A Selection Of Unconventional yet Trendy Shaped Watches

Round, or square… That’s basically the norm for case designs in the industry, but there was a time where brands would experiment with shapes and designs to such an extent that genuine icons were created! Fortunately, there’s been a rather strong revival of unconventionally shaped watches in recent times, which we can only applaud. Watches like the Audemars Piguet [Re]Master02, for instance, hark back to the daring spirit of a bygone era that was in need of dusting off. We’ve touched upon the subject before, but there’s a new wave of creative and expressive watches to be discovered, from brands you might expect to new players on the field! Let’s take a closer look!

Anoma A1 Slate

Flaunting a surprisingly elegant triangular silhouette, the Anoma A1 made quite an impact when first released last year. The uniquely shaped case certainly commands your attention straight away, but there’s more to it than that. The vertically brushed dial with a crosshair design and leaf-shaped hands has a clever two-tone design. New for this year is the A1 Slate, which changes things up from the vibrant blue of the debut model to a more toned-down yet still captivating slate grey dial. It relies on a Sellita SW100 automatic for telling time. Worn on a grey grained leather strap, sales start March 10th at a price of GBP 1,800 (excl. VAT).

For more information, AnomaWatches.com.

Quick Facts – 39mm x 38mm x 9.45mm – rounded triangular steel case, polished – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – recessed crown – 50m water-resistant – two-tone black & slate grey dial – crosshair design – leaf-shaped hands – Sellita SW100, automatic – 28,800vph – 38h-42h power reserve – 18mm grained leather strap, grey – available to order from March 10th 14:00 GMT onwards – GBP 1,800 excl. VAT

spaceone tellurium

The SpaceOne Tellurium is one of those watches that puzzles the mind at first sight. The unusually shaped case, the unique orbital sun and earth display, and the crown at noon; it’s a lot of goodness to take in! The Tellurium is made possible thanks to the talents of young watchmaker Théo Auffret, who, together with Guillaume Laidet (Vulcain, Nivada, Excelsior Park), developed the SpaceOne brand. The specially crafted module of the Tellurium tells not only time but also the date and month, as well as the interplay of day and night between the sun and earth. A couple of versions are available, starting at EUR 2,990.

For more information, please visit SpaceOneWatches.com.

Quick Facts – 50mm x 42mm x 16mm – grade 5 titanium – domed sapphire crystal – crown at noon – solid caseback – 30m water-resistant – aventurine dial – polished titanium stars – central hour & minute hands – tellurium display – date & month – Soprod P024 base, patented tellurium module by Théo Auffret – black fabric strap with titanium buckle – EUR 2,990

Cartier tank américaine platinum & salmon

Cartier is the absolute master in breaking with conventional watch design, with one of the most famous collections, of course, being the Tank. Recently, we went hands-on with the superbly elegant Tank Américaine in platinum, with an Art-Deco salmon dial. The elongated, curved rectangular platinum case, the burgundy markings and tracks on the two-tone dial, and the matching leather strap all beautifully come together on the wrist. Hidden underneath the solid caseback is the compact automatic Calibre 1899 MC, with a power reserve of 40 hours. This Tank Américaine, reference WGTA0297, is not limited and retails for EUR 25,600.

For more information, Cartier.com.

Quick Facts – 24.4mm x 44.4mm x 8.6mm – 950 platinum case, polished – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – crown with red ruby – 30m water-resistant – salmon-tone dial with alternating finishing – burgundy printed numerals & tracks – sword-shaped hands, blued – Calibre 1899 MC, automatic – 28,800vph – 40h power reserve – burgundy leather strap with white gold pin buckle – WGTA0297 – non-limited edition – EUR 25,600

daniel roth extra plat souscription

Following the spectacular Daniel Roth Tourbillon models, it was time for a tonal shift for the resurrected brand. Not in design fo course, as the legendary ellipsocurvex case profile is still the centrepiece, but in complexity. The Extra Plat Souscription is the answer, and it does what it says on the tin. Executed in 18k yellow gold from top to bottom, it comes in at 7.7mm in height. The solid gold dial has a guilloché Clou de Paris pattern and blue numerals and hands. Underneath the solid caseback beats the manually wound manufacture Calibre DR002. The Extra Plat Souscription is limited to 20 pieces, priced at CHF 45,000 each.

For more information, DanielRoth.com.

Quick Facts – 38.6mm x 35.5mm x 7.7mm – 18k yellow gold ellipsocurvex case, polished – flat sapphire crystal – solid gold caseback – 30m water-resistant – 18k yellow gold dial with Clou de Paris guilloché – blued steel hands with blue Roman numerals – Calibre DR002, manually wound – 28,800vph – 143 components – 65h power reserve – taupe grained leather strap with gold pin buckle – Ref. DBBE01A1 – 20 souscription pieces – CHF 45,000 (excl. VAT)

Serica parade reference 1174

Speaking of tonal shifts, Serica made a radical change from focusing on retro-inspired tool watches for the first five years of the brand’s existence to the very dressy Parade Reference 1174. This surprising watch has an asymmetrical Stadium-shaped case with hidden lugs, a recessed crown and an oval-shaped opening revealing a gold- or black-coloured dial. It must be said it’s a well-balanced mix of elegance and originality! Power comes from an automatic SoProd M100, and it comes on a black leather strap with an elliptical pin buckle. The Serica Parade Reference 1174 is permanently available for a price of EUR 1,490.

For more information, please visit Serica-Watches.com.

Quick Facts – 35mm x 41mm x 8.6mm – elliptical stainless steel case, brushed & polished – sapphire crystal – solid caseback – 100m water-resistant – gold or black textured dial – sunray-brushing with curved lines – spherical hour markers – polished hands – SoProd M100, automatic – 28,800vph – 42h power reserve – hours, minutes – grained calfskin leather strap with elliptical pin buckle – permanent collection – EUR 1,490

amida digitrend

Rekindling the spirit of popular watches from the past grants the opportunity for unique creations, and with watches such as the Amida Digitrend, it makes total sense. This unusual driver’s watch was originally made in the 1970s, with a reflective crystal prism flipping the hours and minutes vertically so you can check the time without taking your hands off the wheel. The unique design makes for a fun experience on the wrist, in steel, black DLC coated steel or gold PVD steel and both on the strap or a case-matching bracelet. Retailing for EUR 2,950 (or EUR 3,200 for the bracelet), it’s a welcome and very cool remake of a historic piece!

For more information, Amida-Watches.com.

Quick Facts – 39.6mm x 39mm x 15.6mm – stainless steel case, brushed & polished or with black DLC or gold PVD coating – vertical reflective prism crystal – 50m water-resistant – dual discs for hours & minutes – calibre SoProd NEWTON P092, automatic – in-house jumping hour disc module – 28,800vph – 44h power reserve – charcoal & orange strap or case-matching bracelet – CHF 2,950 (on strap) or CHF 3,200 (on bracelet)