With their cool, brooding looks, black watches outshine the gold and steel timepieces in any showcase today. The monochromatic timepieces here are as sporty as they are sleekly stylish. Looks like black is, once again, the new black.
With their cool, brooding looks, black watches outshine the gold and steel timepieces in any showcase today. The monochromatic timepieces here are as sporty as they are sleekly stylish. Looks like black is, once again, the new black.
OUT OF THE SHADOWS
The Spirit of Big Bang is Hublot ’s first all-black watch with a tonneau case. The 51mm by 45mm case and bezel are made from ultra-sturdy microblasted black ceramic, which gives the timepiece a sophisticated look. The beating heart of the piece is the new Hublot HUB4700 automatic skeleton movement with a 50-hour power reserve.
COOL FACTOR
With its eight-sided, sculptural case, the Bulgari Octo watch collection already enjoys an elegant and powerful aesthetic. The Octo Ultranero (“very black”) Soletempo just made it super cool, too. The steel case is coated with black DLC (diamond-like carbon), the black dial is lacquered, polished and complemented by pink gold-plated hands as well as hour markers for increased legibility, and the strap is made of rubber, which is a first for Octo watches.
SQUARE DEAL
Originally created for aviation pioneer Albert Santos-Dumont, the Cartier Santos is one of the most iconic square watches ever. In black ADLC (amorphous diamond-like carbon)-coated steel, the classic takes on an edgier character. The Santos 100 Carbon is not the first ADLC-treated Santos (that was first launched in 2009), but it is the first to be powered by a Cartier in-house movement.
HIGH CONNECTIVITY
Encased in steel topped with a matte black bezel and accented with red and white details, Montblanc’s TimeWalker Urban Speed Chronograph is designed to help its wearer stay on top of time. And, we’re not just talking about its timekeeping or chronograph functions. The watch comes with the brand’s interchangeable e-Strap with Bluetooth Smart connectivity that allows it to pair with selected smartphones and offer functions, like reading texts, tracking activities, and checking status updates.
TERRAIN SPECIALIST
Breitling’s satin-brushed black steel Superocean 44 Special, dubbed the “ocean pilot ”, combines the legibility of a pilot’s watch with the durability of a professional dive watch. Water-resistant to a depth of 1,000m, and powered by a COSC-certified automatic movement, the black and white dial with oversized indexes and hands makes this a must for any extreme environment.
SURPRISING STATEMENT
Rado introduces an unexpected addition to its portfolio of typically sleek and slim timepieces. A reinterpretation of the historic Rado Cape Horn, the HyperChrome 1616 automatic watch’s 46mm case with a crown protector feels large – but at only 106g, it feels lighter, too. The cushion-shaped case is ceramic, while its caseback is crafted from PVD (physical vapour deposition)-coated titanium.
DOUBLY DARK
One of the watches in its Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon series, this model is so dark, Omega reportedly had to say its colour more than once! This Black Black comes in a 42.55mm black ceramic case. Its matte black ceramic dial is accented with blackened applied subdial rings as well as blackened applied indexes, which are coated with black Super-Luminova for legibility.
