Black Dial Watch

Reading a Black Dial

A black dial is read by its markers rather than its background. The hour markers on these watches are applied, meaning raised pieces fixed to the dial, so they pick up side light and show as bright points even when the face itself is dark. In daylight that makes a black dial just as quick to read as a white one, and in dim light the raised markers do work that printed ones cannot. The seconds track printed at the edge helps too, giving the eye a scale to read against when the hands sit between markers. The one trade is glare from overhead light, which a slight tilt of the wrist clears.

• Raised markers catch light. Applied hour markers stand out against the dark face.
• Just as quick in daylight. Markers, not background, carry the reading.
• A tilt clears glare. A small turn of the wrist removes reflections.

Wood Tone Against a Dark Face

The wood around a black dial decides how much contrast the watch carries. Pale bamboo frames the dark face sharply and draws the eye to the dial. Striped zebrawood adds pattern around the black, so the bezel becomes part of the design. Dark walnut blends with the dial into one deep tone, the most understated choice. None is more correct than the others; pick the level of contrast that fits how much attention you want the watch to draw across a room. Because the dark face recedes, the grain of the wood reads more clearly around it than it does next to a white dial, and if you already own a black dial watch, a different wood is the easiest way to make a second one feel new.

• Bamboo, most contrast. A pale ring around a dark face.
• Zebrawood, pattern. Stripes frame the black.
• Walnut, most discreet. Dial and bezel merge into one tone.

Where a Black Dial Belongs

A black dial suits the office, evenings and anywhere a watch should stay in the background, and it is the easier dial color to pair with a black leather strap and dark clothing. With a brown strap it takes on a warmer, more casual look without losing its discretion, which makes it a strong single watch for someone who dresses between the two. A dark face also hides the small scuffs and dust that show on a pale one, which matters on a watch worn every day. For more on black versus brown leather, see the leather strap watch page, and the stainless steel watch page explains the case these dials sit in.

• Office and evening. A dark face stays in the background.
• Black strap, dark clothes. The most formal combination.
• Brown strap, warmer mood. Relaxed without losing discretion.