This season, the number of blue watches – with dials, straps and cases adorned with shades from palest ice all the way through to deepest indigo – has soared. It’s easy to see why. The colour has long signified calm, clarity, freedom, wisdom, confidence and stability, all qualities that we’d like for ourselves and in our timepieces. Plus, of course, blue exudes elegance and sportiness, both attractive attributes for watchmakers.Â
With plenty of new blue watches featuring brushed metal, enamel, gemstone accents and complex engraving techniques, there’s a lot to love about the horological world’s ongoing case of the blues. Not to mention the fact, the hue goes with practically everything in your wardrobe, from cocktail outfits to T-shirts and jeans. We take a deep dive into the 10 best blue watches of the season.
The Best Luxury Blue Watches
Patek Philippe
5178G-012
Launched at this year’s Watches & Wonders, this self-winding minute repeater has a mesmerising grand feu enamel dial, one of Patek Philippe’s rare handcrafts. The swirling pattern on this blue watch is entirely created by hand on a white gold dial plate, which is first finely engraved and then coated in layers of translucent enamel. Its tinkling musical chime is produced by two ‘cathedral’ gongs, giving it a richer, longer sound than other traditional minute repeaters.
Price on request
Rolex
Oyster Perpetual Sky Dweller
Also presented at this year’s Watches & Wonders fair, the handsome Sky Dweller is one of Rolex’s most complicated modern watches and beloved by frequent travellers for its dual time zone function and annual Saros calendar. This chunky 42mm timepiece now comes in a subtle rose gold reference with a signature Oyster bracelet (plus the option of a rubberised version) and refined blue-green dial and is equipped with an all-new calibre 9002 movement, for enhanced efficiency and 72 hours of power reserve.
£42,800
Longines
Mini Dolce Vita
It may be one of the smaller blue watches, but Longines’ new Dolce Vita comes with a massively impressive pedigree, tracing its heritage all the way back to a model from 1927, as well as the original Dolce Vita collection which debuted in 1997. This latest take sees its classic good looks scaled down to fit a 21.5mm by 29mm stainless steel case, enhanced with a pale blue dial (plus matching leather straps), a sprinkling of white diamonds and contrasting gilt Roman numerals and hands.
£3,450
Omega
Seamaster Planet Ocean 6000m Co-Axial Master Chronometer Ultra Deep
Back in 2019, the world watched in awe as a submersible made the deepest ever dive, down almost 11,000 meters into the Mariana Trench. Accompanying the team were Omega’s first Ultra Deep watches, which used real ocean conditions to test their water-resistance (up to 6,000m). This latest 45.4mm incarnation pays tribute to those early models with a dial bearing a replica of the Challenger Deep seabed crafted from dark blue textured lacquer.
£12,300
Tudor
Black Bay 31
Revamping a fan-favourite timepiece such as the Black Bay is always something of a risk, but Tudor have pulled off their latest update with aplomb. The new 31, 36, 39 and 41 mm-sized Black Bays all now feature a variety of smart in-house calibers and feel light and elegant on the wrist. The 31mm steel model, in particular, is perfect for day-to-night wear and boasts a 50-hour power reserve and a sleek Jubilee-style bracelet.Â
£3,170
Jaeger LeCoultre
Reverso One Precious Colours
Undoubtedly one of the biggest blue watch hits with both the press and public at this year’s Watches & Wonders fair, the Reverso One Precious Colours nods to the maker’s Art Deco origins with a metiers d’art twist. Embellished with hand-painted layers of enamel in various shades of navy, cornflower and ink, like an optical illusion, its reversible rose gold case becomes a portable work of art, perfectly matched to a royal blue leather strap.
Price on request
Piaget
Polo Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin Watch
The cushion-shaped Polo has been around since 1979, a highly successful and supremely elegant sports timepiece that has been diversified with a range of complications and colours over the decades. This stunning new blue watch launched this spring, and perfectly showcases Piaget’s gem-setting expertise with a silvery blue obsidian dial and 56 brilliant-cut sapphires set into its 18k white gold case.
Price on request
Vacheron Constantin
Traditionelle Perpetual Calendar Ultra-Thin
Don’t assume this watch’s pastel shade means it isn’t a serious piece of kit. This collection of timepieces showcase the finest technical prowess of the house and pay important tribute to generations-old historical craftsmanship. Beneath its icy blue and white gold exterior, beats the in-house Calibre 1120 QP, which gives life to the watch and powers its calendar indications without adding any bulk, allowing it to be extra slim and one of the lightweight blue watches to wear.
£84,500
Breitling
Navitimer 32
Created as a tool for pilots, the Navitimer has evolved into a covetable collector’s watch since its debut back in 1952. Here, its signature beaded bezel frames a shimmering blue mother-of-pearl dial, while white diamond hour markers deliver a jewellery-like aesthetic to this once purely practical timepiece.Â
£3,400
Audemars Piguet
Royal Oak Offshore Self-Winding Chronograph, 37mm
Audemars Piguet’s distinctive Royal Oak has had a glittering, gem-set makeover, in the form of this fabulous iteration fashioned from luxurious yellow gold. Its trademark tapisserie dial is now royal blue and illuminated with a bezel with tsavorite, yellow and blue sapphire baguettes. A matching blue rubber strap, which echoes the hue of the dial, can easily be swapped out with a bright green strap, should you fancy a change.
