FEATURE

Essence of Emerald: 15 Green-Dial Watches On Sale Now


It doesn’t get any greener in today’s watch world. Or does it? There have never been as many green watches as there are today, and in this feature we explore the emergence of the trend and showcase 15 currently available emerald-hued timepieces.

Although blue has been the most prominent trendy color for watches for the past several years, green is gaining in popularity. Blue has enjoyed such strong success that blue dials and straps have become a part of the standard col-lections of many brands. But the market constantly demands new attractions, so more than a few manufacturers have introduced new models in green. Is green the new blue?

The answer is, “No.” There will never be as many green watches as blue ones. A green watch evokes entirely different emotions than a blue one does. This reason alone makes it impossible to compare the two colors. Blue pleases everybody, but green sparks differences of opinion. From a fashion perspective, blue plays a transitional role between classic “non-colors” (black, gray and white) and “real” colors like red, yellow, orange and green. Dark blue business suits, pastel blue dress shirts and blue denim jeans are seen so frequently that we don’t really notice that they are any color. But a green shirt, sport jacket or pair of pants attracts attention – and not always in a good way. Wearing clothes in green hues is a no-go in some situations.

The contrast isn’t quite so extreme for watches, but green polarizes opinions here, too. Although green evokes many positive associations, such as nature and youth, green is also the complementary color of the red of our blood and represents the opposite of rosy good health. When people don’t feel well, their complexion may get a greenish tinge. Poisons are often green. Monsters are often depicted with green skin. Verdigris is poisonous. And moldy bread has a greenish hue.

When green is worn on the wrist, it’s a color for individualists. Wearing a green watch makes a statement. It seems to proclaim, “I’m free to do as I please.” Green has many nuances and everyone has his own idea of what a “typical” green is.

The watches pictured here conjure up widely diverse associations. The palette ranges from subdued dark green, through fashionable pastel green, to green with a blue or a yellow tinge. Green can refer to the military, to hunting or to nature. And, of course, there’s also the color known as British Racing Green.

Green won’t become the new blue. But it nonetheless offers the option of expressing self-confidence and joie de vivre by wearing a color that’s likely to attract other people’s gazes – or to simply delight its wearers, who have chosen to put their favorite color on their wrists.

H. MOSER & CIE. SWISS ALP WATCH CONCEPT COSMIC GREEN

Moser Swiss Alp Watch Cosmic Green
Moser Swiss Alp Watch Concept Cosmic Green

Fumé dials with a fluent transition between black and a “real” color have become the trademark of H. Moser & Cie. Now the version in Cosmic Green adorns the Swiss Alp Watch, with a case design that Jony Ive and Apple have generously overlooked. White gold, 38.2 mm by 44 mm, manufacture Caliber HMC 324, hand-wound, 20 pieces, $26,900.

AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK OFFSHORE DIVER

The Royal Oak Offshore Diver "Khaki Has Character"
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver

AP continues to rely on “funky colors” in this divers’ watch, which stays watertight to 300 meters. After bright yellow, orange and bright green, one of the newcomers in 2018 comes with a dial and rubber wristband in military khaki green. Stainless steel, 42 mm, manufacture Caliber AP 3120, automatic, $19,900.

HUBLOT CLASSIC FUSION GREEN

Hublot Classic Fusion Green
Hublot Classic Fusion Green

Considering the variety of colors that Hublot boasts, green simply couldn’t be missing from the spectrum. For the olive-green Classic Fusion, this brand is prioritizing the theme of unisex, as the 38-mm case suggests. Titanium, Sellita SW300, automatic, $6,600.

OMEGA SEAMASTER 300 MALACHITE

A dial made from South African malachite gives a noble aura to the Seamaster. The combination of a green mineral for the face and yellow gold for the case and bracelet ($56,250) seems more appropriate for another brand, so we prefer the platinum version, which is unfortunately much more costly ($88,500). 41 mm, Master Chronometer Caliber 8913, automatic.

RADO TRUE THINLINE NATURE

Rado True Thinline
Rado True Thinline Nature

Despite their hue, green watches seldom conjure up visions of verdant foliage. But this Rado watch is an exception: the mother-of-pearl dial with leafy structure distinguishes the look of the True Thinline, which has a case and bracelet made of high-tech ceramic. The design results from a partnership between Rado and the Grandi Giardini Italiani organization. 39 mm by 43 mm, quartz movement, $2,100.

BULGARI OCTO FINISSIMO

Bulgari Octo Green
Bulgari Octo Finissimo

The super-flat Octo Finissimo is a mere 5.15 mm thick. It encases 2.23-mm-slim manufacture Caliber BVL 138 with a platinum microrotor. Only 10 timepieces exist in this green version; they’re available at Harrods in London. Titanium, 40 mm, £12,000.

