Last month, Patek Philippe caused quite a stir by dropping the stainless steel Nautilus 5711/1A-014 Green. This was following an announcement by Mr. Stern, president of Patek Philippe, that the brand’s most coveted model—cult watch Nautilus 5711 blue dial, was going to be discontinued.
This wasn’t the only thing that caused a frenzy, though. The new edition of Nautilus 5711 had the same case, bracelet, and movement. But this time, it sported the color that had been showing up in Haute Horology all year, an olive green dial.
From the highly sought-after Nautilus 5711 to the timeless Royal Oak from Audemars Piguet, all these watches proudly sported blue dials. It seemed to be the norm, joining the classics: white or black. In this year’s Watches & Wonders show, that seemed to change.
From mint to the forest, we take a look at the green wave sweeping through the world of luxury watches.
The long history of dark colors in the watchmaking industry wouldn’t generally stand for lighter pastels such as mint. However, watch brands were clearly moving away from conventions this year. The Breitling Premier Heritage B09 Chronograph’s mint dial came as an adorable twist to the old-school style. Sporting a cheerful pistachio green face, this watch certainly reinvented the modern Chronograph.
Next, we dial up the intensity to a deep, jade green. These have been around for quite some time, but that didn’t stop top watchmakers from producing some very attractive head-turners.
IWC Schaffhausen brought in a slightly smaller Pilot’s Watch Chronograph 41mm, following the Spitfire. Made in stainless steel and automatic, the new model is as customizable as it gets. Buyers can choose between calfskin or metal straps, and a green or blue dial. Another favorite seems to be Tudor Black Bay 58 18k. The watch boasts a delightful green dial and bezel against a contrasting 18k yellow gold case. This diver’s watch uses a textile or fabric strap, which we wouldn’t say is the best material to go deep. But since when have diver’s watches been used for diving, anyway?
TAG Heuer pulled out all the stops in a similar Rolex-Tudor move, by using yellow to highlight the hottest color in Haute Horology. The new Aquaracer 43mm rebirth brought in a distinctly bold look with the 12-sided unidirectional rotating bezel design and a highly functional internal profile.
The olive green dials, however, were the ultimate show stoppers at the Watches & Wonders show this year.
Rolex dropped the DateJust 36 in a “palm motif, inspired by tropical forests”, a stunning beauty in olive green. The Olive Green Palm Oystersteel features one of the most iconic designs in watches with an extravagant twist. Not that we’re complaining – this was love at first sight. Also seen in its brother-from-another-mother collector favorite, Audemars Piguet unveiled the olive drab on the beloved Royal Oak. In the same collection, there are four other options in green hues.
Finally, not to be missed, are the deep, dark, forest greens. They’re a classic among conservative watchmakers, although, could we blame them? Perhaps watchmakers want to bring users closer to nature. Or maybe, it’s just the mysterious vibe of forest green that makes it so appealing. Whatever it is, there was no shortage of swoon-worthy forest green dials at the trade show.
The top contender for this color palette has to be the Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept, which took home the “Aiguille d’Or” (best watch of the year) at the 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Piaget didn’t stop there, instead, they came back this year with a meaner, greener machine with a satin-brushed dial. Using the same ultra-thin technology, the watch measures in at 2mm, and is worn with a textile strap.
Cartier’s flawless execution of simple elegance in the 1980s can be seen in the Cartier Tank Must Monochrome Green. Dialing back on the chronographs and functions usually on display in luxury watchmaking, Cartier enters a world of unlimited possibilities with this year’s rendition of the simple Tank Must.
What do you think of this new color trend? Will you be getting your dream watch from TrueFacet?