Blue-dialed watches, timepieces boasting a cerulean face, were once regarded merely as a passing fad, eschewed by haute horology brands as being somewhat inferior to their sleeker white- and black-fascia’d brethren.
But a change has befallen the industry of late, with blue-dial watches now eagerly embraced by discerning collectors, who see them as accessories to be sported proudly, ones that impart their wearers with an aura of je ne sais quoi. The preferences of these style setters have not gone unnoticed, with high-end watch manufactures rising to the occasion by releasing a slew of sleek, blue-hued iterations of some of their iconic designs. Among them, the seven below are some of the latest standouts.
Omega’s Constellation 29mm with aventurine dial
Ladies in search of a discreet blue-dialed design could do far worse than give Swiss luxury maison Omega’s latest aventurine-dial Constellation 29mm a thorough perusal. Here, its slender body is delicately punctuated with a diamond-set bezel and hour markers, all playing a perfect foil for the beautiful aventurine dial beneath, further enhanced by the buyer’s choice of yellow gold, Sedna rose gold or stainless steel case straps.
Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm by Audemars Piguet
Similarly utilising a diamond-set bezel to enhance a blue-dial design is Audemars Piguet’s latest Royal Oak Selfwinding 34mm. One of four new avatars in the 34mm range, it boasts an attractive blue-grey “Grande Tapisserie” – a signature hand-guilloché square-cut pattern – dial that comes fitted with a date aperture at 3 o’clock. Underneath beats a Selfwinding Calibre 5800 movement, with a delicate stainless steel bracelet rounding out its sophisticated appeal.
“Blue-dial watches are now embraced by collectors as true statement timepieces”
Gentlemen collectors are also spoilt for choice when it comes to stunningly intricate blue-dial creations. Take, for instance, the nautically-themed Diver Chronograph 44mm Hammerhead Shark Limited Edition from high-end watch manufacture Ulysse Nardin. Created to celebrate the partnership between the brand and shark conservation non-profit OCEARCH, this 300-piece limited edition sees a hammerhead shark lovingly engraved on the caseback, while its blue-dominant dial and straps are enhanced with bold red accents throughout.
For a more formally sophisticated aesthetic, a good place to start is the latest ‘ocean deep’ version of Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Chronograph. Measuring 41mm in diameter, the 18K pink gold case perfectly offsets its stunning smoked blue lacquer dial. This, in turn, plays host to a small seconds subdial, hour and minute hands and the flyback chronograph. Blue hand-stitched alligator leather straps complete its cerulean aesthetic.
Also joining the fray of blue-dialed watches is the new Monsieur Blue Edition from luxury label Chanel. Part of a limited release of just 55 pieces, this exclusive design houses the brand’s first-ever in-house manufactured movement that powers the jumping hour and minute retrograde complications proudly punctuating its dark blue fascia. A white gold case and matte blue straps round out its sleek appeal.
An even more intricate design comes from Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre, whose expertise in crafting complications is wholly evident in the new Master Control Memovox. An homage to the brand’s original 1950 Memovox, it resurrects the design’s classic combination of alarm and date displays on a silver sunray-brushed ring on a deep blue dial. Visible through its transparent caseback is the self-winding Calibre 956 movement, which also powers the Memovox’s iconic ‘school bell’ alarm chime.
For the well-heeled jetsetter, though, there is perhaps no better blue-faced companion than the new Star Legacy Orbis Terrarum from renowned German marque Montblanc. This elegant, intricate yet easily legible world-time device allows wearers to check times in multiple locations at a glance. Taking its international motif to heart, at its centre lies the North Pole, with the map of the Northern Hemisphere radiating outwards. It’s an attractive design, one that fully utilises blue tones to capture our planet in one dial, and aptly demonstrates the appeal of cerulean-fronted timepieces.
Text: Tenzing Thondup