The salmon watch dial has been a mainstay in the world of watches for as long as I can remember. The copper, pinkish hue is a nice departure from an industry full of monochromatic designs in black, navy and silver and it’s a colour that takes us back to the mid-20th century when the salmon dial’s popularity was at its highest.
There is no shortage of lovely salmon watch dials out there; some being more expensive than others. Some notable mentions include the Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Chronograph Perpetual Calendar under reference 5372P-010 and the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Chronograph spotted under reference 25960BC. But as I tend to do, I’ve chosen to give some of the more affordable options on the market some attention. So, without further ado, let’s get into my top 5 salmon watch dials…
Sinn 356 Sa Pilot II Automatic Chronograph
Sinn 356 Sa Pilot II Automatic Chronograph. Credit: WatchGecko.
Strangely, the pilot’s watch is a genre of timepiece that doesn’t frequent the salmon dial enough but for those looking for one, German watchmaker Sinn has delivered it within their 356 Sa Pilot II Automatic Chronograph. I’ve reviewed this collection in-depth here if you’re interested, and as I state in the article, the salmon dial variant is my personal favourite. The design is a really unique combination of modern aviation attributes and a traditional copper dial.
The display is beautifully electroplated to give the salmon hue an unusual wave pattern that extends out to the periphery of the dial. The subsidiary dials for the chronograph and small seconds are also salmon-coloured and snailed while the rest of the hardware is kept black for easy legibility. The Sinn 356 Sa Pilot II Automatic Chronograph also impresses with a 38.5mm stainless steel case, 100 metre water resistant rating and the Sellita SW 500 self-winding movement. It retails for £2,850.
Farer Meredith GMT
Farer Meredith GMT. Credit: WatchGecko.
British watchmaker Farer has always been confident about using bold and exciting colours in their collections and as someone with a love of colourful watch dials, the recently launched Farer Meredith GMT in Salmon has become a fast favourite. The hue can also be found on a chronograph variant in the collection which like this GMT model makes use of the brand’s patented Lumicast markers. The three-dimensional numerals utilise ceramic and C1 Super-LumiNova to provide exceptional legibility and add a touch of modernity to the traditional salmon backdrop.
The dial pairs with a 39.5mm wide stainless steel case, a winding crown topped with a bronze cap embossed with Farer’s ‘A’ logo and sapphire crystal glass with internal anti-reflective coating. Through the back, you can see the Sellita SW330-2 “Top-Grade” automatic winding movement with 24 jewels, a frequency of 28,800vph and a power reserve of approximately 56 hours. This model is a limited edition of 100 pieces and can be ordered for £1,265 on a leather strap.
Fears Brunswick 38 Copper Salmon
Fears Brunswick. Credit: Fears.
Another brand with little ‘fear’ – forgive the pun – when it comes to experimenting with dial colours and finishes is British watchmaker Fears and their Brunswick 38 Copper Salmon is definitely one of their portfolio’s centrepieces. The 18ct rose gold and copper galvanic coated display is crafted in Germany and inspired by a historic Fears watch from the 1940’s. It delivers a really unique vertical brushing that, alongside the retro cushion-shaped Brunswick case, give the entire watch a real old-school aesthetic.
The dial is set with diamond-polished, anthracite-coloured numerals, two skeletonised hour and minute hands and a small seconds counter; functions powered by manual winding ETA 7001 movement. The Fears Brunswick 38 Copper Salmon is again nicely sized at 38mm wide and has no flat surfaces, boasting sweeping edges and lugs machined from 316L stainless steel. We’re also warranted an onion-shaped winding crown, sapphire crystal glass and a 100 metre water resistant rating. This model is priced at £3,350.
Longines Master Collection 38.5mm
Longines Master Collection. Credit: Longines.
The Longines Master Collection is full of beautifully designed, traditional-looking dress watches making it the perfect home for at least one salmon dial. In fact, it’s rather surprising that (as of the beginning of 2024), there is only one salmon display in the collection. The model in question is the Longines Master Collection 38.5mm found under reference L2.843.4.93.2 and it presents a stunning vertically-brushed copper dial with a matching salmon-coloured, snailed small seconds counter, black engraved numerals and black leaf-shaped hands.
To match with the elegance of the dial, the case is kept timeless with a 38.5mm diameter and 10.2mm height. It is machined from brightly polished stainless steel and includes sapphire crystal glass with anti-reflective treatment and a basic 30 metres water resistance. Through the back, you can enjoy the nicely decorated L893 automatic winding calibre with its monocrystalline silicon balance-spring and a power reserve up to 72 hours. This model is priced at £2,350.
Baltic MR 01 Salmon
Baltic MR01 Salmon. Credit: Baltic.
Finally, saving the best for last – in my opinion at least– is the most affordable salmon watch dial on today’s list: the Baltic MR 01 Salmon. This is a watch that wholeheartedly takes inspiration from the Art Deco era, placing Breguet-style appliques on a frosted salmon-coloured display. The numerals and leaf-shaped hands are brightly polished and sit beside an off-centred guilloche-decorated seconds counter at 7 o’clock.
The case matches the dial’s sober and timeless appeal with a compact 36mm diameter, wide fixed bezel and brightly polished finishing on the bezel and lugs. It sits incredibly low on the wrist, at just 9.9mm tall (or 8mm if you don’t include the domed hesalite crystal) thanks to the micro-rotor movement housed inside. The Hangzhou CAL5000a Micro-rotor calibre is automatic winding and offers a 42-hour power reserve. You get all of this for just €545.
