Summer is Coming – Our Selection of Colorful Watches (buying guide with prices)

Just like we did a week ago, by showing our selection of the best sports-chic watches for summer, this week we’ll look at colorful watches… Of course, summer is the perfect moment to think different, to move out from the black or silver dial comfort zone, to go wild and fun. Well, it’s time to bring joy on your wrist – but don’t forget what magazine you’re reading. It’s Monochrome, so we agreed to show proper watches only. Colorful, yes. High-end, not necessarily but all with horological interest and coolness. Here is our selection of colorful watches to bring summer on your wrist.

“It’s time to move out of your comfort zone… Bring color on your wrist”

Seiko Prospex SRP 779 PADI

When looking at this selection, I see many of you already being frustrated, simply because they can’t afford watches at such prices. No worries gents, here is the solution; the colorful edition of the professional diver by Seiko. What does that mean? First, it’s a Seiko, so it’s relatively affordable, construction is great, design is timeless, the brand has a great pedigree and aura. Then, it is a mechanical version, and because it’s a Seiko, it has a real in-house movement – yes, just like a 70k Patek – and a reliable one for sure. The cherry on the cake is the X mention on the dial, meaning it’s a Prospex (for professional specifications) so this watch has been created for and tested by pros – so it will be more than efficient and solid, trust us. Very nice in black, the PADI edition adds some bright colours, with a metallic blue dial and a Pepsi bezel (something that is cool, no debate). The price is almost a bargain: 430 Euros or $525 – freshly available. seikowatches.com.

Oris Divers Sixty Five Deauville Blue

You certainly know about the Oris Divers Sixty Five. You probably also know that we here, at Monochrome-Watches, find it super-cool. And this, for very good reasons. First, it has the perfect balance between vintage appeal (it’s in fact very close visually from a 1965 watch from the brand), mixed with modern attributes, like an updated size – bigger but not too big, at 40mm – and modern materials, like the nice domed sapphire crystal or a well crafted stainless case. The dial is just perfect, with the stylized numerals and its domed shaped. The crown is oversized, the casebands are slim and finally, inside ticks a robust automatic movement… And all of that for only 1,700 Euros. Sounds like a perfect deal. Well, it is if you like black watches. No worries, if you want to look cool on the French riviera, Oris has the perfect solution, the Deauville Blue version, with a dial mixing light grey and sea-blue, with the faux-patina indexes. Some nice summer vibes on the wrist. Price: 1,700 Euros on rubber or fabric strap, 1,900 Euros on steel bracelet. oris.ch.

Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean 600m, 2016 Edition

For all long-term watch lovers, this timepiece shouldn’t need to be introduced anymore… but you’d be wrong, as this is the brand new version of the famous Planet Ocean, the professional, deep diver of Omega, in its 2016 Edition. Same overall concept, entirely new technologies. The case, as well of the water resistance of 600m, the hands or the indexes are similar. However, when you look closer, you see that the numerals are a bit different and that a new mention appeared on the dial: “Master Chronometer”. Indeed, the PO now also features the super-innovative, super-precise and antimagnetic movement certified by METAS. Then, the visual package has also evolves with a new bezel, mixing black ceramic, seamlessly integrated 60-minute diving scale (Liquidmetal technology) and a 15-minute scale made in rubber (again seamlessly integrated in the ceramic, and this is new). For this summer, we go for the black and orange edition, with a very cool matching strap in sail fabric and rubber. This will definitely be cool on the beach – or anywhere else. Price: 5,400 Swiss Francs. omegawatches.com.

Ulysse Nardin Diver Black Sea

What’s better than a good dive watch for summer? A very good dive watch with great movement, style and from a brand with strong history of course. It’s not because it’s summer that we have to let our passion for watches at home, in the vault. And it’s not because it’s summer that we must not look at a nice, fully black watch. So the Ulysse Nardin Diver Black Sea is for you. However, the theme here is colorful watches, so why not go the edition with bold red accents, just enough of them to make it original. The Diver Black Sea is a strong watch, with marine theme printed on the bezel and the dial, with an interesting in-house movement, with small second, date and power reserve. The case is stainless steel case with matte black rubber coating – and that will definitely be comfy during summer. Price is just under $10,000. ulysse-nardin.com.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Chronograph

Well, it seems that this could be the perfect summer watch – in case you can afford it. First, it’s a proper sports watch, solid, rugged, prepared to follow you in the worst situations. Then, it’s a real diver, capable of 300m, with strong legibility. And it’s also a chronograph – and we all love a good old chrono. Finally, it’s available only in bright colours (blue, yellow, orange and green), making it somehow fun. And if you don’t believe it to be strong enough for you and your super-active holidays, keep in mind that the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Diver Chronograph is Stan Wawrinka’s choice (and not for the show, he’s really playing with it). Whatever the color you’ll choose, the watch is playful, bold, it has this unique combination of tool and luxury, so dear to the Royal Oak and it finally is perfectly geared up for summer. Price: 27,500 Euros. audemarspiguet.com.

Armin Strom Skeleton Pure Water Edition

Summer and colorful watches don’t mean you have to forget about your horological pleasure, and the Armin Strom Skeleton pure is all about high-end watchmaking, but in a very cool, sporty look. You can almost see this watch as a real sports watch – and honestly, you can use it in such way – except one thing: its delicate and superbly finished movement. Entirely skeletonized, opened to the maximum to reveal all the mechanical parts, everything is then finished to a very high level – if you want to know how it’s done, look at our video here. For this summer, we chose the Water edition, mixing a traditional stainless steel case (always good if you plan to be active) and movement plates and bridges coated in bright blue – a perfect evocation of a seaside trip, don’t you think. Price: 32,400 Swiss Francs. arminstrom.com.

URWERK UR-105 TA Black Lemon

The last watch of our selection is certainly the least shy of them all. Admit it, whether you love it or hate it, it has some guts and some style. All the craziness of URWERK in a single watch: a case shaped like a spaceship, a display that has nothing to do with hands, a strong contrast between the black coating of the case and the yellow accents of the dial (the yellow strap is not compulsory, which might be better…) and an overall design that is simply out of this world. There’s nothing normal here and that’s why we love the brand and this watch. This particular edition, the UR-105, remains friendly on the wrist, with relatively discreet dimensions and a display a bit simplified. The overall thing is in fact close to be a sports watch, with the fun of the revolving satellites for the time. The yellow edition will definitely feels like summer on the wrist (an orange edition exists too). Price: 58,000 Swiss Francs. Urwerk.com.

Richard Mille RM68-01 Tourbillon Cyril Kongo

At first, we saw this Richard Mille RM68-01 Tourbillon Cyril Kongo, we thought that Mister Mille took the wrong mushrooms! Splashes of vivid colours sprayed all over a delicate, technical and highly finished tourbillon movement… What a crazy idea! And then, you look at it in details, and you understand the amount of technique and dexterity it needs to a street artist to achieve such a miniature graffiti, done by hand, with an airbrush. It gives just a bit of credibility to the thing… to say the least. And then you look at it in the detail, and once passed the first effect, this watch is finally not only crazy but also very, very cool. Of course taste is highly individual and you may like it or not. But for those who want to stand out of the box (and who have pockets deep enough…), that’s definitely a piece to consider. Price: $685,000, 30 pieces, all unique as painted by hand. richardmille.com.