MB&F HOROLOGICAL MACHINE NO. 7 AQUAPOD

MB&F HM7 Aquapod - Green
MB&F HM7 Aquapod

The previous Aquapod with its luminous blue rotatable diving bezel was already an eye-catcher, but now it’s impossible to take one’s eyes off this new green jellyfish wristwatch. MB&F stays loyal to its concept of putting the utmost in the watchmaker’s art – here, a flying tourbillon – into playfully and provocatively shaped watches, thus transforming craftsmanship into fine art. Titanium, 53.8 mm by 21.3 mm, manufacture caliber, automatic, limited edition of 50 pieces, $108,000.

SINN HUNTER CHRONOGRAPH 3006

SINN Hunter Green
SINN Hunter Chronograph 3006

Sinn presents a watch designed expressly for hunters. A shade of green with a distinctly yellow tinge was chosen for the dial and the silicone strap. Along with the camouflage effect, this watch offers a second useful feature for hunters: a little moon appears above the T-shaped mark at the bottom of the dial to indicate that ambient lighting is bright enough for a hunt after sunset. Hardened stainless steel, 44 mm, ETA Valjoux 7751, $3,970.

CERTINA DS ACTION DIVER

Certina DS Action Diver Powermatic
Certina DS Action Diver Powermatic

Certina’s new divers’ watch isn’t only watertight to 300 meters, but is also equipped with self-winding Caliber Powermatic 80, which amasses an 80-hour power reserve. Connoisseurs who prefer a more subdued color scheme can opt for the same model with a black dial, rotatable bezel and green seconds hand. Stainless steel, 43 mm,

CHOPARD MILLE MIGLIA CLASSIC CHRONOGRAPH RACING COLORS

Chopard Mille Miglia Green
Chopard Mille Miglia Classic Chronograph

To celebrate its 30 years of partnership with the Mille Miglia rally for classic motorcars, Chopard presents five chronographs in the colors of historic race cars. This color scheme was devised approximately 100 years ago for drivers from different countries. British Racing Green was assigned to the drivers from England. This dark and subdued shade of green contrasts elegantly with bright yellow, red, silver or blue. Stainless steel, 42 mm, Caliber ETA 2894, automatic, chronometer, $6,080.

SEIKO 1968 AUTOMATIC COMMEMORATIVE LIMITED EDITION

Seiko Diver SLA019
Seiko Prospex Ref. SLA019

The Swiss aren’t the only ones who know that green also looks good on a divers’ watch. Seiko offers 1,968 pieces of the Prospex Reference SLA019, which is watertight to 300 meters, equipped with a rotatable ceramic bezel and delivered with an additional silicone wristband. Stainless steel, 44.3 mm, manufacture Caliber 8L35, automatic, $3,250.

GLASHÜTTE ORIGINAL SIXTIES PANORAMA DATE

Glashuette Original Sixties Panorama Date
Glashütte Original Sixties Panorama Date

The green version of the Sixties not only has a terrific color, but also fascinates with a sunburst of lacquer particles that look as though they’re exploding from the dial’s center and spreading out across the entire face like a supernova. Just how is this “dégradé” effect achieved? The experts at Glashütte Original’s dial factory keep the answer a closely guarded secret. Stainless steel, 42 mm, manufacture Caliber 39-47, automatic, $9,300.

HERMÈS ARCEAU CASAQUE

Hermes Arceau Casaque
Hermès Arceau Casaque

It’s not surprising that Hermès has adorned the dial of this watch with a stylized horse’s head because this brand has its roots in the saddler’s craft. The Arceau Casaque also alludes to a French board game in which little horses move across the playing board. The watch comes in the four basic colors used in the game: red, yellow, blue and this trendy green. Stainless steel, lacquered enamel dial, quartz movement, $3,400.

ORIS AQUIS DATE

Oris Aquis Date
Oris Aquis Date

The Aquis is a wonderful “no-nonsense” watch. It costs astonishingly little, but it offers surprisingly a lot: watertightness to 300 meters, a ceramic bezel, a stainless-steel bracelet and a fold-and-slide clasp with built-in extension piece. The version with a steel bracelet ($2,000) goes most handsomely with the green bezel and dial, although a variation with a brown leather strap is also available ($1,850). Stainless steel, 43.5 mm, Sellita SW200, automatic.

MONTBLANC 1858 MONOPUSHER CHRONOGRAPH LIMITED EDITION 100

Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph LE - flat
Montblanc 1858 Monopusher Chronograph

The technology and the dial arrangement of this handsome chronograph refer to a monopusher version that Minerva built in the 1920s. The green color gives a certain vintage character to this watch, which is actually a state-of-the-art timepiece. Stainless steel, 40 mm, manufacture Caliber MB M13.21, hand-wound, limited series of 100 watches, $30,000.

