Reply With QuoteI think certain common models look amazing in blue (McQueen monaco , Aqua Terra, aerospace for example) and will always be popular. I’m also a sucker for blue (and orange!) on a watch so hope the options continue.
When I fell into watches six years ago, there weren't very many blue dials, and as I far as I could see, all the ones that did exist were lovely. At a g2g I saw at Skyfall which made a big impression. Soon enough I had a couple of my own soon enough, such as this mid-70s ultrathin Sekonda aka Poljot 2209
Since then, the numbers of blue dial models available seems to have exploded, and every established line seems to come in a blue variant.
Frequently, they are very good looking
but I'm wondering if their current popularity, and the speed with which they have bred, will cause there to be a reaction against them, as soon as they are perceived to be dated.
Hopefully, that won't happen, and they'll simply get nicely established at part of the typical range of options.
I haven't been watchwatching for long enough yet to have seen anything burst into fashion and then slip out of it, so I can't make any kind of educated guess. Anyone else feel more qualified and fancy risking an opinion?
I think certain common models look amazing in blue (McQueen monaco , Aqua Terra, aerospace for example) and will always be popular. I’m also a sucker for blue (and orange!) on a watch so hope the options continue.
This has been around a while, and represents a nice variation on a classic diver.
Looking at it now, I'm not sure why it didn't appeal to me more in my Seiko diver days.
Surely there've been lots of blue dial watches around for years? Some of mine, maybe it's a diver thing?
"A man of little significance"
I think blue dials have been there for a while
I got this before year 2000 (probably 1998/1999)
What I see as (potentially becoming) flavor of the week is green dial...started from Rolex,Seiko,Panerai and now microbrands...
I can’t see blue dials ever being anything other than a popular choice. It’s an inoffensive colour that is easy to match with attire and works in both casual and formal settings. I don’t mind a blue strap n’all...
It doesn't say anything about the prevalence of them, but I've as many blue duals from the 60s and 70s as I do from my more modern ones. I don't feel that blue dials can be considered a trend like say faux vintage lume.
I know nothing of the matter, but is there any price/complexity difference between a black dial and a good quality blue dial?
Forever.
(For me, anyway).
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
Some beautiful watches there, I really need to try a tv dial (?) omega, and that heuer is stunning.Originally Posted by Foxy100
Blue watches have been popular for a while
70’s (mine)
80's (wish it was mine)
90's (wish it was mine)
00's (glad it's not mine)
Last edited by gcleminson; 23rd June 2019 at 23:00.
They’re not a fashion...
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My AD says march 4th 2020.
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Style never goes out of fashion
The fact that that particular model was released in 2016 if anything reinforces my point that over the last five years blue dials have gone from an intriguing corner of the watchyworld to being commonplace.They’re not a fashion...
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Partial to a blue dial and some very nice examples already posted.
‘’Commonplace’’? I think that’s the only blue Dial Daytona made.
Blue is actually one of the enduring colours. But then there are numerous shades of blue.....it’s been around for decades.
Last edited by paskinner; 23rd June 2019 at 23:28.
With a lot of the mainstream brands now introducing blue dial models more frequently into their ranges it probably seems that this is the latest fad but Blue has been with us for quite sometime but was just never quite a prominent as the Black or white dials.
Blue will always be with us but the level which it is used by the manufacturers will fluctuate.
As has already been said, blue dials are not 'in fashion' - they've been around for a very long time and it's a very nice colour for particular watch dials.
It's a bit of an odd question really.
Obviously, I'm deeply sorry for interrupting the on-going discussion about Rolex prices.
That's really lovely, is it one of the £600ish ones with different hands fitted?
"A man of little significance"
My take is that blue dials have always been with us and always will. I don’t agree with the original hypothesis, even though the OP chose to reiterate it in a later post (despite all the evidence presented by others in the intervening posts!).
A small case in point... the SKX007 (black dial) and SKX009 (blue dial) were both launched at the same time in 1996 - that’s 23 years ago. Possibly the most iconic affordable diver of the last 30 years was launched with a blue dial variant...
Simon
Is that a mod dial? Looks lovely
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pic from the Internet
have few blue and still prefer over black.
I suspect they will be like polo shirts and cargo shorts they’ll just enter the look and never disappear.
Fume Dials were something that appeared to be of a time but made a slight resurgence. The fume dial will be more likely to go off trend imo.
If a dial isn't black or white, it's blue.
...
BUBI 0_0
The prior existence of blue dials does not invalidate my observation that over the last five years there has been a steady crescendo in their availability.
