7 Bold Watches With Ice Blue And Red Dials That Caught Our Eye At Watches And Wonders 2024
Who knew fire and ice could look this good on our wrists?
Watches and Wonders 2024 is the perfect playground for trendspotting, especially with the smorgasbord of new novelties presented by the likes of Rolex, Cartier, IWC Schaffhausen and more. Coming in hot are red dials either crafted from precious stones or precious metals treated with special coatings, which are juxtaposed with a slew of icy blue watches that add a refreshing blast of colour through the dial, bridges or the strap. Keep scrolling to check out some of our favourites.
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ROLEX’S PERPETUAL 1908
Rolex celebrates the Perpetual 1908’s first birthday with a gorgeous masterpiece in 950 platinum sporting an ice blue hue and a guilloché rice-grain motif. The rosette-like design and repeating geometric pattern covering the entire surface highlight the dial’s calming colour, which shines exceptionally bright as it reflects light from various angles.
CARTIER’S SANTOS-DUMONT REWIND
This Maison is never afraid of going bold. Once again, Cartier showcases its flair for precious stones with this piece rocking a fiery carnelian dial that matches the reddish-brown alligator strap and the ruby cabochon crown. This special Santos-Dumont also features a reversed manual winding movement—calibre 230 MC—that enables the watch to tell time backwards.
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IWC SCHAFFHAUSEN’S PORTUGIESER PERPETUAL CALENDAR 44
The Portugieser Perpetual Calendar has remained a key pillar for the manufacture since its inception in the ‘80s but, of course, it has undergone several evolutions since then. The most recent sees a re-engineered version featuring a slimmer case, double-box sapphire crystal and a new colour code—Horizon Blue—paired perfectly with a light-blue gradient calfskin strap.
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GRAND SEIKO’S SPRING DRIVE CHRONOGRAPH GMT 20TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION
The Japanese watch manufacture celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first Grand Seiko watch powered by the 9R Spring Drive movement. This timepiece sports a colour-changing dial inspired by the shifting hues of a Shinshu sunrise against Mount Hotaka during summer. This effect is achieved through an unconventional physical vapour deposition process that layers nanoscale films upon the dial.
HUBLOT’S BIG BANG MP-11 WATER BLUE SAPPHIRE
This watch is stunning for various reasons. Firstly, it features seven barrels positioned vertically at a 90º angle, which are also not integrated with the movement. Secondly, it has a whopping 14-day power reserve that requires an intense mechanism that was tailor-made for this watch. The piecé de résistance: a new shade of the iconic sapphire material that is based on a new chemical formula and delicate hand-polishing to achieve a unique transparency and hue.
TAG HEUER’S MONACO SPLIT-SECONDS CHRONOGRAPH
Experiencing déjà vu? That’s right, this model is not totally new. Tag Heuer introduced it last year for the delayed Only Watch 2023 auction but at Watches and Wonders 2024, the Monaco Split-seconds Chronograph is officially accessible to the public in two distinct colourways—black titanium with red accents and grey titanium with gradient blue bridges—both of which are fitted with matching straps.