Great watchmakers follow trends, even if they’re not all following the same trend at the same time. As pawnbrokers, Suttons and Robertsons track the investment performance of these trends. 2021 looks to be the year of the green dial it looks to be a vintage year. With watch trends, it can place a watch to a moment in time for a single brand; however, the green dial (or green faced) watch is emerging from all the major producers it looks set to prove an enduring choice that will secure a future payback.
Green With Envy
Green is so often associated with jealousy these green dials certainly raise the stakes in watch envy. It’s not a simple case of going green; 2021’s green watch releases include shades hues, such as olive the deliciously-sounding pistachio.
Putting colour at the heart of their releases may be linked with the heavy days of the pandemic. Do green dials signify fresh beginnings?
Rolex Refines Its Approach
Rolex already have form with green dials – the Hulk and Kermit – they perform very well when it comes to raising finance against them. Discontinued in 2020, the Submariner ‘Hulk’, with a green face bezel, is currently fetching up to 50% more on the pre-owned market.
The Hulk the Kermit may have ceased production, but Rolex has launched the Rolex’s Datejust 36 for 2021. Using a palm-tree motif on the dial including several green tones, the Datejust 36 falls on the olive side of the colour spectrum.
TAG Heuer’s Future Classic
TAG Heuer’s 2021 release captures the best of both worlds, taking a retro version of the Carrera chronograph giving it a beautiful classic-looking teal dial. Bringing together a modern of-the-moment hue with a vintage design lume, the 2021 Carrera rides the waves of the green dial trend without tying itself to a moment in time.
Patek Philippe’s Green Dial Nautilus
One of the most beautiful reverse-view watches ever made now has a warm olive dial. Patek Philippe has also introduced green dials to their Aquanaut Twenty-4 collection, but the brand has declared it an addition here to stay, rather than a trend-following move. Could the olive-green be the replacement for the now-discontinued Patek Philippe stainless steel sports watch with black-blue dial?
Read more about Patek Philippe watches.
Outstanding Green Faced Omega Watches
Omega has two green dial models in particular – the Seamaster 300 Malachite the Aqua Terre.
Omega has really pushed the boat out for the Omega Seamaster 300 Malachite. Rather than create a green dial from the traditional materials used for dials, Omega has opted to create their green dial from malachite. An intentional reaction to the coronavirus pandemic maybe, malachite is a richly coloured green mineral which is used in holistic therapies. It is said to encourage risk-taking breaking outmoded patterns while taking responsibility for one’s thoughts feelings. The malachite dial is completed with a green ceramic bezel, a Ceragold diving scale a Super-LumiNova that springs to life in darker conditions.
The Omega’s Aqua Terra is one of the brands more practical, sporty watches, with its Master Chronometer movement with a water resistance that’s almost that of a dive watch, without actually being a dive watch. The Aqua Terre comes in several colours but its green dial version is a subtle olive green rather than Omega’s staple teal dial.
Read everything you need to know about Omega watches.
IWC Portugieser Goes Green Dial
The IWC Portugieser Chronograph Green Dial is a stunning piece of chronology, from its rich emerald-coloured dial to the in-house 69355 calibre that can be glimpsed through the back of the case. A 41mm diameter, teamed with a slender bezel, maximises the impact of the green dial. Cased in stainless steel, the Portugieser is finished with a self-winding mechanical movement and a black alligator leather strap.
Brave, Bright Breitling
Breitling takes to the race track with its latest collaboration with Bentley to cement their partnership. The B01 Bentley British Racing Green may be unsurprising in colour – after all, what other colour green dial option would there be for such pairing – but the dial is only one half of this watch’s design credentials. Turn the watch over to reveal a transparent sapphire case-back that displays Breitling’s self-winding chronometer-certified movement. The racing green dial forms a brand partnership backdrop to a set of black subdials, while the watch strap could either be stainless steel a contrasting green nubuck leather.
Less obvious, maybe, but no less beautiful for it, is the Breitling Premier B09 Chronograph in Pistachio Green. While the pistachio green may – at first – feel like an unusual option, Breitling has decided to make more of the brand’s heritage with the Premier collection. With its design origins rooted in the 1940s, the pistachio green stands out among other watches, including other green dials. Simply put, there’s just nothing else like it on the market.
Read more about Breitling’s history.
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak ‘Jumbo’ Extra Thin
This Royal Oak is really quite exceptional – it has so many different aspects going for it. With a bright, smoked emerald green sunburst dial, the Royal Oak maintains its 8.1mm measurement while housing a calibre 2121. What really sets this watch apart from the rest – including other Audemars Piguet – is the change from a stainless-steel case to a platinum one.
There are plenty of green dials to choose from at the moment. From a marketplace that viewed the Hulk or the Kermit as an exception to the rule, the major brands have decided that they need to get a piece of the green movement.
