Has anyone else noticed the abundance of pastel blue, subtly textured dials of late? These ice-inspired displays are everywhere and feel well suited to frosty winter mornings and the subsequent festive season.
Pastel coloured dials have been a prominent occurrence over the last twelve months. We’ve seen shades of pastel pink, mint green, lilac and ice blue making their way across notable models from brands like Breitling, Oris, OMEGA and more. The shade of ice blue has been especially frequent, attracting the wrists of both male and female watch collectors alike.
It’s a colour not as monotonous as black or silver, nor as mainstream as navy. It’s also not quite as eccentric as bright pinks, greens, and purples. It’s a nice choice for those that want something a little unorthodox but still timelessly sophisticated. It seems plenty of brands have noticed the trend too and have taken things one step further by pairing the colour with textured displays evoking the texture of ice and snow.
To help you navigate through the abundance of ice dial watches on the market, we’ve chosen our favourite five. Let’s begin…
Grand Seiko Spring Drive ‘Omiwatari’
Grand Seiko Spring Drive ‘Omiwatari’ - Credit Seiko
- Regular price
- £1,435.00
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- Sale price
- £1,435.00
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- Regular price
- £299.00
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- Sale price
- £299.00
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If there’s one watch brand reputed for creating exceptional dials, it’s Grand Seiko, and their Spring Drive ‘Omiwatari’ model found under reference SBGY007 is no different. The design arrives with a gorgeous light blue textured dial inspired by a phenomenon called “Omiwatari” which translates to “God’s Crossing”. During midwinter, the surface of Lake Suwa near Shiojiri, Japan freezes over and forms unique ice ridges. The same texture is replicated on the dial of the Spring Drive ‘Omiwatari’ watch forming its own frozen ripples.
The ice blue dial is housed within a 38.5mm wide, brightly polished stainless steel case. It is joined by dual-curved sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating and a black alligator leather strap. Inside, the watch presents the Japanese watchmaker’s Spring Drive calibre 9R31 which is made in-house at their Shinshu Watch Studio. It offers an extended 72-hour power reserve which can be monitored with the special power reserve indicator placed upon the case back.
Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea
Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea - Credit Montblanc
Although not completely pastel-blue in colour, the Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea watch deserves a spot in today’s top 5 purely for its masterful ice-inspired dial. The 1858 series is all about celebrating outdoor exploration and for the Iced Sea model, the unusual formations found in glacial ice are replicated with unique dials made using a technique called gratté-boisé. Fun fact: before the 1858 watch was launched, gratté-boisé had never been used on a watch dial before. The technique creates a genuine impression of ice on the 0.5mm tall dial.
The Montblanc 1858 Iced Sea watch not only looks the part but has plenty of spec to back it up. It’s Montblanc’s first ever sports diving watch and is certified to the ISO 6425 standard with a screw down crown, screw down case back and a water resistant rating of 300 metres. The case measures to 41mm wide and is engineered from stainless steel, the dial is set with Superluminova inserts and the Calibre MB 24.17 automatic winding movement comes with a 38-hour power reserve. Finally, the model is subjected to the Montblanc Laboratory 500 Hour Test to guarantee shock, magnetic and temperature resistance.
Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Ice Blue
Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Ice Blue - Credit Tissot
Swiss watchmaker Tissot also has their own interpretation of the ice dial. Their Tissot PRX watch is available in a stunning light blue, and those powered by the Powermatic 80 movement swap out the sunray-brushed display for one with a waffle-like texture. The finish catches the light wonderfully, allowing the pastel hue to change from a silvery grey to a brighter blue in different lighting. The display is finished by Superluminova hands and applied indexes.
The rest of the Tissot PRX Powermatic 80 Ice Blue watch follows in the footsteps of its integrated sports watch brothers. The case is available in 35mm or 40mm and has predominantly brushed surfaces with polishing on the bezel and inner flanks of the integrated metal bracelet. It has a see-through case back, 100 metre water resistance and is powered by the Powermatic 80 automatic winding movement with an 80-hour power reserve and anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring.
Seiko Prospex Glacier ‘Save the Ocean’
Seiko Prospex Glacier ‘Save the Ocean’ - Credit Seiko
Last year, Seiko extended their popular ‘Save the Ocean’ series, a collection dedicated to the protection and preservation of the world’s oceans, by releasing a trio of Seiko Prospex Glacier watches. One model found under reference SPB299J1 dedicates its architecture to Seiko’s original 1968 300m diver’s watch which was worn by mountaineers for the first Japanese summit of Mount Everest. It has a 42mm wide stainless steel case, navy blue aluminium diver’s bezel and a 200 metre water resistance.
Of course, its most notable feature is the dial. The sky blue display is inspired by glaciers in Antarctica and boasts raised, vertical impressions to evoke the layers of these frozen formations. The surface is set with rounded hour markers and hands set with glow in the dark Lumibrite. The hours, minutes, seconds and date complication is powered by the Calibre 6R35 automatic winding movement with a 70-hour power reserve.
Geckota Ocean-Scout Frost
Geckota Ice and Frost Ocean-Scout - Credit WatchGecko
The most affordable ice dial on today’s list is the Geckota Ocean-Scout Frost watch. The Ocean-Scout is Geckota’s premium outdoor adventure watch and for the first time, it is presented with a textured dial inspired by frozen waters and freshly fallen snow. The pastel blue hue is extremely light in colour, appearing blue in some lighting and a silvery white in others. It is joined by the Ocean-Scout’s first steel insert bezel which is brushed and set with a white engraved 60 minute diver’s scale.
Matching with the crispness of its ice blue textured dial, the case of the Geckota Ocean-Scout Forst is machined from 316L stainless steel with a combination of brushed and polished finishing. It has a screw down crown and case back and box-shaped sapphire crystal for a 200 metre water resistance. The dial ensures exceptional legibility with BGW9 Superluminova included on all the hour markers and hands, and inside, the Miyota 9039 automatic movement provides a healthy 42-hour power reserve. The Geckota Ocean-Scout Frost watch is completed by a grey nylon strap or solid metal bracelet.
That concludes our top 5 ice dial watches. Do you agree with our opinions, or would you have chosen a different model for the number one spot? Let us know in the comments below!
