Watch out: The Blue Watch Trend

Luxury watch brands have caught a bad case of the blues

It seems the Swiss watch industry has finally come up with an answer to the smart watch invasion – blue watches. Or at the very least, blue dials. Ok, so maybe it’s not an answer, or even something approaching a rebuttal.

Really, it’s more of an ongoing trend and a welcome one at that, offering you a fun way to introduce a bit of colour into your summer wrist wear without having to stoop to strapping something made from plastic onto your wrist. Best of all, just about everyone seems to be getting in on the act this year, so there’s something to suit just about every taste and budget.

Despite its reputation for being a little conservative (some may say boring), Rolex is no stranger to colour. This year, the evergreen, wear anywhere for all occasions DateJust 41 is finally being offered in an all-steel version (there is the option for an 18k white gold fluted bezel, which I highly recommend) and has been paired nicely with a gorgeous blue dial.

Presented in a 41mm Oyster case, the Rolex Datejust 41 is powered by the calibre 3235, a self-winding mechanical movement entirely developed and manufactured by Rolex. It offers a max power reserve of approximately 70 hours and is certified as a Superlative Chronometer, which essentially means it is exceptionally accurate (−2/+2 seconds per day) and reliable.

This is one of those rare instances where the name really does say it all. The new Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean “Big Blue” is definitely big and it is definitely blue. Destined to be a real head turner at the yacht club this summer, the 45.5mm case is made from blue ceramic, as is the bezel, which features a diving scale marked by Liquidmetal® numerals.

Even the dial is blue ceramic, with a GMT track and GMT hand in brightly contrasting orange. The hands and indexes are in 18k white gold and feature white Super-LumiNova coating to ensure high legibility in low-light conditions. For added clarity when diving, orange rubber and ceramic covers the first 15 minutes on the diving scale. Inside is the Caliber 8906 (visible through the sapphire caseback), a “Master Co-Axial” caliber able to withstand magnetic forces of up to 15,000 gauss. It also comes with a 4-year warranty.

2017 marks the 20th anniversary of Patek Philippe’s sporty Aquanaut line and so the storied watchmaker has planned several premieres for this year to mark the occasion. The first to be officially unveiled is the new Aquanaut Ref. 5168G, presented in an upsized 42mm white gold case (inspired by the original ‘jumbo’ Nautlius from 1976) paired with a night blue colour dial that gradates from bright in the centre to black toward the outside.

The finely embossed checkerboard pattern provides a lovely bit of texture, with the contrasting applied white gold Arabic numerals almost seeming to jump right off the dial. Supplying the power is the self-winding caliber 324 S C movement, which measures just 3.3mm thick and provides a max power reserve of 45 hours. The blue composite strap complete with checkboard embossing matching the dial rounds out the blue theme.

The new Breitling SuperOcean Heritage II 42mm comes in four different colour variations but it’s the gun blue version that has caught our attention. Presented in a stainless steel, 42mm case (obviously), it features a striking blue dial framed by a unidirectional ratcheted rotating ceramic bezel in a matching colour.

As the name suggests, this watch has been designed with divers in mind and so the case is rated as water resistant to 200m (660/ft), while the dial and hands have been liberally treated with luminous material to ensure easy reading even in low-light conditions. The self-winding Breitling B20 Caliber inside offers a healthy max power reserve of 70 hours and can be seen through the glare-proof, cambered sapphire caseback. Completing the look is a 70’s style Ocean Classic bracelet in steel. Very cool.

Tom Mulraney is the Founder of Luxury Content Creators Inc. a London-based media agency creating digital content for luxury brands and the Managing Editor of online watch magazine thewatchlounge.com.

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