Ceramic designs, vibrant accents and unexpected details make a white watch a must-have this season.
With the arrival of summer, thoughts of cool white linen, a vacation adjacent to golden sands and azure waters and outdoor dining both home and away are sure to take hold in the minds of style fans, diving enthusiasts and watch aficionados alike. Whether plans for the coming months include a scuba trip to the Maldives or brunch at Le Champ in the Arts District, a watch in a summer-friendly design is a must addition to every thoughtful watch wardrobe.
The latest releases have been crafted by brands keyed into the power of white in watches, in designs that maximize aesthetics that are sporty, stylish — or a combination of both. Whether you prefer Chanel’s iconic J12, Breitling’s coveted Superocean or the artful statement of an Hublot Sang Bleu, the latest in summer-perfect timepieces prove that white can make a red-hot statement.
Tissot Seastar Wilson WNBA
Tissot
With WNBA games earning record ratings, Tissot (an NBA partner since 2015) picked the right time to collaborate with the professional women’s basketball league, releasing its first watch from the pairing in April. The Seastar Wilson WNBA features a white dial with luminescent hour markers and hands, housed in a 40mm steel case, while the white and orange strap, crafted in the same composite material as Wilson game balls, is also meant to evoke the official WNBA colors. A solid orange strap is also included and can be switched using Tissot’s quick-release system; $450, at Feldmar Watch Company, or tissot.com.
Breitling Superocean Automatic 36
Breitling
A proprietary bronze alloy that both resists corrosion and develops a unique patina with repeated wearing has been used to accent the new Breitling Superocean Automatic 36. It’s the latest update for this iconic dive watch and a detail meant to transcend sports and appeal to anyone who favors outdoor pursuits. The 36mm case features a unidirectional bezel in white ceramic, while other features on this self-winding watch include water-resistance to 300 meters, a 38-hour power reserve and luminescent coating on the hands and indices; $7,300, at Breitling, Beverly Hills, breitling.com and watchesofswitzerland.com.
Zodiac Compression Diver Automatic White
Zodiac
On this just-released Zodiac Compression Diver, a matte-white dial is accented with bright spearmint, which highlights the Super-LumiNova coating on the hands and chapter ring. The automatic movement is housed in a 40mm steel case with rotating ceramic bezel and set on a perforated white rubber strap; $1,395, at Hyde Park, Newport Beach, and at zodiacwatches.com.
Chanel J12 Pink Edition
Chanel
The J12 was a gamechanger when it was introduced in 1999, making a now-iconic statement in both white ceramic and unisex styling. Among the latest J12 designs is this 33mm Pink Edition, which offsets the scratch-resistant white ceramic with a bezel and indices of pink sapphires accented with 18-karat beige gold; price upon request, at Chanel, Beverly Hills, and similar styles at chanel.com.
Doxa Sub 200T Whitepearl
Doxa
The latest three-hand dive watch from Doxa, the 200T Whitepearl, has been streamlined for increased wearability, notably in its smaller 39mm diameter and, at 10.70mm, the decreased thickness of its steel case. Dive-focused details include a unidirectional rotating bezel, screw-down crown, water-resistance to 200 meters, and Super-Luminova coating on hands and indices; $1,550, at doxawatches.com.
Gerald Charles Masterlink Silver
Gerald Charles
Fans of Gerald Genta know this as the final brand both founded and overseen by the legendary watchmaker before his death in 2011. Since 2022, Genta’s former colleagues have joined to revive the house to honor Genta’s legacy and design codes while highlighting the beauty and passion inherent in independent watchmaking. At April’s Watches & Wonders event in Geneva, Gerald Charles debuted the Masterlink Silver, a gleaming piece for someone seeking a watch that’s an elegant alternative to white ceramic.
The handsome asymmetric 38mm case combines squared styling with Genta’s iconic “smile” detail at 6 o’clock, while the model takes its name from Genta’s proprietary bracelet. On the silver dial with vertical lines, numerals and the baton-shaped skeletonized hands are coated in Super-Luminova; price upon request, at Stephen Silver, San Francisco, and at geraldcharles.com.
Hermès Cut Large Model
Hermes
On a Gris Perle rubber strap, the new Cut timepiece by Hermès is crafted of a 36mm steel case that blends satin-brushed and polished finishes. The opaline silvered dial displays houses, minutes and seconds, while this automatic watch also features a 50-hour power reserve; $6,725, at Hermès, Beverly Hills, and hermes.com.
Hublot Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu Sapphire
Hublot
The newest piece from Hublot x Sang Bleu, an eight-year collab between the watch brand and Swiss tattoo artist Maxime Plescia-Büchi, the Spirit of Big Bang Sang Bleu Sapphire reveals a self-winding skeleton chronograph movement. It’s surrounded by a case in polished sapphire crystal, which has been carved and faceted to create an artful, three-dimensional statement. Positioned on a white transparent rubber strap with titanium buckle, the 42mm watch is limited to 100 pieces; $142,000, at Hublot, Beverly Hills, and at hublot.com.
U-Boat Darkmoon
U-Boat
Under a curved sapphire crystal, a 44mm steel case is filled with a proprietary oil that creates an optical 3D effect on the domed white dial of the U-Boat Darkmoon, while its black numerals and hands have been coated in both black and white Super-Luminova. Powered by a quartz movement finished with a white silicon strap, the Italian-made Darkmoon also features a QR code on the caseback for an additional digital experience; $1,450, at Feldmar Watch Company, Los Angeles, and at uboatwatch.com.