Softening the Square with Six Cushion-Shaped Watches

With the vast majority of watches being perfectly round, and a good chunk of them being square or even rectangular, there’s an in-between way to stand out from the masses. Shaping the exterior helps you get noticed, and you can take things in many directions once you dare to step outside your comfort zone. Some manufacturers take it to extremes, but the gentle cushion-shaped watch can still capture the imagination of collectors and enthusiasts, without going mad. And since there have been several very good ones in recent months, here’s a selection of six watches that soften the square, or edge out the circle, your choice.

Hamilton American Classic Cushion

With the new American Classic Cushion, Hamilton travels back in time to a pivotal era of watch design. Rooted in the 1930s, it perfectly represents Art Deco design. With cases split between 30mm and 34mm sizes, in bare steel or coated in gold PVD, as well as optional period-inspired engravings on one of the six new references introduced, there’s plenty to choose from. Even for the dial, you can have Roman numerals or Arabic ones. The manually wound calibre H-42, based on the ETA/Peseux 7001 architecture, keeps things very slender, and prices start at a modest EUR 995.

For more information, please visit HamiltonWatch.com.

Quick Facts – 30mm x 30mm or 34mm x 34mm x 8mm height – stainless steel case, optionally engraved or gold PVD-coated – sapphire crystal front & back – white or black dial, Roman or Arabic numerals – cathedral hands – small seconds subdial – calibre H-42 (ETA 7001 architecture) – manual winding – 21,600vph – 57h power reserve – leather strap with pin buckle – permanent collection – EUR 995 (steel models) or EUR 1,095 (gold PVD models)

Panerai Luminor 42

If there’s one brand famous for its cushion-shaped case designs, it’s Panerai. Both the Luminor and the Radiomir have a rounded square shape, with the new Luminor 42 rekindling the spirit of the 1993 original, the first commercially available Panerai. It measures 42mm across, without the signature crown bridge and lever. The bare steel editions come with a black or green dial, while the black DLC-coated variant gets a blue one, all with thick printed luminous markers. Beating away on the inside is the brand’s P.980 automatic, and the Luminor is fitted to a canvas strap with a pin buckle. The price is EUR 6,500 or EUR 7,500 depending on the case finish.

For more information, please visit Panerai.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 13.8mm – stainless steel, optional black DLC-coated steel – domed sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 500m water-resistant – black, green or blue dial – beige printed markers & hands, luminous – calibre P.980, automatic – 28,800vph – 72h power reserve – hours, minutes, small seconds – canvas strap with trapezoidal pin buckle – permanent collection – EUR 6,500 (bare steel case) – EUR 7,500 (black DLC-coated case)

TAG Heuer Monza Flyback

Fueled by the brand’s passion for motorsports, the Monza Flyback Chronograph Carbon is TAG Heuer’s latest racing chronograph. This limited edition of 500 pieces comes with a forged carbon case, a solid black dial and white and red details for the strongest possible contrast, in the spirit of the original from 1976. The hands as well as the markings are luminous, of course. Power comes from the brand’s own TH20-12 calibre, which is an automatic chronograph with a flyback function, making light work of measuring lap times. Worn on a black perforated leather strap, this one retails for CHF 13,350.

For more information, please visit TAGHeuer.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 15.2mm – forged carbon fibre case & crown – black DLC-coated steel pushers & titanium caseback – sapphire crystal front & back – 100m water-resistant – black dial with red & white details – luminous markers & hands – calibre TH20-12, automatic flyback chronograph – 28,800vph – 80h power reserve – perforated black leather strap with folding clasp – limited to 500 pieces – CHF 13,350

H. Moser & Cie Streamliner 34mm & 28mm Two-Hands

Just six years after its debut, H. Moser & Cie’s sleek Streamliner has become a modern icon in both independent and luxury sports watchmaking. This fresh duo shrinks the distinctly shaped Streamliner to a compact 34mm and an even smaller 28mm, yet loses none of its streamlined charm. Power comes from the in-house calibre HMC-400 or HMC-410, depending on the case size; both run at 25,200vph and deliver 60 hours of power reserve. As with most Streamliners, both come on the wave-like integrated steel bracelet with a folding clasp. The price is set at CHF 21,900 each.

For more information, please visit H-Moser.com.

Quick Facts – 34.2mm x 9.7mm (incl. crystal) or 28mm x 8.9mm (incl. crystal) – stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – frosted fumé silver (34mm) or burgundy (28mm) dial – hour 7 minute hands with SLN – calibre HMC400 or HMC-410, in-house automatic – 25,200vph – 60h power reserve – integrated steel bracelet with folding clasp – CHF 21,900

Timex Marlin Chatham Automatic

On the more affordable side of things, the Timex Marlin Chatham Automatic is an unexpected little charmer. The shape is reminiscent of watches from the 1920s and 1930s, and the Marlin Chatham Automatic measures a compact 36mm in width, with a softly cushion-shaped case in steel or gold PVD-coated steel. The dial is as clean and classical as can be, executed in either white or black with Breguet-style numerals. Visible through the caseback is the automatic Miyota 8215. Worn on a black leather strap, it retails for a very modest EUR 279 in steel or EUR 289 in gold PVD.

For more information, please visit Timex.com.

Quick Facts – 36mm x 12mm – stainless steel case, optional gold PVD coating – hardened mineral crystal, see-through caseback – 50m water-resistant – white or black dial – Breguet-style numerals – polished hands – Miyota 8215, automatic – 28,800vph – 42h power reserve – sustainable leather strap with pin buckle – USD 279 (steel) or USD 289 (gold PVD)

Gerald Genta Geneva Time Only

Last year, the Gerald Genta Geneva made its debut as a minute repeater, and at the beginning of this year it returned as a superbly elegant Geneva Time Only edition. The soft lines of the case are accentuated by the stepped profile, shaped crystal and single-lug construction. One of the finest design choices is the outer line of the minute track, following the shape of the case and crystal perfectly. It uses the calibre GG-005P, based on the Zenith Elite 670 automatic, and comes on a dial-matching leather strap with a gold pin buckle. The price is set at CHF 25,000.

For more information, please visit GeraldGenta.com.

Quick Facts – 38mm x 8.15mm – white or yellow gold case, brushed & polished – single-piece lugs – sapphire crystal front & back – 30m water-resistant – grained Grafite or Marrone dial – shaped white printed minute track – applied gold numerals & hands – calibre GG-005P (Zenith Elite 670 base) – automatic – 28,800vph – 55h power reserve – brown or grey leather strap with pin buckle – permanent collection – CHF 25,000