Watch 101. Panda-Mania. A Quick Guide to Panda Dials.
The Panda Dial has always been popular among the watch community, but it has become the
subject of public curiosity lately -- in the wake of the record-breaking $17.8M sale of
Paul Newman’s ‘Paul Newman’ Rolex Daytona.
First released in the 1960’s, the Panda dial is one of the most sought-after dial
designs ever. The chronograph design, whose white dial and black sub-dials recall the
face of a panda, is anything but meek – in fact, few watches turn heads quite like it.
Here’s a quick guide to the iconic design:
So What makes a Panda Dial? A Panda is a watch with a white dial and black sub-registers,
arranged in a 3-6-9 position on the dial, creating what looks like two Panda eyes staring
at you, with a nose or a mouth.
The Panda Dial’s roots began in automobile racing. In the 1950’s, where speed was measured
using mechanical devices, professional racers needed an efficient and convenient time-measurement
equipment.
Specifically, they needed a timepiece that they can use while driving at insane speeds.
The Panda, with its contrasting color combination, was highly legible and allowed them to read
elapsed time at a glance.
Because it’s only commonly found in chronographs from this era, the original Panda dial is
a rare design feature, and thus highly collectible. Let’s look at some iconic examples.
No Panda dial list would be complete without the iconic Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. The very
first Rolex Cosmograph to be named the Daytona was referenced 6239. There were Daytona models
released before it, but it marked the first time Rolex used inverse colors for sub-dials,
as previous Rolex chronograph dials were monochromatic.
Up next is THE Paul Newman – This is the Rolex Daytona reference 6241, and the watch
owned by the famous actor-racer who elevated ‘exotic dials’ to a category worth collecting.
Look out for the sub-dial hash marks with a small square on their end and the distinctive
red Daytona lettering that matches the outer track. The design wasn’t a commercial success
when it was first released, thus making it a rarity.
Another icon of the era is the Heuer Autavia. Named after their main markets (Automotive-Aviation),
it was launched in 1962, a year ahead of the Daytona. This is a classic example of a Panda
Dial variation - the Reverse Panda – where white sub-dials sit on a black dial.
The Panda dial has evolved in its half-century existence, with different permutations in
color and dial positioning. Shown here is a modern version of the Reverse Panda.
Meanwhile, a watch that has contrasting subdials, but not in the classic black and white, as
shown here in an ivory-black combination, is considered a Semi-Panda.
And a watch with a contrasting dial, but with subdials placed on the 6, 9 and 12 o’clock
position, is considered a Vertical Panda.
And, with the Panda dial having a renaissance today, we can expect more variations. But
one thing is sure – the balanced aesthetic of the Panda has earned its place in a wide
spectrum of watch designs and it will remain iconic.