The Big Blue
Not so long ago, a blue watch was considered novel – daring, even – but it has since become the established third option alongside black or white. The colour represents a deliberate sartorial choice for the styleconscious man who wants to draw attention, if not stick out. Here are six of our favourites from 2020
01/ TAG HEUER CARRERA £4,695
With us in one form or another since 1963, TAG Heuer’s Carrera rose again this year in the guise of a back-to-basics chronograph that fulfils the old maxim, “Everything you need and nothing you don’t.” In this case, a most welcome scratch-proof ceramic bezel with an 80-hour Calibre Heuer 02 movement – a thoroughly modern engine for this timeless racer. The broad-flanked 44mm case is unapologetically sporty, as are the pushers and crown, but crucially it doesn’t wear overly large. Thanks also to the change of movement, TAG Heuer’s flagship chronograph once again adheres to a 3-6-9 layout, preferred by purists for its symmetrical design.
02/ BELL AND ROSS BR05 SKELETON BLUE £5,600
Since its launch in 2019, Bell & Ross’s BR05 has found success as the knowingly stylised stablemate of the brand’s already design-conscious BR01 and BR03 families. It retains only the most primitive connections to their modern tool-watch principles, paring the Bell & Ross aesthetic back to its simplest interplay of round and square shapes. The addition of a translucent blue dial reveals elements of the movement and contrasts with the emphatically simple luminous hour markers and hands. This edition, which measures 40mm across, is water resistant to 100m and runs on an automatic calibre. It’s limited to 500 pieces and is also available on a blue rubber strap.
03/ LONGINES SPIRIT £1,750
An all-new collection from Longines this year, the Spirit evokes the brand’s rich history in aviation watches without harking back to any particular vintage model. This time-only automatic (there are also chronographs) combines the simplicity of a Second World War timepiece with a few decorative touches – such as the five shining stars on the dial, which denote its chronometer status – and diamond-shaped luminous pips around the edge of the dial. At 40mm, it’s nowhere near as large as many pilot’s-inspired watches, and it carries echoes of the IWC Mk XVIII but comes in at a much friendlier price (thanks in large part to the ETA movement within).
04/ BREITLING CHRONOMAT £6,650
Long the unfavoured child in Breitling’s extensive family of models, the Chronomat has finally had some proper attention lavished on it and has flourished as a result. This year’s complete overhaul has resulted in a smartly finished alternative to offerings from the likes of IWC and Omega. This model uses Breitling’s in-house B01 movement with 70 hours of power in reserve, a pedigree calibre also found across the Navitimer range. In truth, however, the main talking point of the new Chronomat is its “Rouleaux”-style bracelet, which gives a formerly functional tool a layer of sophistication that is true to its brand.
05/ ORIS JAMES MORRISON LTD EDITION £1,650
First things first: this is not a tribute to the former Middlesborough and West Bromwich Albion midfielder. Nor is it a homage to the mid-2000s James-Blunt-alike singer-songwriter of the same name, though we’re getting warmer. As well as being a maker of likeably forthright dive watches and well-priced everyday automatics, Oris has a soft spot for the greats of the jazz universe. This model is a doff of the cap to the celebrated Australian trumpeter James Lloyd Morrison (no doubt your third guess). Regardless of the backstory, it also happens to be an entirely gorgeous 38mm dress watch, notable for its gradient blue dial, midcentury numerals and elegant hands, plus a power reserve of 38 hours.
06/ TUDOR BLACK BAY 58 NAVY BLUE £2,760
Navy blue in the most literal sense, this new addition to the Black Bay 58 family is so named as a nod to Tudor’s history of supplying watches to the French naval forces. To some, the brand’s progress might feel a little calculated: first, the Black Bay took us by storm; next came the more balanced dimensions of the BB58; now, we have a version in the most popular colour of recent years. But when the result is so attractive and inherently aesthetic, it’s hard to find fault. In-house mechanics and rock-solid build quality continue to make the Black Bay 58 a very compelling competitor, indeed.