In Stealth Mode with Five All-Black Luxury Watches

They say black is slimming, and in watches, that’s no different. Black watches often look a touch more compact when side by side with their non-black counterparts. But there’s another side to the game other than just slapping on the colour black and calling it a day. Using black as a styling element can uplift a watch to a higher level, cleverly playing on shifting contrasts between materials or finishes. So with that in mind, here are five high-end watches, fully embracing the dark side (with the odd touch of colour here and there!).

F.P Journe Chronomètre Furtif

Teased by F.P. Journe as a unique charity piece in 2023 in blue, the Chronomètre Furtif made its commercial debut earlier this year and wowed us with its stealthy concept. The case is made from Tungsten Carbide and Tantalum, materials notoriously difficult to machine and finish. The surprising play in contrasts continues on the dial, which has a mirror-polished anthracite finish with frosted numerals. At certain angles, virtually everything blends in, but shift into the light and the numerals and hands pop out! The solid gold movement also features a moon phase and power reserve display on the back, keeping the face clean as clean as a whistle. The Chronomètre Furtif retails for CHF 85,000.

For more information, please visit FPJourne.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 9.5mm – tungsten carbide & tantalum case – sapphire crystal front & back – mirror-polished anthracite grey Grand Feu enamel dial – frosted numerals – matte rhodium-plated hands – white steel seconds hand – calibre 1522, hand-wound – 18k rose gold bridges & plates – 21,600vph – 56h power reserve – hours, minutes, direct seconds, moon phase and power reserve on the back – tungsten carbide integrated bracelet with folding clasp – CHF 85,000

Ressence Type 3 BB2

Ressence has carved out a unique and unconventional line of watches, with the oil-filled Type 3 being the brand’s most iconic watch to date. The latest generation, the Type 3 BB2, embraces an all-black look with a black DLC-coated titanium mid-case. The oil-filled top chamber houses a black titanium dial with Ressence’s signature orbital display. It shows you the hours, minutes, day of the week, the day and the operating temperature of the oil inside. The bottom chamber houses a modified ETA movement, which drives the patented ROCS module in the upper chamber through a magnetic transmission. Worn on a black leather strap, it retails for EUR 50,600.

For more information, please visit RessenceWatches.com.

Quick Facts – 44mm x 15mm – black DLC-coated Grade 5 titanium case – domed sapphire crystal top (oil-filled) and bottom chambers – rotating winding/setting caseback – 10m water-resistant – black titanium dial with orbital display for hours, minutes, day of the week, date, oil temperature – Super-LumiNova – modified ETA 2824/2 base with patented ROCS module – magnetic transmission – 28,800vph – 36h power reserve – black honeycomb leather strap with titanium buckle – EUR 50,600

Chopard Alpine Eagle 41 SL Cadence 8Hf

The Alpine Eagle by Chopard houses one of the best dials in the luxury sports watch segment, with its iris-like finish and often rich tones. For the latest Alpine Eagle 41 Cadence 8HF, however, the brand has opted for pitch black! Set in an ultra-durable ceramicised titanium case, the only sparkle of colour comes from the bright orange details on the minutes track, the central seconds hand, and the high-frequency arrow mark. This last element also hints at the movement side of things, as the calibre 01.14-C beats at a high pace of 57,600vph, or 8Hz. Worn on a black or orange rubber strap, or a black calfskin leather one, this 250-piece limited edition costs EUR 26.800.

For more information, please visit Chopard.com.

Quick Facts – 41mm x 9.75mm – ceramicised titanium case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal front & back – screw-down crown – 100m water-resistant – pitch-black sunray-brushed dial – applied markers & hands with Cool Grey Super-LumiNova – orange details & central seconds hand – calibre 01.14-C, in-house automatic – 57,600vph (8Hz) – 60h power reserve – ceramicised titanium bridges & mainplate – black or orange rubber strap, or black calfskin leather strap – limited to 250 pieces – EUR 26,800

Bell & Ross BR 03 Diver Lum Outline

Legibility is key in pilots’ watches, and Bell & Ross understands this rather well. Famously taking its inspiration from flight instruments, the Parisian brand also knows how to loosen the reins, all the while upholding its aviation-themed ethos, of course. The latest is the BR 03 Diver Lum Outline, which takes the squared pilot’s watch design underwater, this time around in a micro-blasted black ceramic case. The diving bezel is fitted with an insert with a luminous scale, and all the markers & hands have a luminous outline, hence the name. Limited to 500 pieces and supplied with black rubber and synthetic fabric straps, it will cost you EUR 5,500.

For more information, please visit BellRoss.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 42mm x 11.2mm – black ceramic case, micro-blasted – unidirectional rotating bezel with luminous 60-min scale – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 300m water-resistant – matte black laquered dial – applied indices & hands with SLN outline – date at 04:30 – BR-CAL.302-1 (Sellita SW300-1 base) – automatic winding – black rubber & black synthetic fabric straps with black PVD-coated steel pin buckle – limited to 500 pieces – EUR 5,500

IWC Ingenieur automatic 42 black ceramic

Given IWC’s expertise in zirconium oxide ceramics, it was only a matter of time before the completely renewed Ingenieur would use this ultra-resilient material too. The IWC Ingenieur Automatic 42 Black Ceramic does exactly that, although in a slightly larger package than its non-ceramic siblings! The reasoning is that black is slimming, so the brand could play with proportions and dimensions a bit, and drop in a larger movement. The in-house calibre 82110 automatic can be seen through the tinted sapphire caseback and delivers 60 hours of power reserve. The integrated bracelet is also ceramic and finished the same way as the case. The watch retails for EUR 21,500.

For more information, please visit IWC.com.

Quick Facts – 42mm x 11.6mm – black zirconium oxide ceramic, satin-finished & sandblasted with polished bevels – sapphire crystal front & back – 100m water-resistant – black soft-iron dial with grid-like pattern – black applied markers & hands with SLN – date window at 3′ – IWC calibre 82110, in-house – automatic winding with Pellaton system – 28,800vph – 60h power reserve – integrated black ceramic bracelet with butterfly clasp – IW338903 – EUR 21,500