Why colourful dials are more than a passing watch trend

Steel cases and understated black dials are enduring classics, but a bolder kind of watch design is thriving alongside them. Colour can make high-precision mechanics feel playful and turn a tiny dial into a personal statement.

Zenith’s DEFY Extreme Ultraviolet is vivid purple and technical, pairing a modern case with a high-frequency chronograph. Its DEFY Extreme Lapis Lazuli II uses a very different kind of blue: natural stone flecked with pyrite that introduces irregularity to a precisely engineered object.

Rado’s True Round Open Heart has a dial that changes from pale rose toward magenta when exposed to ultraviolet light. In this watch, colour is literally dependent on the environment. Together, the three models show that a colourful watch can be architectural, material-led or interactive—not merely loud.