Blue Dials
Do mechanical watches with blue dials go with everything? When should you wear a blue watch? And how exactly are blue dials created? We’ve gathered some of the most frequently asked questions about blue dials and answered them here.
Why are watches with blue dials so popular?
After white and black, mechanical watches with blue dials enjoy the highest demand. There are many good reasons why this may be the case—starting with the most obvious of all: blue is most people’s favorite color! Blue-dialed watches are also versatile, because blue is a primary color and therefore goes well with almost all other shades. Few other colors combine with black, brown, and white as effortlessly as blue. Whether you are looking for a mechanical watch to combine with formal wear for an evening event or to create a more casual day look, a blue dial can add a complementary touch of color to the wrist. There are also a myriad of shades and dial finishes in blue to choose from—more on that below.
Can watches with blue dials be worn with a black suit?
The short answer is—yes! As blue is a primary color, mechanical watches with blue dials coordinate well with almost any other color. Of course, there are a few exceptions to this rule; namely very light or bright shades of blue that would look better with white than with black. However, in general, blue is a highly versatile color that will wear well with a black suit. There are some traditionalists who believe that only automatic watches or hand-wound watches with white dials are suitable for formal wear. And it is true that blue dials were first associated with tool watches, when they were introduced from around the mid-twentieth century onwards. But more recently, the boundaries between casual and formal have blurred, and blue dials are becoming more acceptable for almost every occasion.
Do watches with blue dials suit brown straps or black straps better?
As with all questions of style, the right choice is the one that suits the wearer best. Some watch wearers have a strong preference for black or brown leather straps—and in such cases, this preference should take precedence. At NOMOS Glashütte, most watches are offered with a black strap, which combines well with almost all dial colors. Watches with rose gold cases come with brown straps, because brown complements the warm tone of rose gold. A mechanical watch with a blue dial and rose gold case could look particularly elegant with a brown strap. There are also a few warm shades of blue that may also suit a brown strap better, regardless of the case material. For example Tetra neomatik blue – 175 Years Watchmaking Glashütte.
How are blue dials made?
Regardless of the color of the finished dial, the dial blanks are where the entire process begins. These are made from raw metal, typically brass or silver. A key step in the process of creating a finished dial is electroplating. Electroplating the dial blank not only enhances its appearance, but also its resistance to corrosion. This process typically involves creating a salt with a precious metal such as gold or silver. This salt is then dissolved in water to form a galvanic bath for the dial blank. Once immersed in this bath, an electric current is applied, which deposits small amounts of precious metal onto the dial blank.
To turn this electroplated dial blue, certain metals can be added to the galvanic bath. This is how the blue dial of the NOMOS Club Sport neomatik 42 date blue is created, for example. The deep blue dial of Tangente neomatik blue gold, is more complex, as it is created by first adding a layer of gold during galvanization, followed by blue. Alternatively, lacquer or enamel can be used. A lacquered dial is made by coating the dial blank with layer after layer of lacquer, allowing each layer to dry in between. Before being assembled as part of a watch, each dial is carefully inspected by quality control. Galvanized dials tend to produce more consistent results than lacquered dials, which is one reason why they are generally preferred at NOMOS Glashütte.
Blue dial shades at NOMOS Glashütte:
When it comes to mechanical watches with blue dials, there is a wide array of different shades to choose from at NOMOS Glashütte. Learn more about the full range of blue-dialed watches here:
- Atlantic
A deep blue that borders on gray, which can be found in our Ahoi models. Highly fitting, as these robust watch models are designed for water!
- Blue
This rich shade on the dial of Club Sport neomatik 42 date features a sunburst finish, that creates vibrant light reflections.
- Blue gold
This deep blue dial with a sunburst finish owes its shimmer to a thin layer of gold that is applied during the first step of galvanization. This color is exclusive to our Tangente neomatik model, which is available in two sizes as Tangente neomatik blue gold and Tangente neomatik 39 blue gold.
- Blue purple
As the name suggests, this shade is a blue with a strong purple hue and can be found in our Club Campus series of colorful watch models.
- Deep blue
Exclusive to Lambda deep blue, crafted from 18 kt white gold, this rich shade of blue contrasts beautifully with the case and silver accents on the dial.
- Endless blue
Dieses Blau sorgt für sofortige Reiselust. Auf ins Blaue! Oder besser noch: an einen Pool. Der gutgelaunte Türkiston gehört zur Farbpalette von Club Campus.
- Midnight blue
This shade of navy blue radiates elegance on the dials of many of our classic watch models, including Tangente, Metro, Tetra, Minimatik, Zürich, Orion, and Autobahn.
- Polar
This icy blue finish is exclusive to our Club Sport model, Club Sport neomatik polar. The elaborate sunburst finish catches the light, adding an eye-catching shimmer to the dial.
- Sky
This fresh shade of sky blue characterizes Ahoi neomatik 38 date sky. As with all color watches with a date function from NOMOS Glashütte, the dial color is perfectly mirrored in the date window as well.
As we have such a broad range of blue shades at NOMOS Glashütte, there are many mechanical watches to choose from in this popular dial color. To make finding your next timepiece easier, we’ve divided them into two categories: dress watches and tool watches. Keep reading for our top three recommendations in both these popular watch categories below.