The particular popularity of, say, the blue dial versions of the recently released steel Skydweller and DJ41 indicate that this availability is going hand in hand with market demand.
I'm glad to read the opinions of people whose memories of watch trends are hugely longer than my own, that what is happening is not going to prove to have been a fad with shallow roots, but just a general bringing of something up to a sustainable level.
I have noticed in the last year or so some people having quite strong opinions on the sustainability of the current taste for bronze cases, which had made me wonder how quickly styles can date. I'm looking forward to five years time to see how much affection or otherwise those watches are held in.
Around the same time as the Bond SMP, which sealed the deal for mainstream blue-dialled divers.
Blue is a far more interesting than black or blue because no two blue dialled watches are created the same. We get some goof variation. It is endearing and creates less fatigue than other colours and is fun in a watch. I have 4 blue dialled watches now. Will definitely be adding more over time.
Time to go and measure that piece of string again methinks.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
It started out as an SBDC053 (SPB053). The handset is a 62 mas replacement from Yobokies, along with a lume ceramic bezel. The final touch was an 051 steel bracelet as the blue dial watches only come on rubber. A bit of (expensive) messing about but I love how it's turned out. Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Russ.
It’s blue dialled dress watches that have become a recent fashion, not sports and divers which have had and will continue to have blue dials.
I too wonder how long the dress watches will stay in fashion so I played safe and went for the silver dial for my new JLC back in February
Unless it's orange.
Thank you for this point - I see things very much from a dress watch perspective, so I was blind to that distinction.
Feb 10, 2021 That's when I plan to sell mine
Very nice. Do you still have it?Soon enough I had a couple of my own [...], such as this mid-70s ultrathin Sekonda aka Poljot 2209
Here's my not too dissimilar blue dial (what's left of it) from the early 1970s.
As long the sky is blue I reckon blue faced watches will be around, so many shades to choose from, I only have one( McQueen Monaco) and it’s going nowhere.
Indeed. They are very much in vogue right now, even if some people haven't noticed. I've got a number of blue-dialled watches in my collection that a few years ago wouldn't have existed. Seiko Samurai Blue Lagoon, Sinn 103 A Sa B, for example.
The Sinn was released just around the start of the trend and the Seiko right in the middle when loads of brands were bringing out blue editions: Tudor Harrods edition (also jumping on the bronze bandwagon) and so many others that most of them just aren't all that memorable. I expect there will be a downswing as always happens with fashion cycles, but clearly blue dials aren't going to disappear completely. Especially when it comes to divers: IIRC blue dials have better underwater legibility. Hardly an important consideration for a dress watch.
Personally I like blue dials, but I have a few too many in my collection (which needs a bit of a cull again). I don't think a blue dial is quite as versatile as a black one, partly because they do not go well with black straps (although oddly, the reverse is not always true). They are also difficult to match well with blue straps: a mismatched shade just looks wrong. A blue dial with a brown strap is pretty casual and with a blue strap is still considerably less formal looking than a black or white dial, unless perhaps it's for a "blue tie" occasion
I noticed there's also been a minor blip when it comes to green dials. Normally very unpopular, but everyone likes to copy Rolex, so there's been a few of those. They don't seem to have caught on in the same way as the blue trend though, presumably because green is even less versatile than blue. There's a reason popular colours (or non-colours) are popular.
My apologies - no offence was intended. Also, I'd much rather read your 'odd' questions than discuss Rolex prices or read how 'stunning' the latest dull Tudor looks. Carry on!
What is this fashion of which you speak?
F.T.F.A.
I see white gold wears well, so, so scratched!They’re not a fashion...
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That’s photos for you; they can give a highly misleading impression; in real-life the watch looked great , just great. The marks on the photo are barely seen by the naked eye.
Sad thing is, I sold it. Fabulous watch. Here’s a slightly better photo. Although it still exaggerates even tiny marks.
Mind you, I know a guy who likes to inspect watches with a magnifying glass (true!).
It takes all sorts.
Here you can see how a fluted bezel ‘protects’ the watch against marks. Sorry, not blue this time.
Last edited by paskinner; 24th June 2019 at 16:33.
For as long as I'm interested in Watches I hope, always liked a blue Dial, here are my two.
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For as long as the ocean remains blue
...or yellow
Simon
Longer then green dials I would imagine :)
I’ve been really tempted with one of these, how is the build quality?Feb 10, 2021 That's when I plan to sell mine
Quite a while I’d hope - I quite like a blue dial...
The Bremont has found a new home, but I still have the Chronoswiss & a new blue diver / holiday watch...
z
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