White dial watches are arguably the most interesting and useful. Why so?
Because if they are designed well, with complimentary colour lume accents, bold indices, and outline hands, they can offer some of the best legibility. For decades white dial watches have been the favoured option for explorers as the dial colour effectively negates all reflection.
White dials are also excellent to match with after-market straps as they are not as simple as you think, with some colours or materials clashing and not working. With this in mind, we took a wide selection of white dial watches from the WatchGecko photo model collection and matched them with some practical strap suggestions.
Blue Straps
Laco Flieger on a ZULUDIVER Anvil Blue
Who would have thought about putting a rubber strap on a classic Laco? Why not when it looks this good? The Anvil is robust and purposeful adding a different aesthetic to this beautiful watch bringing out its tool status rather than its dress watch qualities. A new star in the making.
Grey Straps
NTH/WatchGecko Devil Ray on a Grey Vintage Tropic Rubber
This is a professional dive watch, and the grey elements on the chapter ring and deeply brushed stainless steel lend themselves to being supported by a light grey strap. And if you plan to wear the NTH in the ocean depths, then you’ll need the reassurance of FKM rubber that’s been thoroughly tested.
Boldr Venture 24hr on a ZULUDIVER Endurance Extreme in the new colour NIMROD
Another fabulous field watch which is much more modern in design than the Hamilton. This new design merits a brand new concept of strap, and the grey Endurance Extreme NIMROD is the essence of 2023 ZULUDIVER. One of our toughest straps to date, the NIMROD colour absolutely works on the titanium case Boldr, The perfect combo.
Geckota Sea Hunter on a new 1973 ZULUDIVER British Military Watch Strap: ARMOURED - No Time Bond
The most uncomplicated dial, yet maybe the hardest to match well. The temptation was to go simple grey again and match the steel, but when we fitted this 1973 special variant, the pairing was too good to pass. Inspired by the toughest of customers (who we believe would favour the crisp legibility of a white dial) this strap lifts the watch immeasurably with that hint of beige.
Brown Straps
Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical on Vintage Cavallo Horse Leather Watch Strap - Brown
The white dial Hamilton Khaki hand wound is a classic, almost unchanged since the Vietnam War. The famous orange lume naturally makes you head for earthy colours, and after several tests, we thought the patina-brown of the Cavallo Horse leather was perfect and reflected old military webbing. Satin keepers complement the matte case.
Seiko Pressage with a Simple Handmade Italian Leather in Reddish Brown
Elegance requires elegance. The Seiko delivers therefore so must the strap. Our Simple Handmade Italian Leather offers timeless simplicity, making it a popular choice for anyone after a quality leather strap. With a 4mm to 3.5mm tapering thickness, the Italian leather is able to stand up to a great deal of wear whilst still being luxuriously pliable from the outset.
Conclusion
White dial watches are rightly popular and deliver a crispness and legibility most other colours struggle to match. If the dial is designed well and silver hands and indices do not merge into the watch a white dial can be the star of your collection. We hope our strap recommendations inspire you to change some of your own, experiment a little, or even buy your first white dial watch.
