Forget dials of blue, black and silver. The year 2024 is going to follow suit from the last twelve months and be filled with brightly coloured watch dials, I can just tell. And one colour I think is going to prove incredibly popular with both men and women alike is purple.
Until more recently, purple isn’t a colour you could find all that often in the watchmaking world. But really, it’s a colour that deserves more limelight. From lighter shades of lilac and lavender to richer hues of violet and magenta, purple comes in various forms and when complemented with different dial finishes, is made all the more eye-catching.
I feel like rather unfairly, purple has been attached stereotypically to feminine tastes but hopefully as my top 5 purple watch dial picks will prove, purple is a versatile colour that looks just as fantastic on male wrists as women’s. It works perfectly with cool tones of steel as well as warmer metals like gold and since it’s still a rather unique colour on watches, it’s a perfect choice for those seeking contemporary style and a little individuality.
So without further ado, here are my top 5 purple watch dials…
NOMOS Glashütte Club Blue Purple
NOMOS CLUB CAMPUS BLUE PURPLE - Credit NOMOS
A good watch to ease you into purple dials is the NOMOS Glashütte Club Blue Purple and the giveaway is in the name. This has a more blueish dial with hints of violet added in there. I’ve been lucky enough to see this watch in person and I remember thinking this is one of those dial colours that changes a lot in different lighting. It can darken to a deep navy then just as quickly brighten to a bold mauve.
It’s very attractive and includes a unique mix of white Arabic and Roman numerals, a snailed and recessed small seconds counter and contrasting neon orange accents. The NOMOS Glashütte Club Blue Purple watch is a fantastic entry-level model from the brand, retailing at £1,300 and presents a compact 36mm wide steel case with their in-house Alpha manual winding movement at the core. You get a lot of design and tech spec for the price.
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 (Ti) Cosmic Purple
Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 (Ti) Cosmic Purple - Credit WatchGecko
Another purple-dialled watch I’ve been lucky enough to get hands-on with recently is the new addition from British watchmaker Christopher Ward. Their smaller 36mm-wide integrated sports watch, otherwise known as The Twelve 36, has just been launched for the first time in titanium and with a wonderful textured “Cosmic Purple” dial.
The Christopher Ward The Twelve 36 (Ti) Cosmic Purple watch is embossed with the model’s iconic three-dimensional pattern and a gradient effect which sees a lighter shade of lilac begin at the centre before turning to a dark purple at the edges. It’s quite a sporty, masculine finish and pairs well with the brushed finishing of the lightweight titanium case and bracelet. There’s still the same chronometer-certified Sellita SW300-1 movement and a price tag of £1,595. We reviewed this model in more depth should you wish to read that here.
Geckota Pioneer Aurora Purple
Geckota Pioneer Aurora on Simple Handmade - Credit WatchGecko
One of the most affordable, purple-dialled watches on the market and still one of exceptional quality is the Geckota Pioneer Aurora Purple. This retro-inspired timepiece presents its brushed cushion-shaped 42mm-wide case with a bright lavender dial at the centre. The display has sunray finishing which again cleverly changes the shade of purple in different lighting and offers easy readability in all situations thanks to Superluminova placed on the cathedral hands and raised indexes.
For just £399, you get a 316L stainless steel case, sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective coating and an impressive 200 metre water resistant rating. Inside, the Seiko NH35 automatic winding movement delivers the hours, minutes and seconds and a power reserve of 41 hours. The Geckota Pioneer Aurora Purple is delivered with a vintage brown leather strap as standard, but I urge you to explore some of Geckota’s other straps as there are some fantastic metal bracelets and nylon straps that look great with this dial.
Farer Discovery II Purple
Farer Discovery II Purple - Credit Farer
Now for a very different shade of purple, we have the Farer Discovery II Purple watch with its mulberry-coloured dial. This is a hue of purple that, to me, evokes a sense of luxury and royalty. It’s a really deep purple with a slight reddish hint, turning almost black when looked at outside of direct light. The sloped dial encourages this, boasting a chamfered centre which curves downwards towards applied mirror numerals and markers infilled in off-white Superluminova.
Yet again, I chose this watch for its exceptional value (and of course it’s ultra-cool purple dial). It retails for £895 and arrives with a 39.5mm wide 316L marine grade stainless steel case with wonderful polished finishing and box-shaped sapphire crystal glass. Housed within and presented through the exhibition case back is the La Joux-Perret G101 automatic winding movement with sweeping seconds and an extended power reserve of 68-hou
Grand Seiko Heritage Watches of Switzerland Limited Edition
Grand Seiko Heritage Watches of Switzerland Limited Edition - Credit Grand Seiko
Finally, a watch that is currently at the top of my wish list is the Grand Seiko Heritage Watches of Switzerland Limited Edition under reference SBGH337. This model has just recently been created in collaboration with the Watches of Switzerland Group and marks, to my knowledge, the first purple-dialled Grand Seiko watch from the Japanese watchmaker.
It’s textured, pastel purple dial takes inspiration from Jodogahama Beach in Miyako, Japan and the cosmos that are spotted above the shoreline at night time. It has a really unique mosaic-like finish with the intricate grooves getting smaller towards the centre of the dial. There’s also a deep purple seconds hand to match powered by the in-house 9S85 calibre automatic movement with an accuracy of +5 to -3 seconds per day and an55 hour power reserve. It also arrives with a 40mm wide steel case with Zaratsu polishing, a matching steel bracelet and a 100 metre water resistant. This is the most expensive purple-dialled watch on the list retailing at £6,300.
And that’s my top 5 purple watch dials! Did I choose correctly? Or is there a model you think deserves to be placed here? Let me know in the comments below.
