Originality Done Right – 5 Watches With Truly Audacious Case Designs

Considering how time is indicated on most watches – hands rotating 360-degree around the dial – it is no surprise that the vast majority of timepieces available on the market have round cases. But there is always room for creativity, originality and audacity. Watches don’t have to be round to be either striking or elegant. Shaped watches have been around for ages and designers have long questioned the norm of the round watch and display. With this in mind, we’ve recently seen a surge of oddly, originally shaped watches, driven by a clear rise in popularity of Cartier, also known as the master of shapes. Here are 5 watches that look at case design in a different way. 

Anoma A1 First Series

A newcomer to the accessible watchmaking scene, Anoma stroke hard for its inaugural release, with a case that’s both extremely original and yet supremely elegant. Named the A1 Watch, this oddly shaped triangular model, inspired by a 1950s table by French architect, designer and Le Corbusier collaborator Charlotte Perriand (1903-1999), combines audacity and refinement in a surprisingly mature way. The case is shaped like a smooth wedge, like a sharp triangle that has been eroded by the effect of time. There’s something almost Laurent Ferrier, with a fresh look at things, a watch that is clearly all about design but yet elegant and weirdly classic. The two-tone blue dial sits on top of a fairly simple but reliable Sellita automatic movement, resulting in a reasonably priced watch (GBP 1,300). One to follow.

Quick facts: 39x38mm triangular case, 9.45mm height – stainless steel, sapphire crystal – 50m water-resistant – two-tone blue dial – Sellita SW100 automatic, 4Hz, 38h power reserve – leather strap in grey or sand – GBP 1,300 (excl. taxes)

Audemars Piguet [Re]Master02

For the second chapter in the historical [Re]Master collection, Audemars Piguet looks at one of its most expressive designs from the 1960s. A model of brutalist inspiration, the inspiration, the reference 5159BA, stands out with its asymmetrical case and eccentric shape. Not a one-to-one reproduction, the Audemars Piguet [Re]Master02 reimagines it with a modern eye, keeping the brutalist concept but now housed in a larger sand gold case, with a modern ultra-thin movement inside. Not a watch for the faint of heart, the [Re]Master02 is nevertheless an exciting exercise of style from a brand that has long been at the forefront of shaped cases. And we can only applaud AP’s audacity to bring back such a disruptive design.

Quick facts: 41mm x 9.7mm 18k sand gold case, brushed with polished accents – faceted sapphire crystal front and caseback – 30m water-resistant – night blue compartmented dial – calibre 7129 in-house, ultra-thin automatic, 4Hz frequency, 52h power reserve – blue leather strap – limited to 250 pieces – CHF 38,000 (excl. taxes)

Berneron Mirage

Pushing asymmetry to the limits, not only for the exterior of the watch but also for its mechanical parts… This was the idea of Berneron, a new independent watchmaker launched by Sylvain Berneron, former Chief Product Officer of Breitling. A truly mesmerizing watch, a debut piece that has certainly grabbed the full attention of collectors, the Mirage is not only about design and pushes the concept extremely far. The case, which comes in white or yellow gold and measures 33.50mm by 37.50mm by 7.00mm, is elegantly asymmetric and yet extremely refined… like a more subtle Cartier Crash or Salvador Dali’s melting clocks. The dial and hands are also far from classic but the most impressive is the back, as the movement done by Le Cercle de Horlogers is shaped according to the case, with mechanical parts that are also designed according to the entire concept of the watch. A truly brilliant watch, coherently designed from top to bottom.

Quick facts: 33.50mm width x 37.50mm length x 7.00mm height – 18k white or yellow gold case, hesalite crystal on top, sapphire crystal on the back – white or yellow gold dial, blue or sienna sector and markers – proprietary shaped movement made by Le Cercle de Horlogers, hand-wound, 3Hz, 60h power reserve – leather strap in blue or sienna – CHF 55,000 (excl. VAT)

Cartier Tortue Monopoussoir

It would be hard not to include Cartier in a guide focusing on shaped watches. For over a century, the French jeweller-watchmaker has been seen as one of the masters of shaped cases, with extravagant yet refined creations such as the Tank, the Cintrée, the Tonneau, the Cloche or the famous Crash. One of the best-known shaped Cartier watches is the Tortue, first released in the late 1920s, re-edited by CPCP in the late 1990s (a model that became cult) and once again brought back this year. The famous monopusher chronograph is not round, not square, not tonneau. It is original and classic, with its turtle shape, complemented this year by a new proprietary movement. Inside is an unprecedented, hand-wound and shaped calibre that follows the form of the case. A lovely edition that is released in platinum or yellow gold.

Quick facts: 34.8mm width x 43.7mm length x 10.2mm thickness – 950 platinum or 18k yellow gold case, sapphire crystals on both sides – 30m water-resistant – silvered opaline or grained gold-finish dial – calibre 1928 MC – proprietary hand-wound movement, monopusher chronograph, 4Hz, 44h power reserve – leather strap – limited to 200 pieces per version – EUR 46,000 in gold, EUR 53,000 in platinum

Hamilton Ventura XXL Skeleton Automatic

An accessible alternative, the Hamilton Ventura is an icon presented in 1957 and that gained popularity when none other than Elvis Presley wore his own Ventura on set for the 1961 movie Blue Hawaii. Hamilton still carries the Ventura collection today, albeit in more modern renditions, and one to consider is this Ventura XXL Skeleton Automatic, combining the ultra-original shape of the collection with modern dimensions and an openworked automatic movement. The latter is based on the powerful Calibre 80 with its extended power reserve and anti-magnetic Nivachron balance spring. Worn on an integrated rubber strap, it retails for EUR 1,995.

Quick facts: 45.5mm x 46mm x 11.5mm steel triangular case – sapphire crystal – 50m water-resistant – black skeletonised dial – ETA C07.901 (Powermatic 80 base), automatic, 3Hz, 80h power reserve – rubber strap – EUR 1,995