Throwback Sundays: Six Watch Recommendations with a Green Dial, from Our Archives

For a long time, watches with blue dials are some of the most highly sought-after pieces in the horological world. It may be seemingly strange, but many allude that blue dials are much more alluring than its other brethren.

The craze of blue dial watches still lingers on. There are many more brands whom have jumped onto the bandwagon, and indeed they are offering some beautiful watches that looks relatively better with the blue dials. One example is the Patek Philippe Aquanaut, where the blue dial seems to add a new dimension to the timepiece. The other one that we can think right off the bat is the Rolex Sky-Dweller, which admittedly stood out against the other variants within the collection.

However, in recent times, a new trend had emerged. There has been an increase in the amount of watches that are now fitted with a green dial. Admittedly, the existence of such watches is not exactly new. The Rolex Submariner (Reference 116610LV) – also known affectionately as the “Hulk” – is one of the watches that comes to mind. Launched in 2008, it is one of the few green watches that were available at that time. We can definitely say that Rolex is way ahead of its time in this aspect.

Moving on, the hype had seemed to caught on in the past couple of years. We have observed that green is the colour of choice for many watch manufacturers – especially for the launch of limited edition pieces. There is a kind of unspoken charm about such pieces, especially when it comes to dials that follows a darker shade of green (think along the lines of dark olive green).

Sinn 104 A ST SA G Limited Edition

When it comes to Sinn, the U1 is perhaps the model that the German-based watch manufacturer is known for. But the brand is certainly much more than that.

The 104 A ST SA, first introduced in 2013, is another popular model from the brand. Being a no-nonsense tool watch manufacturer, the 104 A ST SA is simple but seemingly robust and utilitarian. The 41mm watch is produced with the pilots in mind – with a clean and legible dial that allows the user to tell time easily. In addition, it is also fitted with a captive pilot’s bezel with minute ratcheting that can be adjusted bidirectionally.

Priced at €1250 (approximately S$1,889), the Sinn limited to a limited production run of a mere 500 pieces. The watch is powered the no-frills but reliable ETA 2836-2, and it offers great value for a solid timepiece that looks especially handsome with a dark green dial. It is unfortunately sold out, and we reckon that this might be rather elusive in the secondary market as well.

Rado Captain Cook Automatic

The Captain Cook is one of the collection that had caught our attention in recent years. Launched in Baselworld 2017, the watches are a reminiscence of the vintage divers’ watches that Rado had produced in the 1960s.

More recently in 2019, Rado had expanded the collection with the introduction of three different dial variants in 42mm cases. One of them is in green, which we thought was the best amongst the novelties. We particularly like the shade of green that Rado had chosen for the watch. Its sunburst dial provides a different appearance under different lighting conditions, which adds a rather nice touch to it. It also works brilliantly with the classic design of the Captain Cook.

The watch is fitted with a modest ETA C07. It is a self-winding movement, which comes with a date indicator and features a decent power reserve of around 80 hours. It is well-priced at S$2,800, and we reckon this is certainly a hit with both seasoned and budding collectors alike.

Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition 

Continuing with theme of classic watches, we bring in another piece – this time from the Montblanc 1858 collection. Cue the Montblanc 1858 Geosphere Limited Edition.

Inspired by the vintage military watches that Minerva had produced in the 1920s and 30s, the 42mm timepiece uses some of the design cues and incorporates it into a whole new “sports” category of watches for the brand. The watch, notably, was designed for the modern-day explorer in mind. This is further accentuated with the rotating hemisphere “globes” that is conspicuously placed on the dial.

Besides that, we think that the watch’s colour combination works pretty well too. The bronze and green combination is a tested and proven one (think of the original Bronzo from Panerai or the Tudor Black Bay Bronze One), yet it still looks pretty refreshing even today. The watch is priced at US$6,300 (approximately S$8,703), and we think this is a great addition especially for someone who is looking to own a bronze watch.

Glashütte Original Sixties Annual Edition

The new additions to the Glashütte Original Sixties Annual Edition – produced to celebrate the 15th year partnership with the Dresden Music Festival – has arguably one of the most fascinating and stunning dial designs that we have seen in recent years.

The watches, which are available in both time-only and a big date complication, are produced for a limited period (and quantity) in 2018. The pièce de résistance of the watch naturally lies in its striking green dégradé dial. This is not the first time the watch manufacturer had released watches with such dials, but the green one is perhaps our favourite amongst the rest. The textures on the dial also provides an interesting dimension to the watch.

The new Sixties and Sixties Panorama Date are powered by the in-house Calibre 39-47 and 39-52 respectively. The self-winding movements beat at 28,800 vph, and they have a power reserve of around 40 hours. The 39mm (time-only) and 42mm (big-date) are priced at S$11,400 and S$14,400 each, and we think these two timeless watches will add colours and vibrancy into any watch collections easily.

MB&F LM Split Escapement Titanium Green

MB&F is a brand that constantly amazes us with wondrous designs and magical executions. The new Legacy Machine Split Escapement Titanium Green is one them.

Launched earlier this year, the 44mm LM SE Titanium Green is the latest addition to the brand’s incredible Legacy Machine Split Escapement collection. The collection emphasises on the unconventional escapement system, where flying balance is separated from both the anchor and the escapement wheel. This allows the collectors to have an unobstructed view of the flying balance – which is one of the highlights of this particular piece.

This version is similarly cased in Grade 5 Titanium, but it is fitted with a stunning sun-ray finished green CVD dial. The effect on the dial is amazing, but it acts as a complement to the main focus of the watch – which is none other than the flying balance. Combine the two together, and it intriguingly gives off a rather mysterious “sci-fi” vibe.

The LM SE Titanium Green is limited to a production of 33 pieces, and it is priced at CHF 64,000 (approximately S$89,229).

Patek Philippe Aquanaut “Jumbo” Ref. 5168G

We round up the article with one of the most hotly anticipated watches from a venerable watch manufacturer from Geneva: Patek Philippe Aquanaut “Jumbo” Reference 5186G.

The latest iteration of the Aquanaut “Jumbo” follows hotly on the heels of the 2017 edition. The original variant – which is notably 2.2mm larger than the popular Reference 5167 – was specially produced to commemorate the collection’s 20^th anniversary. The 2017 timepiece was fitted with a brilliant blue dial, but this year Patek Philippe had went a step further by introducing an olive green variant instead. The combination, in our opinion, works rather beautifully. The shade of green is rather mellow, and the matte finishing interestingly provides an intriguing (although unintentional) military touch to the watch.

Powering the Aquanaut is the 213-part, 29-jewel Calibre 324 S C. The self-winding movement has a minimum power reserve of approximately 35 hours, and it incorporates innovations such as the brand’s proprietary Gyromax balance and Spiromax balance spring. The finishing is as per Patek Philippe’s high standards.

The watch retails at US$35,000 (approximately S$48,350), and we feel that it is a nice Patek Philippe watch that is a little unusual from the crowd. We certainly like how this one turns out.  

Concluding Thoughts

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and green dials are no doubt a subjective thing. There are collectors who are fans the colour, but there are also collectors who prefer sticking to the more traditional ones. Ultimately, it boils down to each individual’s taste and preference.

It can be safe to say that we are fans of green dial watches, but more so for those which has a darker shade of green. We prefer the subtle look that the darker colours bring, as lighter shades of green tend to look a bit too flashy. The latter, of course, still works for certain watches as well – the Legacy Machine is one great example of that.

What are your thoughts on watches with green dial, as well as our selection today? Let us know in the comments section below.