Uhrinstinkt Magazine
Delightful associations, pronounced contrasts, elegant black-and-white look: legendary timepieces like the Daytona “Paul Newman” from Rolex with panda dial are attractive, but beyond the budget of many watch lovers. The good news is that other manufacturers such as Breitling, Hamilton, Omega and Tudor are also interpreting the popular design. Panda luxury watches are remarkably chic, fully on trend, yet classically timeless. Take a look for yourself.
Elegant style statement from Breitling – Premier B01 Chronograph 42
Timepieces with dials that tended to be monochrome long dominated the displays of watchmakers. Worth noting, therefore, was the idea of designing more contrasting wristwatches, which debuted some 60 years ago. An early design example is Breitling’s 1957 Superocean, which is classified as a panda pioneer on the collector scene. Even in moderate condition without papers and box, the rarity can fetch more than $16,000 at auction.
At this point, anyone who is not incessantly involved with exclusive timepieces is wondering: What are panda watches? The technical term refers to an aesthetic with distinct color contrasts between the dial and the subdials. These so-called totalizers should be in black on “true pandas” and stand out against a white background. The Breitling Premier B01 Chronograph with 42-mm stainless steel case is a successful example of this. It joins a family of watches with which the noble brand wants to illustrate its flair for pure elegance. Breitling’s mission is guided by the Panda principle:
Bright white contrasts the 30-minute counter and the small seconds display in black. They have a circular design and are horizontally arranged next to each other with some spacing. Overall, the leaf design resembles the face of the bamboo bear from which the genre takes its name. Aesthetically, the men’s watch is a tour de force – especially in combination with a black crocodile leather strap. The same applies to its inner values, which are characterized by a high-precision manufacture caliber with self-winding and a 70-hour power reserve.
Zenith Revival or Hamilton American Classic Intra-Matic Chrono
For the associations with a bear’s face, some people miss a panda nose on Breitling’s Premier. Those who are just nodding will be happy to see variations with three black subdials. Zenith, for example, picks up the look with its Chronomaster Revivial El Primero family. It sees itself as a tribute to the first self-winding chronograph, which the manufacture developed in 1969. The retro style with three black totalizers on a pure white background is a fabulous match.
Hamilton also relies on a good pinch of vintage for the American Classic Intra-Matic Chrono. It is a charming example of reverse pandas. This is what collectors call watches that reverse the black-and-white design principle. The variation suits the modern classic with manual winding extremely well, without losing the sympathetic effect. You get the feeling that the watch is looking its owner in the eye when he reads off the time.
Classic contrasts with modern sports design – Tudor Black Bay Chrono
In the 1960s and 1970s, black and white wristwatches were en vogue and also found at Tudor with the Panda layout. It’s no surprise, then, that there’s usually a retro whiff in the air with the design. If you’re up for it, but want a sportier statement for your wrist, you’ll find this style fusion hard to resist:
With the hand design, Tudor refers in the Black Bay Chrono to its legendary Submariner diving watches, which it first introduced in 1954. The tachymeter scale on the bezel opens up a link to motorsports, with which the Geneva-based manufacture has felt closely associated for decades. In 1970, Tudor’s first chronograph made its debut. The Panda dial represents the milestone in the brand’s history.
The historical links may be taken as indications of the sophisticated functionality: The robust sports watch with a handcrafted manufacture movement is suitable for everyday use, can be used for dives to depths of up to 200 meters and displays hours, minutes, seconds date and chronograph functions with high precision.
Multifaceted and easy to read – Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph 43 mm
When the first Panda watches debuted, manufacturers emphasized that the color contrasts make reading easier and are thus primarily a practical added value. There are watch experts who doubt the argument and classify it more as marketing. In the past, professional pilot watches gladly professed a monochromatic look, without anyone criticizing the functionality. However, contrasts are always helpful with a detailed design of the dial.
Omega Speedmaster Chronoscope Co-Axial Master Chronometer Chronograph with 43 mm case is full of discoveries. Of course, the masterpiece reveals the exact time. Featuring a tachymeter scale, the bezel ring is joined by pulsometer and telemeter scales, among others. They quote the 1940s design and enrich the dial design. Far from being confusing, the abundance of detail is undyingly fascinating. The key is the two-tone look with bright totalizers that contrast with the dark base tone of the dial.
Daytona by Rolex – Superlative Panda
Within minutes in 2017, the auction price of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona skyrocketed and had cracked the $17 million mark when the hammer fell. The fact that the rarity came from the estate of Paul Newman contributed to the record price, which received worldwide attention. If you want a well-preserved counterpart, you’ll find that the period pieces are breathtakingly expensive even if they didn’t grace the wrist of a legendary racer or actor.
Bargains, in comparison, are more recent interpretations of the legendary Rolex Panda watch. White gold, rose gold or meteorite dust: it is up to personal taste which noble materials characterize the gem. The Rolex Daytona Cosmograph is aesthetically and technically a masterpiece of Swiss watchmaking. It becomes a minor matter whether the design corresponds to the original pandas or is to be rated as a semi-panda wristwatch. This is the name given to high-contrast time indicators with the typical totalizer arrangement that deviate from the black and white color spectrum.
