Classic to Colourful: The Watch World's Vibrant Transformation

What dictates fashion trends? What is it that directs which style is in for a particular season and has final say over exactly what we should all be wearing?

There are actually myriad factors involved and the analysis of them, you will not be surprised to learn, is big business indeed. There are global companies which scrutinise everything from what the most prominent celebrities and high profile personalities are being seen in, through to more large scale influences such as climatic change as well as political, social and financial dynamics. You’ve probably heard of the ‘hemline index’, the suggested link between skirt length and the strength of the economy (basically, the longer the skirt currently in style, the darker the fiscal forecast).

This connection between wider world events and fashion trends is especially relevant when it comes to colour. There has been a sizable shift in the last few years away from the chic but safe versatility of black and the emergence of a trend for bright, vivid palettes. Those in the know credit much of the swing to a younger generation tired of bad news, restrictions and a seemingly never-ending series of unprecedented events—Gen Z’ers looking to boost their mood and start living their best lives again. Whatever the reason, the era of bold colours is here—and nowhere more so than in the world of fine watchmaking.

There are, of course, no rules at all decreeing what colour a watch dial must be. While there may be practical considerations requiring enough contrast between dial and handset for the watch to be legible, the face itself can be any shade or hue the manufacturer deems fit. However, it is still fairly unusual for any brand to venture too far from the traditional. Black, white, blue and silver have long been favourites; risk-free and universally accepted, they are dependable choices in that they coordinate with most outfits regardless of occasion. That is to be expected. After all, buying a luxury watch requires a much larger outlay than buying something as interchangeable as a t-shirt or a pair of shoes, and as a result, many people are looking for that ‘one good watch’ that goes with anything—and if that watch should have a neon green dial, your choice of ensemble is suddenly quite restricted. That being said, this is not the first time in history some audacious colours have put in an appearance.

The first that spring to mind are the Stella dials Rolex came out with in the 1970s. These startling bright faces in everything from aquamarine to electric orange were fitted to, of all things, that sober establishment darling, the Day-Date, in a move akin to John Lennon psychedelicizing his Rolls Royce.

The brand brought out something of an homage to those disruptive influences in 2020 when they outfitted their entry level offering, the Oyster Perpetual, with a selection of retina-threatening dials in coral red, candy pink, yellow, green and a number of other eccentric choices. More recently still, the so-called ‘Celebration’ dial came out last year, available on the 31mm, 36mm and 41mm models. These effervescent efforts, featuring a display of technicolour bubbles set against a turquoise background, could only be described with a word you don’t always associate with Rolex; fun.

Even more outlandish, the Day-Date collection now includes the ‘Puzzle’ dial. These Off-catalogue watches are presented in all three flavours of gold, with the white and yellow examples retaining the same backdrop as the Celebration OP, the Everose swapping for an orange base, and all set with an unfinished jigsaw motif and 10 sapphire hour markers matching the pieces’ colours. Not only that, but none of them display the day nor date. In the 12 o’clock aperture, the day of the week has been replaced by seven inspirational words; Happy, Eternity, Gratitude, Peace, Faith and Love. And in the 3 o’clock date window, there are a selection of 31 emojis, including a heart, peace sign, a four leaf clover and the Rolex coronet.

The luxury former offshoot of Japan’s biggest watch brand has turned dial making into a bona fide artform. Perhaps the most celebrated example of this materialised in 2005 with the SBGA011, better known as the ‘Snowflake’. Taking inspiration from the wintry landscape around the brand’s manufacturing base in Nagano Prefecture, nestled among the Japanese Alps, the Snowflake’s dial was built up of several layers to provide a subtle texture that mimicked the surrounding frozen tundra, with a colour that veered ever so slightly from pure white towards an icy blue. Coupled with Grand Seiko’s unique case shapes, all a mixture of sharp edges and gentle curves as dictated by famed draftsman Taro Tanaka’s ‘Grammar of Design’, it was the watch that brought the brand to international attention.

