Go green on your wrist
Three new car-themed watches that will bring out your inner hedge-fund manager. By Ben Oliver
Green dials were once considered odd, until someone noticed that the few that were made – like Rolex’s Milgauss engineer’s watch, or the rare ‘Kermit’ and ‘Hulk’ colour schemes for the Submariner – were becoming hugely popular and collectible. So now green is everywhere, even extending to the bracelet in the case of Autodromo’s ace new Group B Safari. Will green watches age as well as a black-dial model? Time will tell, but these new models all look pretty good right now.
01 I Autodromo Group B Safari $975 plus VAT
Autodromo founder Bradley Price’s tribute to rallying’s Group B era captured that ’80s vibe perfectly and soon sold out. This all-green Safari version has just arrived, celebrating the East African and Paris-Dakar rallies of that era. Even the stainless-steel bracelet is green, though it can be swapped for a standard strap. autodromo.com
02 I Breitling Chronomat B01 Bentley Green £6650
Since 1984 the Chronomat has helped re-establish both Breitling as a brand and the popularity of big mechanical pilot’s watches after the advent of quartz and digital. The rebooted range has the option of a green dial, named after Breitling’s car partner, and the return of the very cool ‘rouleaux’ retro stainless steel bracelet. breitling.com
03 I TAG Heuer Autavia £3150
This new addition to TAG Heuer’s motoring-inspired Autavia range crams three trends into one model. It has a green dial, and the colour darkens towards the edges, an e ect that’s tricky to produce but is making a resurgence after half a century away. And the bronze case brings a bit of steampunk that makes a change from the more usual ’60s retro inspiration. tagheuer.com