Since the time of the first pocket watches, standard watch dials have been round. This was a natural development in timekeeping technology, as watches were based on sundials where the shadow moves in a semicircle. With hands centrally located, it makes sense to arrange the numbers in a circle.
But, as with any other aspect of watch design, there are exceptions to the rules. Square watches may be less intuitive than round ones, but when worn, they create a completely different profile. Instead of curves, you see straight lines, opening up a whole new world of fashion possibilities. Today, I will talk about three of my favorite iconic square watches. These watches break the conventional shape in all the best ways and make a bold statement for watch enthusiasts; here’s a quick overview of each.
JLC Reverso Classic Small Seconds
The Reverso's case back is smooth by default, although for a few extra dollars, you can order it with custom engraving. The scratch-resistant sapphire glass fits snugly against the smooth wide bezel.
In the center, the dial is textured with a guilloché pattern that shines in the light. The outer border has a smoother, matte silver-gray finish. Along the outer border are black Arabic numerals printed in a plain font that's easy to read and presents no difficulties. Inside the dial, along the edges, you’ll see a series of hashes, with bolder hashes at the five-minute marks. As with any square watch, the hashes are closer together towards the center and sparser towards the corners. Near the “12 o'clock” mark is the JLC emblem - the only adornment.
The hands are in a bold electric blue color and are stick-shaped. The hour hand reaches only to the inner index, while the minute hand extends to the outer Arabic numerals. The second hand is absent. However, at the “6 o'clock” position, there is a 60-minute subdial with a small blue hand. This subdial is also rectangular, with proportions similar to the main dial.
The Reverso uses a manual winding movement rather than automatic, so you'll have to wind it yourself. Nevertheless, it has a power reserve of 45 hours, so if you forget to wind it for a day, it won’t stop. The accuracy is not chronometer-grade - +/- 10-15 seconds a day, so you'll need to reset the time more often than with some other watches. But, again, these are dress watches, so precision is not as crucial.
Along with the watch, you get a beautiful calfskin leather strap. You can choose from one of 12 colors, and additional straps can be ordered separately.
Cartier Santos Blue Sunburst
The Cartier Santos Blue Sunburst watch has a truly square profile, measuring 39.8 mm in width. The watch is mid-sized on the wrist, although the dial itself is relatively modest. This is due to the wide stepped bezel, adorned with several small screws that are not only functional but also attractive. These screws blend well with the overall design, with similar screws running along the length of the bracelet. The bracelet itself is made of identical stainless steel, and you can unscrew individual links to make your adjustments. The watch also comes with a dark blue calfskin strap, which can be easily swapped at home.
The case thickness is 9.08 mm, including the scratch-resistant sapphire crystal. The crystal sits flush with the bezel, though the edge is beveled, so you’ll see a thin groove. The case back is flat, engraved with the Cartier emblem. On the side is a 7-sided crown, which is comfortable to hold and topped with an attractive blue gemstone. The watch is water-resistant to 100 meters, so you can swim with it.
The dial is metallic blue with a light matte finish. On the outside is a ring of Arabic numerals painted with white luminescent paint. Inside these numerals is a ladder index with thicker “rungs” at the five-minute marks. The only decoration inside the index is the “Cartier” inscription at the “12 o'clock” position and the “Automatic” inscription at the “6 o'clock” position. Outside the ladder index, at the Roman numeral VI position, there is a small date window. The colors here are inverted: white numbers on a black background.
The minute and hour hands are sword-shaped with a silver base and white luminescent strips. The second hand is the longest of all, with a needle-like profile and a thick base.
The Santos watch is equipped with the automatic Caliber 1847 MC movement of chronometer grade. The timekeeping accuracy is reliable, and the 42-hour power reserve allows you to go a day without wearing the watch.
TAG Heuer Monaco
The TAG Heuer Monaco is similar in size to the Cartier Santos, measuring 39 mm in width and height. However, the actual dial is much larger, as the bezel is narrower. The sides of the case are slightly curved, so it is not a perfect rectangle, but the dial itself is rectangular. This creates a unique appearance: in the center of the watch, the bezel is wider than at the top or bottom. On the right side is a knurled crown and a pair of pushers for controlling all the chronograph functions.
These watches are water-resistant to 100 meters, which is remarkable given their design. The front sapphire crystal rises above the bezel, and its edge slightly distorts the dial when viewed at an angle. There is also a rear sapphire crystal that offers a beautiful view of the movement. This movement is the proprietary Heuer 02, which provides chronometer-grade performance. Additionally, it has an 80-hour power reserve; you can take these watches off for three days without winding them.
The dial is blue or black metallic, depending on which model you order, with silver applied indices at the five-minute positions. Inside the indices are thin hashes for minute markings, along with small luminescent dots at the bases of the applied indices. The hour and minute hands are sword-shaped and have a silver color with luminescent strips at the center. The second hand is located at the “6 o'clock” position on its own miniature subdial. The large red hand, resembling a second hand, is actually part of the chronograph, not the main watch. Directly below the second subdial is a small square date window.
On the dial, there are two square chronograph subdials. On the left is a 12-hour subdial, and on the right is a 30-minute one. Each has a small white hand with black Arabic numerals. The Monaco model comes with an attractive three-link bracelet, but you can also order it with a leather strap.