When shopping for a watch, many consumers find themselves asking the same question: does watch dial color matter? Whether you are looking for the perfect gift for a loved one or shopping for yourself, picking the right watch dial colors is an important part of the process. While the best color will depend on the personal tastes of the recipient, there are certain color combinations that work better than others. Additionally, some colors are easier to match with clothing and accessories, making them more versatile for the wearer.
So, this begs a few important questions. What are the best watch dial colors? Do some colors look better on watches than others? Finally, what color watch goes with everything? We will answer all of these questions and more, but first, let’s look at how a watch dial differs from the other parts of a watch:
What Is A Watch Dial?
The watch dial is simply the part of the watch that displays the time. People often get confused about the different parts of the watch, particularly when it comes to the watch dial. Fortunately, it is not too complicated, as “watch dial” is just another way to refer to the “watch face.”
More often than not, the watch face is round, flat, and has painted numbers or markers on it to signify the time. On a traditional automatic watch, the watch hands are situated on top of the watch dial, rotating to different markers as time passes. Consequently, the dial is one of the most important parts of the watch, as it displays the time and functions as the “surface” on which the timekeeping mechanisms are displayed.
While you might just think of the watch dial as the backdrop for your watch, it serves an important visual purpose. The color and material of your watch dial can greatly impact the overall visual appeal of your timepiece. Additionally, the fashion of the numbers, markers, and other timekeeping signifiers (chronograph, GMT, etc.) can all affect the aesthetic quality of your watch.
Watch Dial Color Meanings
In addition to their visual appeal, watch dial colors can also represent different meanings. So, let us look at some of the different watch dial color meanings:
White
White can symbolize many different concepts, including purity, innocence, light, freshness, cleanliness, and simplicity. This makes it an ideal choice for watch dials. As an added bonus, white is generally one of the easiest colors on the eyes, making it more comfortable to read — regardless of the light conditions.
Silver
Silver can represent a wide variety of meanings, from power and authority to elegance and mystery. For many people, silver is a symbol of wealth and riches, which makes it an excellent choice for high-end watches. Much like white, silver is also relatively easy on the eyes. For this reason alone, it is one of the most common and popular watch dial colors.
Gray
Gray (sometimes spelled as “grey”), is a perfect neutral color. Symbolically, it frequently represents balance, as it is literally the middle ground between white and black. Consequently, gray is a popular choice for watch dials that is also easy to match with most other colors.
Gold
Much like silver, gold is a symbol of wealth and opulence. However, it’s important to note that too much gold can be seen as “flashy.” Moreover, if you want a watch face that is made of real gold, you will likely need to pay a higher price. Nonetheless, gold watch dials are extremely fashionable, luxurious, and beautiful.
Brown or Beige
Depending on the shade, brown and beige can both be seen as antique colors. They are especially popular on retro or nautical watches, as they are frequently associated with a bygone era. Symbolically, brown is frequently associated with soil or earth, while beige is a reflection of neutrality and dependability. Varied shades of brown and beige also work well together, which makes it easy to accessorize with either color.
Black
Black signifies power and authority, making it a very strong color. However, black watch dials often need to have some kind of luminous feature, as they can be difficult to read in the dark. Nonetheless, black watch dials are an elegant and dominant alternative to lighter options.
Orange
Orange is representative of happiness, warmth, and enthusiasm. More often than not, orange watch dials have bright, neon coloration, making them look hip and modern. That said, orange is not always easy to match with other colors, so it may not be the best choice for those who want a more versatile accessory.
Pink
Thanks in part to holidays like Valentine’s Day, pink is usually associated with love. Though pink is frequently worn by men and women, it has traditionally been a signifier of femininity. Pink is a great choice for both men’s and women’s watch dials, as different shades can range from elegant (rose) to youthful (hot pink).
Green or Turquoise
Green is a symbol of renewal and hope. Many people associate green with the spring season since new plants return after the bitter cold of winter. While turquoise (blue-green) is often given similar meanings, it can also represent nobility and wisdom. Thus, green or turquoise watch dials are great choices if you want a positive, refined timepiece.
Blue
Blue is a very calming color, which makes it a popular choice for watch faces. It can be associated with the sea, which makes it perfect for nautical timepieces. From a symbolic standpoint, people often think of intelligence and serenity when they see the color blue. When put on a watch dial, blue works well with most other colors.
Purple
Purple signifies royalty, magic, and the sub-conscious. In addition to its popularity in royal courts throughout history, purple also has an air of intrigue and mystery. On a watch dial, a deep purple really stands out and works well as a contrast to brighter colors.
Red
Red is one of the most symbolically complex colors on the spectrum, representing concepts like love, health, anger, passion, and romance. Though not as common on watch faces, red can make a bold statement and a great compliment to many other colors. It can also help make watches great as gifts for a romantic partner.
Yellow
Yellow generally symbolizes youth, happiness, and positivity. When it comes to watch dial colors, yellow serves as an excellent background and complement, especially to dark colors like black or gray. A yellow watch face can be both fashionable and youthful.
Matching Your Watch With Your Clothes
Figuring out what to wear with different watch dial colors can be a challenge. It is hard enough trying to match your outfit, so adding a watch to the mix can make things even more complicated. For this reason, choosing watch dial colors that work well with a lot of different colors can make your job a lot easier.
So, what is the most versatile watch face color? Though they will not go with every single color on the spectrum, white, gray, and beige are some of the easiest watch dial colors to accessorize. However, if you want to wear light-colored clothing, black and dark gray are excellent choices for your watch as well.
Finally, while it is not necessary to wear everything of the exact same color, coordinating your outfit and watch around one bright color can make a strong fashion statement. For example, a red shirt, red shoes, and a red watch face can look great together. That said, you can always mix things up when it comes to bright or neon pigmentation. Bright colors like yellow, orange, pink, red, or turquoise can easily combine with strong colors like black or white. In short, it is easy to make different watch dial colors work with just about any outfit!
We hope you found our guide on watch dial colors useful! If you would like to learn more about buying a luxury watch, feel free to contact the experts at Ashford today!
