What look are you fancying for your wrist as we pass the halfway mark of another year? It’s a fair question given that the range of watches on offer continues to grow, with brands releasing new models almost every month.
It’s similar to the seemingly endless options for your wardrobe in general. Whereas once the choice might have come down to business or weekend, formal or casual, dress up or dress down, be it for clothes or chronos, a virtual smorgasbord now awaits you. Despite watches from the cheapest to the dearest performing basically the same function and presenting similar features, the range of “looks” available in the timepiece sphere means you can match a mood, curate a style, and bring as much finesse to your forearm as you do to anything else in your life.
We’re not talking here about joining the ranks of watch fanatics who have a ticker for every occasion or a vast bank of beaters to boast of; rather, it’s about expanding your horological horizons to include watches other than the usual choices, those with a different take on contour or colour.
By all means have your classic three-handed Longines for wearing with shirt and tie; by all means enjoy that Rolex that attests to your station in life; by all means strap on that G-Shock for the weekend. They’re all worthy yardsticks, but there’s plenty more on offer – at a range of price points – for those times you want to change it up a bit.
A pink-dialled diver? Double-faced beauty? Non-nonsense “field” watch? There’s sure to be something that fits the bill, as evidenced by this assortment of models you may have missed – but which could do wonders for your wrist.
Golden touch
Omega’s 38mm Seamaster Aqua Terra gets a fresh face with diamond hour markers and smaller stones highlighting the seconds sub-dial, a master-chronometer movement driving things. $16,000 range.
Supreme legibility
The Sinn 856 B-Uhr epitomises field-watch or deck-instrument design and boasts dehumidifying technology to eliminate fogging, superior magnetic field protection, and a self-winding Swiss mechanism. $3000 range.
Dandy diver
While a serious dive tool – 42mm brushed-steel case, three days’ power reserve, water resistance to 300 metres – the shark-grey dial and blue ceramic bezel of this Panerai Submersible make the sartorial difference. $15,000 range.
Green machine
Grand Seiko’s sleek SBGE257 GMT watch has ultra-smooth Spring Drive movement offering second-a-day accuracy. It comes with three days’ power reserve and sports a dial in the green hue of the moment. $10,000 range.
In the pink
Sized for him or her at 38mm, the bronze-cased Oris “Cotton Candy” dive watch has a daring lipstick-pink dial and is rated to 100 metres. The movement is self-winding. $4000 range.
Blue beauty
A blue dial and dove blue strap – not to mention a trimming of 75 VS brilliant-cut diamonds – help to create the distinguished look of this 45mm Zenith Elite, which is powered by a self-winding movement. $12,000 range.
Two faces
The case of this steel-cased Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso swivels to reveal a blank “face” on which a personal message or motif can be inscribed. Then there’s the allure of that deep-red dial with diamond trimmings. $9000 range.
Happy hours
Chopard’s Happy Sport watch is animated by five diamonds that “float” between the crystal and the dial, with more on the bezel of the ethical-gold 33mm case. The movement is self-winding. $30,000 range.
Buffed and bronzed
The Bell & Ross Diver Red Bronze (BR 03-92) casts the brand’s recognisable squared-off case in bronze and adds a burnished red face for a luxe look all its own. Water-resistant to 300 metres. $6000 range.
Moon shot
For something really special, Glashütte Original’s PanoMaticLunar comes cased in red gold and boasts a classic dial layout with moon phase and large date display, as well as a hand-finished self-winding movement. $30,000 range.
Follow Bani @baniwatch