From SwissWatchExpo… Spotlight on: Square Watches. Our top 5 picks
for the best square watches you can own.
In a sea of round watches, square and angular watches definitely stand out.
As they have always been a minority in the watch world, square watches are slightly unusual,
but they are still versatile and very wearable.
A square watch is at once classic and contemporary – and continue to be popular today. If you’re
in the market for a square watch, we’ve named our 5 favorites.
First up, the Tag Heuer Monaco. Launched in 1969, it was the world’s first waterproof
automatic chronograph, in a square case.
Inspired by the city and motorsport haven that it was named after, it became even more
famous after actor Steve McQueen wore it in the 1971 Hollywood racing film “Le Mans.”
Aside from its square case, what really makes the Monaco stand out is its heavy helping
of sixties style: pump-style pushers, rectangular hour markers, and symmetric square registers
remain stylish, even until today.
Up next, we have the Cartier Santos. Considered one of the first wristwatches ever, it was
designed in 1904 by Louis Cartier himself.
The legendary watchmaker created it for Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos Dumont, so he could
keep an eye on the time while flying. The rest, as they say, is watchmaking history.
As sturdy as it is sleek, the Santos features a solid, square case punctuated with screws,
giving it an industrial look. Despite this, it’s still light on the wrist.
While it’s more masculine than other Cartier watches, it still bears the design DNA – from
the clean dial and dark roman numerals, to the steel sword shaped hands.
No one can miss a Panerai with its massive case and robust build. Especially created
for the Italian navy, Panerai was launched in 1938 as the first military divers’ watch.
Tasked with designing watches that are legible enough even underwater, Officine Panerai came
up with a simple solution: to create watches that are extremely large and tough.
Up until the 1990s, Panerai watches were reserved for the marines, but as international watch
trends began to favor larger watches, Panerai was introduced to the public.
The models feature a bold case that vary between 40-47 millimeters, a clean dial, and a look
that’s both sporty and industrial, coupled with extreme strength.
The Patek Philippe Gondolo, introduced in 1993, is a modern interpretation of the Art
Déco style.
The watch is directly inspired by the “Chronometro Gondolo” series created by Patek Philippe
during the early 1900s. A key component of Gondolo watches are the unusual shapes, combining
squares, ovals and rectangles.
While there is much emphasis on aesthetics, they all have the inner workings of a Patek,
such as hand-wound movements and 48-hour power reserve.
And finally, we have the Cartier Tank. The classic watch favored by royals and leaders
the world over.
Somewhere between a rectangle and square, almost aggressively spare yet very refined,
the ambiguity of the Cartier Tank endeared it to both men and women in the 20th Century.
Today, it’s a family of watches that include variations on the size and material of the
original Tank.
While it has been updated to keep up with the times, the Cartier Tank has remained true
to its original design, and is primed to enjoy many more years of popularity.
Both modern and pleasingly retro, square watches will make you stand out for all the right
reasons.
Which one was your favorite? Tell us in the comments section.
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