No Responses to “Essence of Emerald: 15 Green-Dial Watches On Sale Now”

Show all responses
  1. Matthew P

    The Seiko Alpinist SPB155 & Seiko Edge SPB169 woulda made a nice addition to this list

    Reply
  2. Danny Simenauer

    Watchtime, After reading this article I was interested in buying the Seiko Prospex Ref. SLA019. I started on the Seiko website, and it is not listed. I did find one on Chrono24 selling above list price. Your article alludes to the watches being “on sale now”. Where can I buy the Seiko in new & unworn condition?

    Reply
  3. Opinions vary.
    Watchtime done their best to call all the green watches.
    Forget the most important ok, it is a bit silly.
    Me as a green man, green is my color, this article is important. I check the net were green watches are.
    Very new is the H.Moser&Cie streamliner with green dial.
    A Piaget Polo S is also available with a green dial, and a PP Nautilus.

    Reply
    • This Piaget is just beautiful. I would immediately buy it if I could afford it!

      Reply
  4. Brad Rhoton

    9/17/20 where can I get the Platinum Green Omega
    Divers watch you showed today?

    Reply
  5. You just featured the IWC Portugieser chronograph with a beautiful sunray green dial on the short list as a nominee in the Grand Prix d’Horologie de Geneve; why not here? And yes, the Hulk, was that an inadvertent omission? ;-)

    Reply
    • Absolutely correct, I own this georgeous and most favorable beauty already…

      Reply
  6. Donald Biscuits

    Just picked up an Orient Triton diver in a lovely dark green. Hell of swatch for as few hundred bucks.

    Reply
  7. No Hulk? C’mon man…this is an empty list without the hulk….this coming from a non-rolex guy

    Reply
  8. Joe Minton

    One more to consider…. the Mazzuoli Manometro green dial. A great summer watch!

    Reply
  9. David Jackson

    Excellent review, but I’d like to have seen the Mido Ocean Star included; it’s less “in yer face” than some, and beautiful, and all for around £750.

    Reply
  10. HIMANSHU CHHABRA

    they have a very good quality of watches are categroised here from that easy to choose between two or more products oreasy to compare between them

    Reply
  11. Robert Morganexc

    Excellent article for a review , for us more mortals there is really one option oris, shame you don’t include seiko spb103j1 at £730 a very robust diver

    Reply
  12. TODD SEGER

    That’s absolutely hilarious that out of all the watches listed… Not a single Rolex ‘Hulk’ Sub anywhere to be seen!!!!

    Reply
  13. Gerry Dimatos

    Great article albeit not really sure how the mighty Hulk 116610LV was left out.
    The Hulk dwarfes them all,
    From Gerry Dimatos in Melbourne Australia.

    Reply
  14. Randy Rogers

    With more talk of what Green is not and why, I stay with my opinion from 2017, when this follow-the-leader (Rolex) began; because Rolex can be audacious and introduce a non-Color does not mean everyone can be successful, Omega, Certina, Seiko and Oris are but “me too’s”, Rado in it’s “back to the future” alone seems “all-in”. AP, Hublot, Sinn and MONT-Blanc chose what had previously enjoyed the reference of “baby shit green” and save for Sinn and it’s heritage, possibly Military, but the others are Price and synergistically challenged. Certainly Dials can be changed, but the hue; the finish, the fact that an Attachment can play an intrinsic part in the presentation, limits too much the feasibility of success for all but he or she that has everything and waits for March 17th to don this Timepiece anew. To say one has a “Green Watch”, okay, but Black, White, Blue, Tobacco Brown and Champagne, the obligatory Orange or Yellow, that’s the spectrum, the aggregate manufacture of all of these Green pieces will see a 10% Sell-through over the Counter, max., the balance will find their way to Ashford, Jomashop or a special place on their respective digital Boutiques, opinion, but with 42 years successful experience.

    Reply
    • Skip Cuevas

      42 years building a bias? Article was meant to be informative, nothing more, and believe that is what it was, successfuly.

      Reply
    • Randy Rogers

      Obviously all is subjective, but given TAG-Heuer’s 1963 re-boot Carrera, their Green is the most sophisticated and sensual, and given the re-date of the Article as with the “Hulk” Sub, deserved inclusion.

      Reply
  15. Mark Macaulay

    And the Rolex GMT Master II anniversary edition…116718
    Thanks for the great review.

    Reply
    • Neil Wilkinson

      An interesting article. I particularly like the Omega Seamaster and Glashutte Original. watches.

      Can’t say that I particularly agree with Mr Rogers regarding the “follow-the-leader (Rolex)” comment though. After all, Tag Heuer had two watches with different green dials in the 1990’s,being the 6000 Series Steel and Gold and 6000 Gold automatic COSC chronometers of the day, for example.

      Regards from Sydney, Australia.

      Reply
      • Randy Rogers

        Neil, Point, well made, I actually have the 18K 6000 Lis Blue, still running on time 24 years later! That was a product that was not maximized to it’s potential, I left in ’97, and the Brand began taking a “Fashion Direction” with Kirium and Alter-Ego away from Iconic Designed Classic’s.

        Reply
Leave a Reply