Black dial watches that caught our eye

You can’t go wrong with black. The timeless, classic colour is a staple in watchmaking, and since the start of the year, we’ve witnessed a range of black dial watches combined with different case materials and straps. These are the ones that caught our attention.

Carl F. Bucherer’s Capsule Collection

This year, Carl F. Bucherer celebrated its 135th anniversary with the release of its all-black Capsule Collection with five watches including three limited editions in forged carbon and titanium. The five timepieces were launched every two hours on the same day in five different metropolitan cities across the globe.

The limited editions in the collection are Manero Tourbillion Double Peripheral Black, Manero Peripheral Perpetual Calendar and Manero Peripheral BigDate Black. The other two editions were crafted in DLC-coated stainless steel- Manero Flyback Black and Heritage BiCompax Annual Black. All watches are entirely black from the dial to the strap, with different functionalities and varying strap textures. The case size ranges from 30mm to 44.10mm.

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph

AT LVMH Watch Week 2023, TAG Heuer introduced another solar-powered watch after its last launch in the Watches and Wonders 2022, TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 200 Solargraph. The watch has three versions in different colours and materials, of which Ref. WBP1180.BF0000 is an all-black timepiece.

Designed with a black sunray brushed dial with luminescent hands, the watch is powered by Calibre TH50-00 driven by Solar technology that recharges the watch with either solar energy or artificial light. This 40mm watch is cast in sandblasted grade 2 titanium and is designed especially for outdoor activities and adventures.

Also Read: LVMH Watch Week 2023: TAG Heuer's 60th anniversary Carrera, a new bold Monza, and Connected watches

Blancpain Tech Gombessa Fifty Fathoms (Ref. 5019-12B30-64A)

2023 marks 70 years of the Fifty Fathoms and adding to its legacy, Blancpain released the Tech Gombessa Fifty Fathoms in collaboration with the Gombessa Project which also celebrated its 10th anniversary and is a marine team that carries out ocean expeditions. Mark A. Hayek, CEO of Blancpain, and Laurent Ballesta, founder of the Gombessa Project, worked together to design the new Fifty Fathoms diving watch that could withstand water pressures up to 300 metres for as long as three hours which in other watches was up to 60 minutes. This black dial watch has a 47mm case with orange luminescent hands and indices and is crafted in Grade 23 titanium making it large and lightweight. The watch is powered by an automatic Blancpain caliber 13P8 and offers about 120 hours of power reserve.

Seiko 1965 Divers SLA067, the Divers SPB335, and Alpinist SPBJ337

Seiko released the all-black versions of the 1965 Divers SLA067, the Divers SPB335, and the Alpinist SPBJ337. The 1965 Divers SLA067 has a 41.3mm case with a smooth-finished sandy black dial and runs on automatic Calibre 8L35 with 50 hours of power reserve. The Divers SPB335 is designed with a two-tone black and anthracite textured dial inside a 41mm black coated case while the Alpinist SPB337 has a 39.5mm black case, both of these having the same automatic Calibre 6R35 movement.

All the timepieces are made with black-coated stainless steel with black-textured dials and green LumiBrite hands for night-time readability. The watches offer water resistance up to 200 metres.

Hublot Classic Fusion Original

Hublot brought back one of its significant timepieces of 1980 created by its founder Carlo Crocco, in the LVMH Watch Week 2023 with Hublot Classic Fusion Original. Three versions of the watch were introduced in different case sizes, materials and colours while all having a polished black dial.

The first version has a yellow gold case and hands, the other is an all-black made with black ceramic and the third is made in titanium. All the timepieces have polished black dials and each version is available in case sizes 42mm, 38mm and 33mm. Automatic MHUB1110 movement powers the 42 and 38mm versions while the 33mm version is powered by the quartz movement.

Also Read: LVMH Watch Week 2023: A bright new colour, play with materials and Hublot’s Art of Fusion

Audemars Piguet - Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph 42mm 26238CE.OO.1300CE.01

Audemars Piguet celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Royal Oak Offshore with the release of two timepieces in the collection in black dials. Ref. 26420CE.OO.A127CR.01 is the 43mm watch in a black ceramic case with gold accents and is powered by Calibre 4401. The Ref. 26238CE.OO.1300CE.01 features a 43mm black ceramic case and bracelet and a black Petite Tapisserie dial, making a perfect addition to the list of all-black watches.

Calibre 4404 powers the watch with an integrated chronograph movement and flyback function. At 3 o’clock lies the date aperture and at 6 o’clock the small seconds. The 9 o’clock and 12 o’clock have the chronograph seconds and minutes respectively.

Grand Seiko SBGW295

This year in January, Grand Seiko celebrates 110 years of Japanese wristwatches and reintroduced its “First”, the Ref. 3180 from 1960, with the new SBGW295 in Brilliant Hard Titanium. The watch has a 38mm case with the Urushi lacquer black-coloured dial tracing back its roots in ancient Japan’s Jomon Period.

24kt gold text and indices are featured over the black dial and the strap, made with fabric and calf leather with yoroi-ori technique, narrates the story of the legendary samurai of Japan and the legacy of Japanese craftsmanship. Caliber 9S64 powers the watch.

Omega Speedmaster Super Racing (Ref. 329.30.44.51.01.003)

Omega took its mastery in precision one step ahead with the Speedmaster Super Racing launched in January this year. The Maison made it possible to achieve a precision rate of 0/+2 seconds a day by using a SpirateTM System that allows for ultra-fine rate adjustments.

The automatic OMEGA 9920 movement powers the watch with METAS-approved Co-Axial Master Chronometer which houses the SpirateTM System inside the 44.25mm stainless steel case. The black dial features a honeycomb pattern surrounded by a racing-style minute track and a black ceramic bezel ring. Yellow 'grand feu' enamel is used for the tachymeter scale on the bezel. All the indices and markings are also in yellow colour with Super-LumiNova on the hands that glow over the black dial in low light conditions.

Images: Courtesy Brand

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