Is Green really refreshing and renewable?
It is well accepted that the sound of water waves or dripping water soothes and calms the mind, perhaps because as a fetus in our mother’s womb, we were surrounded by water (amniotic fluid) and we felt secure and peace. In the same vein, the smell of a freshly baked bread has been known to calm the senses; just as it is widely documented that the colour green soothes the eyes visually and relaxes the mind too.
It is also extrapolated that the colour green is also known to induce feelings of restoration, growth and harmony. Green lies at the centre of the colour spectrum (at 550 nanometers), and our eyes do not need to make any adjustments when we perceive the colour. Green is also the commonest colour in nature and represents peace and tranquility.
Perhaps these are the reasons why we seem to embrace the verdant hue so instinctively and comfortably; might this be the reason behind the recent proliferation of green-coloured timepieces that have been making watch lovers go weak in the knees. From olive green, emerald tones to my personal favourite forest green with every shade in between, here are the latest green watches that flaunt luxury horology’s colour of the moment in a myriad of evocative and dazzling ways.
Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph
Like what the 911 is to Porsche, the Navitimer is the reference timepiece in Breitling’s catalogue. An aviation tool watch that is recognised by its circular slide rule on the bezel, which allows pilots to perform all types of flight calculations using the timepiece alone, the Navitimer celebrates its 70th birthday this year with a stunning array of new models in a variety of case sizes, materials and strap options.
My pick of the lot? This dashing 46mm model in stainless steel with sunray green dial and black totalisers, which runs on Breitling’s in-house Calibre 01 automatic chronograph movement. Compared to the models with black-white and blue-white dials, this variant offers a contemporary take on the two-tone ‘panda-style’ aesthetic and stands out for its bold and striking colour combination, this green and black harmony really grows on me.
Bvlgari Octo Roma Emerald Grande Sonnerie
Don’t be blinded by the stupendous sparkle of the Octo Roma Emerald Grande Sonnerie. Underneath all that breathtaking glitter is a true mechanical marvel. This piece unique is powered by an intricately assembled engine that is arguably Bvlgari’s most complex movement to date: the automatic BVL 703 movement with Grande Sonnerie, which sounds out the time with Westminster chimes on demand. Comprising 732 parts, the movement takes a single master watchmaker over nine months to put together.
It is fitting then, that Bvlgari decides to sheathe the spectacular technical masterpiece in an epic shower of stones. Save for its open sapphire caseback, the watch’s white gold case is set entirely with diamonds and emeralds totalling over 30 carats – including 72 baguette-cut emeralds on the bezel, 374 baguette-cut diamonds on the case, crown and dial, and a round rose-cut diamond.
IWC Schaffhausen Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Woodland”
Not all pilot’s watches need to parade alpha male-inspired, archaic WWII-style designs to evoke machismo. Sometimes, a bit of colour can lend an edge to the proceedings without sacrificing the timepieces’ tool watch allure.
Hailed as the most dynamic-looking collection in IWC’s iconic Pilot’s Watch line-up, the TOP GUN editions flaunt a natural swagger that invokes the famed fighter pilots’ training school from which the watches take their name. The new Pilot’s Watch Chronograph TOP GUN Edition “Woodland” takes the association even further with its all-green get-up inspired by fighter pilots’ flight suits. The dial, strap and 44.5mm ceramic case are all rendered in formal stalwart military green, while the watch is powered by IWC’s in-house Calibre 69380, a high-performance automatic (46-hour power reserve) movement featuring column-wheel control for smooth activation of the chronograph function.
Montblanc Iced Sea Automatic Date
Making its debut this year, Montblanc’s Iced Sea Automatic Date displays modern sports functionality with its boyish attractiveness. This watch has a tough underwater accompaniment, every watch undergoes the Montblanc Laboratory 500 Hour Test, and is a certified diving timing instrument that boasts ISO 6425 certification, is water resistant to 300m, and highly resistant to shock, magnetic interferences and temperature fluctuations. At the same time, the Iced Sea Automatic Date captivates with its unique dial created using a long-lost engraving technique called ‘gratté boisé’.
But the combination works. The mesmerising dials, which recall the different colours of glacial ice and come in blue, black and green, commands one’s attention with their strangely true-to-life textures, and are a fitting expression of the collection’s adventure-inspired spirit. My favourite version featuring the ‘frozen’ green dial recalls the appearance of glaciers in Antarctica that are filled with microscopic snow algae blooms, it gives me the feeling of skating on solid translucent ice.
Patek Philippe World Time Ref. 7130R-014
Besides the increasingly rare steel Nautiluses and highly exclusive minute repeaters, the World Time complication ought to rank among Patek Philippe’s most coveted holy grail of watches by the watch connoisseur. A mechanical tour de force that arrived fully formed in the 1930s, the Patek Philippe World Time watch tells the time across 24 world cities at a single glance, complemented by a pusher that lets the user effortlessly adjust all the displays in one-hour steps.
This storied complication has witnessed its fair share of aesthetic evolution and enhancements, with each new model serving to heighten the collection’s fame and desirability. The new Ref. 7130R-014 in 36mm diamond-set rose gold case continues the World Time’s rich legacy with artisanal verve. Anchored by the famous world time display, the new model radiates monochromatic enchantment with an olive green city disc framing a similarly coloured dial centre, which is decorated with an exquisite hand-guillochéd weave motif.
Omega Sea Master Diver
The Omega Sea Master that first surfaced in 1993, has just got more tranquil in their 42 mm deep green dial with a matching polished ceramic bezel, with the Grand-Feu white enamel diving scale. This self-winding co-axial master chronometer Calibre 8800, comes with a 55-hour power reserve, 300 meters water resistant and magnetic resistant case.
What impresses me most with this timepiece is the choice of green that Omega has picked, as this is not the bright flashy green nor the bluish turquoise green, but a very sedate and mature soothing pleasant green (which in my opinion) sets it apart from all other green watches. The white text on the bezel and the dial is a very clever choice of blend, with the standard waves on the dial and the helium escape valve at the 10 o’clock position, makes it all very neat.
Hublot Big Bang Integral Ceramic
Hublot has hit the world again with their Big Bang, this time with an all-new integrated bracelet watch, known as their integral ceramic watch. This 250-pieces limited brilliant jungle green timepiece is a 42mm, 13.45mm thick, self-winding, 72-hour power reserve, Unico V2 manufacture movement with a HUB1280 Calibre. The watch comes with a integral ceramic bracelet with a titanium deployant buckle. This unique bracelet is specially made to increase its hardness and scratch resistance, enhancing its intense vibrant green colour yet retaining its light-weight quality.
Images courtesy of respective brands, artwork by Curatedition. All rights reserved.
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IWC Pilot’s Watch Top Gun “Lake Tahoe” & “Woodland”: Fresh Codes
