A Kind of Blue

There’s something unarguably appealing about blue. A navy suit is a lot less severe than black and yet more serious that grey and a good, single-breasted navy jacket is one of the most versatile garments a man can own. With chinos, jeans, shorts or even swimming trunks; it just works (of course I mean swimming shorts, not Speedos…they have no place in life. Well, not mine anyway, but I’m a watch writer not a style commentator so I’ll leave those sartorial decisions to The Rake boys!). Elvis’s suede shoes, Frank Sinatra’s eyes, Miles Davis’s entire genre and Marge Simpson’s beehive – all blue and all cool. When it comes to watches, blue is also king. If you have even the merest passing interest in the current watch scene, you will be aware of one of the youngest and yet staggeringly successful micro brands Furlan Marri. Launched during the Covid Lockdowns of the past 18 months, the brand has been one of the biggest horological news stories of the year, winning awards at both the GPHG and Revolution Wards 2021. This week they launched the latest offering from their 1940s Patek Philippe 1463-inspired watch with a new blue dial. Predictably it blew up on social media and will certainly be another smash hit for the brand when pre-orders open in a few weeks. Why? Well because the watches punch way above their weight in terms of value, but also blue dials are always hot. Ask a Rolex Daytona fan what the most sought-after current regular production model is and I reckon most will say the white gold with blue dial. Sticking with Daytonas, the early 2000s Beach series have become incredibly collectible in the past two years. Out of the four colours that the dials were made in, which is the most popular? Turquoise blue of course. Same for the 2020 Rolex Oyster Perpetuals…the so-called ‘Tiffany’ blue is the one everybody wants. Patek is a similar story, with blue dial watches always being a big hit. One of the collectors’ favourites is a steel Aquanaut with blue dial made for the Japanese market. They always sell incredibly well at auction, as do blue dial perpetual calendars. And so The Rake is delighted to present its latest offering from Watchfinder & Co., a curated selection that celebrates blue watches. Dials and bezels alike, a splash of blue can make all the difference and take a perennial classic in a new direction. Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 311.90.44.51.03.001 A case in point being the Speedmaster. One of the most instantly recognisable sports watches of all times, the Speedy has been clothed in its black uniform for decades. However, with the release of the reference 311.90.44.51.03.001 Omega delivered the watch in a 44mm grade 5 titanium case with brushed blue dial and blue ceramic bezel. The watch was as light as it was cool and it became a firm favourite with collectors.

 

Rolex Datejust 116234 Going back to Rolex, one of the most timeless watches from the venerable brand is the Datejust. Since 1945 it has been a permanent resident of the Rolex catalogue and in many people’s eyes, it’s never better than when in its original 36mm guise. Add a blue dial and the watch fuses the dress and sport categories effortlessly. The current Rake selection includes this delightful reference 116234 the ‘4’ signifying the presence of a white gold bezel. The mix of the white gold and steel gives the watch a warmth that is unmissable and with the dial dial…it’s a total classic.

Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711/1A-001

One of the hottest trends in the market currently is integrated bracelet watches. One of the most iconic is the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Launched in 1976, it is a watch that needs no introduction and never is it more desirable than when in its ‘Jumbo’ 40mm guise and with a blue dial such as this 5711. The horizontal lines, framed within the pothole shaped bezel just works perfectly in blue.