Since then, they have scored a string of triumphs, unleashing a succession of dials loaded with national identity. The stunning SBGA413 ‘Shunbun’, released in 2019 as part of a ‘Four Seasons’ collection (this one representing Spring) featured a delicately pink flake dial modelled after the ‘Hana-Ikada’, the fleeting moment following the vernal equinox when the Sakura blossom petals are scattered by the wind and settle on the surface of a river.

Or, for something truly exclusive, this year saw the release of the SBGH317 ‘Ginza’. The 40mm stainless steel watch takes its name from the Ginza district in Tokyo, not only Japan’s most opulent shopping area but also the location of Kintaro Hattori’s first workshop in 1881—which would later form the basis of Seiko itself. The watch, which will only be available for purchase at the Grand Seiko flagship boutique in Ginza, sports a fabulous light purple dial with two distinct finishes. The classic sunray brushing is said to evoke the look of winter light on Ginza’s streets, while the pronounced grid pattern resembles the rows of buildings. A beautiful ensemble, it might well be worth the trip to Japan.

When you are not only arguably the greatest fashion and jewellery design house in history but also created two of the most iconic luxury watches ever made, you can afford to go a little off-piste every now and again.

Legendary French manufacture Cartier brought us what is commonly regarded as the first ever men’s wristwatch in 1904 in the shape of the Santos de Cartier. Built for celebrated airman Alberto Santos-Dumont, personal friend to brand founder Louis Cartier, the watch, with its clean, square lines and Art Deco bearing, has endured as an icon into the modern era.

In its most recent incarnation, unveiled earlier this month, the Santos-Dumont was issued with a rich and smoky carnelian red lacquer. It is a significant departure for a watch which has traditionally been fitted with more conservative faces. Oh, and with such a head-turning dial, you could be forgiven for missing that this watch tells the time backwards!

Elsewhere, perhaps pipping the Santos in the icon stakes, the idiosyncratically rectangular Tank, only slightly younger having debuted in 1917, is no stranger to bold shades. ‘The watch to wear,’ as opined by Andy Warhol, the Tank is almost impossibly cultured and has been released in a number of different versions throughout its long life. Of those, perhaps the most free-spirited came about at the end of the 1970s as a response to the Quartz Crisis. The Must de Cartier collection was aimed at a wider, more cost-conscious audience than Tanks of old, powered by an in-house quartz movement and taking the concept of minimalism to new heights. The first of the range to be available with cases which were gold-capped rather than 18k, the strikingly coloured dials of red, blue and black didn’t even have hour markers, merely two hands and a logo.

The style has lasted to this day and these recent additions take us right back to those initial pieces; three iridescent models in lacquered red, blue and green, each with matching alligator strap. If anything, they are more stripped back than the originals, eschewing even the former logo, the entire dial given over to simply the hands and a ‘Cartier’ signature. As bold as they are stylish, the Must de Cartier brings a welcome splash of colour to one of the oldest names in horology.

Those are just a handful of examples highlighting top brands’ current mission to bring a breath of fresh air to the industry after the relatively staid last few years, but there are plenty of others. Breitling has brought a forest of green to two of their hottest collections; the Navitimer and Chronomat, in shades ranging from sumptuous emerald to cool mint. Similarly, Omega have jumped on the bandwagon too, with a selection of Constellations unveiled this year featuring, appropriately enough, meteorite dials in gold, blue and green, each one a piece unique.

And Tudor’s latest special edition of the Black Bay Chrono, celebrating their newly formed alliance with MLS team Inter Miami, comes with a shocking pink dial which even they admit, ‘Might not be for everyone’. That is a good point. While there is no danger of classically coloured dials falling out of circulation, there is something uplifting about the contemporary craze for the vibrant and vivid. And with summer knocking on the door, it is the perfect time to secure one for yourself.

Check out Watch Collecting's Distinctive Dials collection here.