Sailing is one of the most intense outdoor pursuits and watches designed to cope with the rigours of the highly competitive sport need, at the very least, to be hardwearing and waterproof. Better still, they should possess ultimate accuracy, countdown timers for the start of each race, and tools to indicate tide level. An essential compass, a barometer showing air-pressure variation and multiple time zones are also worthy attributes.

Rolex’s association with the world of sailing stretches back to the 1950s, and its Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master series is considered essential regatta gear by many. The timepieces have a range of features tailored to the demands of sporting life on the ocean wave. For instance, the bidirectional 60-minute graduated bezel, hewed from either gold or platinum or fitted with Cerachrom insert in matt black ceramic, is marked by polished graduations and numerals which are raised to enable the wearer to read time intervals, for instance between two buoys, accurately.

The sailing watches come with either a paramagnetic escape wheel (calibre 2236) or a Chronergy escapement (calibre 3235) movement. The latter has strong anti-magnetic properties and is known for its high energy efficiency. Crucially for sailing, its Parachrom hairspring made of a paramagnetic alloy not only strengthens resistance to shocks but also enhances stability under variable temperature conditions. This stability is ably supported by high-performance Paraflex shock absorbers.

The dials feature large hour markers and broad hands filled with luminescent material that boosts legibility under all sailing conditions by emitting a glow lasting longer than traditional phosphorescent materials. The scratchproof sapphire crystal features a Cyclops lens at 3 o’clock for the ultimate in visual enhancement. Bracelets are equipped with patented Oysterlock safety clasps to prevent accidental opening, which could be critical in a racing environment.

Omega’s 45.5 mm Seamaster Planet Ocean chronograph watch pays homage to the turquoise colours of Emirates Team New Zealand, which will compete at the America’s Cup in Barcelona in August. Contrasting the deep black that dresses the rest of this large model, the aqua hue appears on the indicator hand, subdial ring, minute track, number 12 and seconds, brushed black ceramic pushers, helium escape valve and Omega logo on the crown. A countdown indicator with a flagged start appears at 3 o’clock.

More than 200 years ago, Abraham-Louis Breguet invented the tourbillon to counteract the effects of gravity seen in standard vertically held timepieces of the era. The excellence of his chronometers at sea was lauded by the French navy. Joining Breguet’s seafaring line, the Marine Tourbillon 5577 pays tribute to the early invention of the manufacture with an ultra-thin tourbillon positioned at 5 o’clock and rotating in 60 seconds – the traditional concept that acts to cancel out gravitational errors. Water resistant to 100 metres and constructed of materials that provide resistance to corrosion and wear, plus gravitational fields, the self-winding movement with peripheral oscillating weight is visible through a sapphire caseback.

The spirit of exploration and designing watches that can withstand the most challenging and inhospitable of environments lies behind the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Collection. The latest addition to the line – Montblanc 1858 Geosphere 0 Oxygen South Pole Exploration – features a sfumato iced-blue glacier-patterned dial created using a special layered technique called gratté boisé that involves more than 30 steps. Here it creates the impression of staring at the oxygen-free blue-toned Antarctic ice. In a reaction to this harsh environment for which the watch was designed, the titanium case is devoid of oxygen internally, preventing oxidisation and fogging. The components are thus rendered far more durable to foster long-lasting precision.

Another interesting attribute is a complication of turning Northern and Southern hemisphere globes at 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock with a 24-hour scale and day and night indication, meaning it is possible to see the time anywhere across the globe quickly and easily.

Chopard’s Happy Ocean is a chic water-sports model with a steel and 18-carat rose gold case. Aided by a rose gold screw-down crown, it offers water resistance all the way down to 300 metres, where visibility is assisted by applied gilded hour-markers enhanced with Super-LumiNova. As expected of this watch line, its galvanic-treated wave-pattered blue dial features five dancing diamonds.

Ulysse Nardin has had a long association with marine chronometers and continues to craft timepieces suitable for the ardours of the ocean. Two recent additions, Diver Net Azure and Diver X Skeleton Azure, offer increased durability and increased usage of recycled materials to nurture the health of the ocean by reducing plastic waste. The former’s central case, bezel, caseback and movement mount are manufactured from 95% recycled steel, while its side case and caseback ring meld 60% Nylo recycled fishing nets and 40% Carbonium upcycled carbon fibre from the aeronautics industry.

New red gold or grade 23 titanium watches bring lustre to the Blancpain 42 mm Fifty Fathoms Automatique diving line. The red gold version has undoubted aesthetic appeal, while grade 23 titanium provides a sporty look; it is also lightweight yet robust with anti-scratch and anti-corrosion qualities.

Timepieces from Harry Winston’s Ocean Collection are specifically designed to facilitate adventurous activity. Some come with cases hewed from zalium, a zirconium-aluminium alloy developed by the house which is ultra-lightweight and possesses anti-corrosion and anti-scratch properties. The dials of the 36mm models feature ocean-sourced mother of pearl. Water resistant to 100 metres, their Swiss-made movements display functions to track the time with the utmost precision.

The IWC Schaffhausen Aquatimer Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month comes in two versions, boasting either red or blue luminescence on the dial and hands. Water resistant to 10 bars, they feature a Ceratanium case and caseback ring, black dial, black hands and black rubber strap with Ceratanium pin buckle. Based on a special titanium alloy, this material is forged to IWC’s specifications and offers enhanced hardness and scratch resistance, making it suitably desirable for rigorous outdoor activities on the water.

