Blue dial watches just seem perfect for summer. The color has been embraced by watchmakers for the last few years, probably because the hue manages to be both vivid and dignified at the same time, unlike ubiquitous black or white dials which generally feel staid. And while there is a multitude of blue options out there, these seven wear the color best.
Citizen Promaster Diver
Dollar for dollar, Citizen’s Promaster diver is one of the most well-rounded summer timepieces you can find. It has a solar-charged quartz movement (so no more battery changes) and is water-resistant to 200 meters. Naturally, a blue dial, bezel and rubber strap fit it perfectly.
Movement: Citizen Eco-Drive quartz
Case diameter: 48mm
Water resistance: 200m
Seiko Prospex SBDY013
The Japanese-market SBDY013 is the same “Turtle” we know and love in the United States but has a stunning dial and bezel we don’t, unfortunately, get stateside. The dial is a shimmering gradient of black and deep blue, while the bezel is black with a blue count-up section for the 12 o’clock position to three o’clock.
Movement: Seiko 4R36 automatic
Case diameter: 45mm
Water resistance: 200m
Squale 60 Atmos Blu Puro
Back in the day, Squale was an Italian case maker, building cases for respected brands like Heuer and Blancpain. Today, the brand is now its own watch company, specializing in accessibly-priced divers. This 60 Atmos boasts a remarkable 600-meter depth rating and a very blue dial and unmarked bezel.
Movement: ETA 2824-2 automatic
Case diameter: 42.7mm
Water resistance: 600m
Seiko Presage SPB075J1
Seiko continues to add more captivating dial options to its growing Presage lineup, and the SPB075J1’s gorgeous shippo enamel dial is just the latest. The enamel is painted on a guilloche dial base, fired at 800 degrees Celcius, then polished to a beautiful sheen.
Movement: Seiko 6R15 automatic
Case diameter: 40mm
Water resistance: 100m
Oris Divers Sixty-Five
Oris’s Divers Sixty-Five is a spot-on recreation of a classic diver the brand made during the 1960s. Its been released in a seemingly endless array of dial designs, but blue certainly seems to suit it well.
Movement: Oris 733 automatic (base Sellita SW200-1)
Case diameter: 42mm
Water resistance: 100m
IWC Mark XVIII Le Petit Prince
IWC’s blue-dialed Le Petit Prince editions have become something of a tradition for the watchmaker. The standard Mark XVIII is an austere tool watch, but the metallic blue dial of the special edition gives it a level of vibrancy that allows the timepiece to successfully toe the line between utilitarian and ornate.
Movement: IWC 30110 automatic (ETA 2892-A2 base)
Case diameter: 40mm
Water resistance: 60m
Breitling Navitimer 8
Though it shares the Navitimer name, this is not the iconic slide-rule pilot’s chronograph. Rather, it’s an ode to some of the simpler chronographs the watchmaker built during the 20th century, with a thin rotating bezel and a simple dial that looks incredibly handsome in blue with contrasting silver sub-dials.