Round-UpRevisiting The Top Five India-Exclusive Blue Dial Watches To Mark Milestones Of 2023

The colour blue has an age-old association with India. From the Ashoka Chakra on the Tiranga (India’s national flag), to Jaipur’s blue pottery, the nickname ‘Blue City’ for Jodhpur, the DD logo (Doordarshan, India’s public service broadcast), the staple shade in the clothing of Indian leaders Dr BR Ambedkar and Dr Manmohan Singh, to the ‘Men in Blue’ (the blue livery of the Indian cricket team wear during limited-over matches). It came as no surprise to see the colour became integral to the 20th anniversary celebrations of India’s biggest watch retailer, Ethos Limited, in 2023. To mark this major milestone in India’s horological history, five Swiss watchmakers had unveiled a spate of Ethos-exclusive (with the exception of a few pieces) limited editions featuring blue dials, ranging from icy blue to deep Prussian blue. Here’s revisiting five of the best commemorative timepieces released exclusively in India.

Breitling Navitimer B01 Chronograph India-Exclusive

The iconic Breitling Navitimer India-exclusive chronograph—with a fresh, new ice blue dial is a continuation of Breitling’s rich legacy in creating aviation tool watches for pilots. The exclusive 50-piece limited edition created for the Ethos anniversary follows the template of the latest Navitimers in the brand’s portfolio—an evolution that was incidentally unveiled last year when Breitling were celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Navitimer collection. The icy blue dial of the B01 chronograph India-exclusive features applied indexes, complemented by sleek, pencil-shaped hands—all with luminous elements. The central chronograph seconds hand is in red, the silvery hued sub-dials have black hands—the 30-minute and 12-hour chronograph counters at three and six, and the running seconds at nine—and silver flange with the slide-rule. This oversized steel case at 43mm features an equally large crown.

Carl F. Bucherer Manero Flyback Anniversary Edition

Except for the blue dress code, this Manero Flyback by Carl F Bucherer, launched exclusively for the Ethos anniversary, doesn’t announce that it was exclusively made for India. One reason could be the brand decided to also view this watch as a commemorative timepiece to mark their own milestone of completing 135 years. The 88-piece limited edition in blue is set in a 43mm stainless steel case with fluted crown at three o’clock, and retro-style pushers at two and four o’clock. It cradles a Prussian blue dial with bicompax setup in silver hue with snailed texture—a 30-minute sub-dial at three o’clock and a 60-second sub-dial at nine o’clock—all snug under a double-domed sapphire crystal glass. Other contrasting elements include a tachymeter, outer minute track, brand logo in white; and indexes plus skeletal watch hands for hour, minute and seconds in 18-karat rose gold plated. The watch runs on CFB 1970 chronograph calibre with the added flyback function, and when fully wound offers a 56-hour power reserve.

The 88-piece limited edition cradles a Prussian blue dial featuring silver hued counters with snailed texture—a 30-minute sub-dial at three o’clock and a 60-second sub-dial at nine o’clock—all snug under a double-domed sapphire crystal glass

Visible from the caseback is the CFB 1970 chronograph calibre with flyback function, and when fully wound offers 56-hour power reserve

Carl F. Bucherer Manero

₹7,19,712

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Frederique Constant Manufacture Classic Heart Beat India Limited Edition

Bold, navy blue hour markers in Devanagari script are instantly grab your attention when you first glance at the icy blue dial of the Frederique Constant Manufacture Classic Heart Beat India. Devanagari, the script for Hindi and Sanskrit languages, literally translates to the ‘land of the gods’. The dark blue contrast to the light blue dial surface continues to other dial elements such as the spade hands for hour and minute, and the railroad minute track. Positioned at six o’clock is the trademark open heart display. A 39mm stainless steel case cradles this blue dial. The caseback also allures with a sapphire crystal window that features a printed ‘35Y’ to mark the brand’s 35th anniversary in 2023, which is why the watch is limited to 35 pieces. The caseback offers a view of the automatic manufacture movement FC-930-3, which beats at 28,800vph and offers around 38-hour power reserve. A black leather alligator strap offers a good contrast to the silvery blue tones of watch.

Bold, navy blue hour markers in Devanagari script (used for Hindi and Sanskrit) are instantly grab your attention when you first glance at the icy blue dial of the Frederique Constant Manufacture Classic Heart Beat India

The caseback also allures with a sapphire crystal window that features a printed ‘35Y’ to mark the brand’s 35th anniversary, and the reason behind being available as a 35-piece limited run edition

Frederique Constant Manufacture

₹3,86,000

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Rado Captain Cook India Edition For Ethos Anniversary

Rado first introduced the Captain Cook line in the 1960s, naming it after the famous 18th-century British explorer, cartographer and naval officer, Captain James Cook. A simplified world-timer, an Over-Pole edition featured Bombay, Calcutta and New Delhi on its time zone bezel. A 2022 re-edition of the Over-Pole featured Mumbai. Further to that, Rado had unveiled a Hrithik Roshan special-edition Captain Cooks, after the actor who is their Indian brand ambassador. For the Ethos milestone anniversary, the brand has created an exclusive special edition modelled after the contemporary Captain Cook dive timer. The gradient dial with its turquoise tones is redolent of the deepest oceans and passion for diving. Both the dial and caseback are protected by sapphire crystal glass with antireflective coating. On the reverse, the closed caseback features the trademark motif of seahorses in line with the oceanic theme.

For the Ethos milestone anniversary, the brand has created an exclusive special edition modelled after the contemporary Captain Cook dive timer

The closed caseback features the trademark motif of seahorses in line with the oceanic theme

Rado Captain Cook

₹2,27,100

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Raymond Weil Freelancer RW1212 India Ganges Edition

The Raymond Weil Freelancer RW1212 India edition launched exclusively for the Ethos anniversary showcases a fresh new shade of blue on the partially open-worked dial. Limited to 99 pieces, this watch has been created exclusively for Ethos and features a distinct shade of blue on the dial that is few shades darker than ice blue, almost like sky blue. On its sapphire crystal caseback, is a pale blue outline of India’s map with River Ganga marked in a brighter shade of blue. Visible through this transparent shield are parts of the calibre RW1212 that offers 38-hour power reserve, made resplendent with perlage and Côtes de Genève patterns. This India edition features distinct trademarks such as a chapter ring for minutes; an inside track for hour markers; and a coaxial with Clous de Paris pattern. Breaking the visual of the concentric circles on the blue dial is the open-worked section at six o’clock, which reveals the balance wheel—the beating heart of the watch. Surrounding this, the steel frame has standard information, such as the 100m water resistance of the 42mm steel case, but it also carries the words ‘20th anniversary’, highlighting this milestone of Ethos Limited. Only 99 pieces of this watch have been created. A five-link steel bracelet keeps the watch secured to the wrist.

Breaking the visual of the concentric circles on the blue dial of the Raymond Weil Freelancer RW1212 India edition is the open-worked section at six o’clock, which reveals the balance wheel—the beating heart of the watch

On its sapphire crystal caseback, is a pale blue outline of India’s map with River Ganga marked in a brighter shade of blue, with parts of the calibre RW1212 visible through the transparent sapphire crystal

Raymond Weil Freelancer

₹2,55,000

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