Brightly coloured, unusual in design, and – dare we say it – plenty of fun, these offbeat timepieces are the perfect wrist adornments for relaxed weekends.
Brightly coloured, unusual in design, and – dare we say it – plenty of fun, these offbeat timepieces are the perfect wrist adornments for relaxed weekends.
COOL AS ICE
White sand and blue sea – these are the elements channelled by HYT’s H1 Iceberg. Using the brand’s proprietary fluid-based technology, a fluorescent blue liquid makes for a bright contrast against the white rubber strap, and light-grey dial and indexes. Its sporty 48.8mm case is crafted from titanium, making it a light option that won’t weigh down those moments of repose.
FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY
A former top athlete, and now actor and aesthete, Eric Cantona puts his design imprint on the Morphos limited edition of the Hautlence Invictus watch. (Figuratively speaking, although literally as well; an engraving of his fingerprint decorates the caseback.) The curved sides of the dial take inspiration from a large, blue butterfly – a soft counterbalance to the angular titanium case of this chronograph.
GAME FOR ANYTHING
One of five watches in RJ-Romain Jerome’s Pac-man Level II collection, the timepiece on this page features lacquered characters and strawberries from the popular ’80s video game. The colourful figures contrast boldly with a black engraved three-layered dial and a black PVD coated-titanium case measuring 46mm in diameter.
FORWARD MOVEMENT
Plenty about the De Bethune DB28 Digitale give it a futuristic feel: unusual time-telling displays comprising a digital jumping hour and analogue minutes indicator, for one thing. Or the half-palladium, half-blued steel sphere at its centre that serves as a moonphase indicator. But the watch is also rooted in 18th-century classicism – its dial, for instance, is decorated with a hand-guilloche barleycorn pattern.
How does one bring the very scifi-looking Urwerk UR-110 (above) down to earth? By encasing it in wood, as in the case of the UR-110 “Eastwood” edition seen here. The unusually shaped bezel of this watch is crafted from Macassar ebony, and is complemented by a tweed strap.
WITH A BANG
With a domed sapphire glass that serves to magnify its dial, the Corum Bubble watch has a pretty distinctive design. The Paisteedition, created in collaboration with its namesake Swiss cymbal-maker, gets an extra dose of dimensionality with a bronze dial– a mini version of an actual cymbal. This 47mm automatic timepiece comes encased in black PVD-coated steel.
OF HIGH RESOLUTION
Typically, it’s not a good thing when images appear pixellated. The same, however, does not apply to the pieces from the Franck Muller Vanguard PXL collection. Featuring a patterned dial created by varying stages of machining, this steel timepiece (it’s also available in black PVD) also features the Vanguard’s tone-on-tone numerals. Measuring 53.7mm in length, this watch is for those who don’t mind a bit of attention.
