hold the watch in a fixed position, and I prefer that to the option of always being able to see the caliber.

Wearing the March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon

This brings me to the wearing experience. I am always a bit wary about wearing watches with square(-like) cases. If the case is too wide, it can make wearing the watch challenging. But I was relieved to see that the size of this March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon is perfect for my 18.5cm (7.3″) wrist.

It has plenty of wrist presence, and thanks to the lightweight material, it’s a joy to wear. On top of that, the forged carbon immediately changes the watch’s presence. Whereas the regular stainless steel AM2 models feel distinctly retro, this “Nyctalope” Carbon version has a modern vibe that suits the watch’s design very well.

In particular, the combination of the case material and the large solid lume indexes makes this special Millésime edition of the AM2 so different. There are also plenty of intricate details that make wearing this watch fun. The dial texture is subtle and a neat nod to the super comfortable straps. Additionally, the forged carbon case features some nice little angles that accentuate its shape. If there was one thing that surprised me, it’s that the watch doesn’t have a screw-down crown but, rather, a push/pull type. While the latter is easier to use, I somehow expected a screw-down crown.

Final thoughts on the March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon

That didn’t take away any of the fun that I had wearing this March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon, though. This special limited edition turned out to be the perfect introduction to the brand for me. I like the idea of March LA.B releasing a special edition every year to celebrate its birth month. Additionally, this new release perfectly combines the retro style of the AM2 with a modern forged carbon case. It has resulted in a modern AM2 that showcases the great versatility of this series. It has also made me curious to learn more about the different AM2 GMT models in the collection.

For now, the new “Nyctalope” Carbon is a great modern version of the AM2, with some cool Easter eggs that make it even more fun. The green sapphire crystal hidden behind the strap is a cool detail, as is the green “3” on the date disc. They help bring this watch’s special story to life. But most of all, I was surprised to see that the case lights up under UV light. Seeing it glow bright green will make you want to carry a UV flashlight with you all the time. I always keep one in my bag, so as you will understand, I used it constantly while wearing the watch.

Pricing and availability

The March LA.B AM2 “Nyctalope” Carbon is a limited edition of 169 pieces, and I expect all of them to sell out quickly for €2,495 each. Considering what you get, that price is very reasonable. I truly believe this watch offers great value for money.

With a forged carbon case, solid lume markers, a great, reliable caliber, and a nice brand-related story, this is a solid release from March LA.B. It was a perfect hands-on introduction to the brand for me, and I’m now very curious about the other AM2 models. The brand will be exhibiting at Watches and Wonders on April 14th–20th, 2026, so if you are planning to attend the show, make sure to visit March LA.B while you’re there!

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