Fashion vs timeless colours: blue vs black, white and silver (etc))

[xrole]

This is of course a highly subjective, "in the eye of the beholder" kind of thread, but it is something I wanted to discuss as it interests me. Please don't take this in any other way than my own personal musings and in the end there is no right or wrong and people can buy what the heck they like.

I see a lot of hype and buzz around blue dial watches, for example the Sky Dweller in blue which is now experiencing huge demand, and prices have FOMO-skyrocketed to double MSRP. Now please let me just say that I love the colour blue, it is a classic colour and I am clothed it fairly regularly. I also have a blue dial/bezel Tudor Pelagos that I LOVE as it reminds me of the sky and the ocean, although that particular shade of blue is clearly very sporty and informal to start with, and very unlike many of the darker shades of blue that can be found on watches such as the Sky Dweller.

However as nice and lively as blue can be on watches, I do not see blue as a "timeless" colour that goes with everything you wear. The only face options I see for true formal and informal occasion versatility are black, white and silver, which are colours/shades that match with everything I can think of. More 'boring' perhaps, but surely more practical.

Why am I even musing about this? Well, I just think that if I was going to buy a watch that would be suited to being worn on both formal and informal occasions (like for example a Sky Dweller), I would want to buy a colour/shade that I know will go with everything from t-shirts and jeans to black tie and tuxedos. Of course there are other colours like taupe, but they are not as popular.

So yeah, subjective indeed... what are your own thoughts on the colour blue for watch dials?

[kieselguhr]

I’ve worn a Z-Blue to a black tie event. I didn’t get kicked out so I guess it didn’t matter. It’s definitely not a classic color by your criteria.

For me blue in general is a very easy color to pair with any clothing. Even a black suit

I personally pick watches with colors that are pleasing to me. I don’t try to match them to my attire.

[Krash]

I think there was a thread almost identical to this not too long ago.

I’d say blue dial watches are here to stay. They’ve been popular for several decades now, and I just don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Black, white, and silver are more timeless from a historical perspective, but blue dial watches will never go out of style.

I think several models are a big factor here:

Patek Phillipe Nautilus
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak
Bluesy

I think these watches contributed to the popularity of blue dial watches, and there are so many other options available. Datejust, Skydweller, and IWC has an entire line of blue dial watches (Le Petit Prince Collection), etc.

Plus, blue is a very popular color anyway. More guys wear blue Oxford shirts to work than green or red for example…


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[Old Expat Beast]

Rolex and Tudor have been offering blue dials for at least half a century...probably a lot longer. That's pretty timeless.

[inadeje]

Blue provide adequate contrast for a dial, plus its a nice color

[Brew]

I don't think color defines whether or not a watch is a "dress" watch, suitable for formal wear. If you don't like blue, get something else.

[Casotakar]

Depends on the material of the dial and texture the blue is on. For me, my wife’s sunburst blue dial on her 41 is a deep blue and the texture of the dial in certain conditions gives it such a deep blue (nearly black) that I don’t ever see it going out of style. To me, it’ll remain timeless. In other conditions, the blue is bright as can be and gives a sporty vibe depending on her style of dress.

Pelagos blue is why I didn’t end up with one a few years back. Great color, but would be too much for me after a while. Ended up spending a third as much on a blue 1521 Squale for a summer watch but it gets very very little wrist time.

I’m anxiously waiting for her to let me give it a spin for a few weeks and I’ll loan her my submariner. I’m slightly curious if I’ll enjoy it more, although my sub is never getting the axe.

[alphadweller]

Blue is what I wear when I get bored of black, white and silver. There's also green and yellow, but I find these kind of difficult to wear. Blue is the fun alternative, doesn't have to be your daily driver. So, to me there will always be a place for that Friday / weekend watch.

[1William]

I do like color on the dials and think that blue is one of the colors that will be around forever. I tend to be drawn to black dials and have to work hard at not adding too many into the collection. I do like white dial watches as I think it is a neutral color and goes with everything. In the end get what you like and wear it.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

Rolex and Tudor have been offering blue dials for at least half a century...probably a lot longer. That's pretty timeless.

[watchwatcher]

I think you've got a point, when you look at it logically, but I don't see it impacting the hordes of people who want/like/buy blue dials.

Why? Because this hobby is anything but logical, my friend.

[Cru Jones]

IMHO, nothing beats looking at your wrist and being happy with what you’re wearing. Blue, green, black, white, gold, purple, yellow, red, silver, taupe, it’s all good.

[Giangos]

I agree that white, black and silver are the most traditional and long term colors.
But I think you can add blue to that list as well. It’s here to stay.


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[Chiboy]

I like wearing a blue-dialed Daytona because it screams "platinum" to 0.000000001% of the population.

More seriously, I think blue is more neutral than green, which is a beautiful color but can clash with other greens as well as other colors. I agree that black or white or gold (with a gold watch) dials pretty much go with everything. But I haven't had occasion in the almost five years I've been wearing my blue Daytona to sit it because it just looked terrible with whatever I had on, or whatever occasion I was attending.

[tenementhall]

Jeans are blue

[yesnaya]

My Opinion is and always will be: Buy the color that pleases your taste the most. Forget about matching or timelessness. Seriously. Some people wear hulks as daily watches... and it matches with nothing, and it still looks good. Matching the dial to some other color on your outfit is akin to buying only black or silver cars to match either the tires or the rims. And despite this, red ferraris are still gorgeous. The dial is tiny, and barely visible a couple of feet away, there is no way the dial can clash with an outfit. You are talking about a 30mm piece of color vs 1800mm of "outfit" on a 6ft person... and the dial is not even facing the direction you are looking... its off to the side. Just insignificant. Even a red dial is fine... just as ruby earings dont need to match an outfit.

[Seddyspaghetti]

I like me a blue dial since it goes with practically everything imo.

[Gab27]

Some of the shades of blue used are definitely era-specific, especially some of the more vibrant ones used on watches in the early-2000s.

Blue is really hot at the moment so it's popularity may wane a bit in the future, but I doubt it will ever go out of style.

I am curious how some of the colors used on the OP will age, though.