Jade green watches have a treasured quality attached to their aesthetic beauty. The ornamental mineral has long been prized for its translucence and durability; in Chinese culture, jade is thought to convey nobility, longevity and protective power. Here we pay homage to outstanding watches inspired by jade or rendered in other stunning shades of green.

H. Moser & Cie certainly understands the value-enhancing elegance and subtlety of jade stone and its striking colour. The dial of the recently released Streamliner Tourbillon Wyoming Jade model is made of 100% natural Wyoming jade that is untreated from its original source and exudes a subtle purity. Its appeal is enhanced by the fact that the Swiss watchmaker chose a jade with a concentrated olive tone.

Furthermore, the simplicity of the uncluttered dial highlights the fantastic hue of the natural stone. Hour and minute hands come with luminescent inserts, and only three red gold-faceted indices dot the dial of a timepiece devoid of any logo. Its bare, green good looks also serve to magnify the technical excellence of the one- minute flying tourbillon with skeletonised bridges visible at six o’clock. This Streamliner Tourbillon is limited to just 100 pieces, with each translucent jade dial hewn from semi-precious natural stone and precision cut using CNC (computer numerical control) technology.

Giving each model subtle differences in shading and marking, the process also meticulously preserves the structure of the jade; each slab is pared down into slices 1 to 1.2 mm thick, then hand polished to project the splendid natural colour.

The watch is equipped with the manufacture’s HMC 804 automatic movement, which boasts an automatic bi-directional pawl winding system, a three- day minimum power reserve and double hairsprings that alleviate the effect of gravity and reduce friction. Dressed in red gold, the 40mm-diameter case is topped by a slightly domed sapphire crystal and the integrated bracelet has a three-blade folding clasp engraved with the Moser logo.

Cartier’s limited-edition Santos-Dumont XL model is embellished with jade Roman numerals. A beaded crown set with a jade cabochon adds to the allure of a watch backed by a calibre 430 MC mechanical movement.

It also features a rose gold case, guilloché-effect dial, and rose gold-finished steel apple-shaped hands. A green alligator-skin strap adorned with a traditional ardillon buckle of rose gold complements the jade green touches on the Roman numerals. For those measuring, XL here means 46.6 mm from lug to lug and 33.9 mm wide.

One version of the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 by Rolex comes with a dazzling dial cut from green aventurine – a stone thought to promote a sense of well-being. A bezel studded with 52 brilliant-cut diamonds encircles the arresting dial, whose hour markers are also diamond-set.

The calibre 3255 movement facilitates the display of the day, date, hours, minutes and seconds concurrently. As is standard with all Day-Date models since their launch in 1956, this timepiece has a three-piece link design President bracelet crafted from a precious metal, in this case 18-carat Everose gold.

A 41-mm 18-carat pink gold bezel circling a black ceramic case is the perfect counterpoint for the deep- green enamelled aventurine dial of the Audemars Piguet Code 11.59 Selfwinding Flying Tourbillon. This mesmerising effect is heightened by components that are hand-finished through satin brushing and polishing. Similarly, pink gold hour markers and hands beautifully complement the smoky green of the dial.

In the same vein, the dial’s compelling colour serves to highlight the flying tourbillon cage at six o’clock. Illusions of depth and light are created by a manufacturing process repeated multiple times, in which layers of glass sand are mixed with water, laid onto crushed aventurine glass, and then heated to more than 800oC in a dedicated oven. Resting above the dial, a glare-proof double-curved sapphire crystal accentuates this beautiful play of light.

Hublot produced only 100 Big Bang Unico Green Saxem watches, a robust 42 mm model that catches the eye. Case, caseback and bezel are all crafted from the brand’s fetching green Saxem alloy, a mix of sapphire aluminium oxide and rare-earth mineral.

The dial, made of black transparent composite material, is brightened by luminescence on its hands and indices in the same shade of green. The colour coding is amplified by a transparent green rubber strap, which comes with a titanium buckle clasp. Equipped with the in-house HUB 1280 movement, this self-winding flyback column-wheel chronograph has a power reserve of about 72 hours.

A beautiful dark-green dial is the distinguishing visual hallmark of the Montblanc 1858 Unveiled Timekeeper Minerva, a bold 18-carat lime gold model limited to just 28 pieces and based on the historic calibre from 1923. In an intriguing technical innovation, the satinated and polished gold unidirectional fluted bezel activates the chronograph.

The dial sports beige luminescent green-coated hour and minute hands, a green-coated seconds hand, a gold-coated chronograph minute hand with a green tip, and a green chronograph seconds hand. The colour story is further augmented by an interchangeable green alligator- leather strap with a lime gold pin buckle.

Two of Vacheron Constantin’s Traditionnelle hand-wound watches are an envious dark green, each showcasing a beautiful sunburst-decorated dial encased in 18-carat pink gold. The smaller version (33mm) is a sparkling standout, having a bezel populated by 54 brilliant round diamonds.

The caseback is transparent crystal, the dial has gold applied hour markers and hands, and the matching dark-green Mississippiensis alligator-leather strap with calfskin lining is fastened by a pink gold pin buckle.

In charming contrast to the white engraved dial, the distinctive green alligator leather of its bangle strap adds to the appeal of the ultra-feminine Joséphine Aigrette oval-faced timepiece from Chaumet. The Maison’s emblematic V-shaped aigrette is rendered in rose gold and brilliant-cut diamonds on this gem of a watch.

To celebrate the colour that symbolises prosperity, renewal and progress, the new dial of Vulcain’s Chronograph 1970s comes in a hue that evokes the iconic British racing green. The eye- catching design of the sunburst dial with its white or black indexes contrasts well with the leather or crocodile-pattern strap.