The unconventional, singular elegance of square watches

In the middle of last year, a friend generously gifted me a Nomos Tetra Neomatik 39. With its midnight blue dial and Art Deco-inspired lugs, the ultra-thin Tetra, which is powered by a 3.2-millimetre thin automatic inhouse movement, is an elegant, well-made watch from a company whose work I follow closely.

In the time it took to reach me, though, I wondered if I’d ever take to square watches. Despite deeply admiring the angularities of square/rectangular watches from the likes of Cartier and Jaeger-LeCoultre, I’d never actually put my money down on one. I’m probably not the only one to have exhibited an ambivalence about watches with alternative shapes.

The first-ever modern wristwatch, designed by Louis Cartier for his friend, the Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, might have been square, but, according to watch experts, the round shape became popular not only because it followed the shape of the gears and springs in the movement, but also because it was much simpler to make round watches water-resistant.

Over the years, though, watches in other shapes have offered a dash of graceful unconventionality to watch lovers. Today, while about 80% of the watches sold globally are round, there are some exceptional timepieces that should find a place in your collection. Here are some of the more recent launches.

The Paris-based watchmaker, known for its aviation-inspired, functional timepieces, recently dropped a new version of its BR 03-93 GMT. The colours on the 42mm watch’s black sunray dial echo the ones used on cockpits, and the update provides time in three separate time zones, thanks to a bi-directional rotating bezel. The watch is powered by an inhouse automatic movement, and is rated for 100 metres of water resistance.

Launched in 1969 and made famous by the legendary actor and racing enthusiast Steve McQueen, the Tag Heuer Monaco, named after the Formula 1 racing circuit, was among the world’s first self-winding chronographs. Late last year, Tag Heuer released three new Monaco models, which are powered by the Calibre Heuer 02 movement. Two of the 2020 models come with a metallic bracelet. If you are as much an automotive enthusiast as a watch lover, the Monaco is where it’s at.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, which turns 90 this year, was created to withstand the rigours of polo matches played by British Army officers in India. In his book, Time Tamed, the English historian and journalist Nicholas Foulkes writes: “There can be few tales from the Raj that involve a Swiss denture maker, but in 1930 a businessman by the name of Cesar de Trey was in India watching a polo match when he overheard players complaining that the glasses covering the dials of their wristwatches were constantly becoming damaged while playing.” The solution was the Reverso, a watch that “can be slid in its support and completely turned over.”

With its Art Deco aesthetics, the Reverso was an instant success. Resurrected in the 1980s, the watch remains a classic and the face of Jaeger-LeCoultre. The limited edition Reverso Tribute Duoface Fagliano, among the first of the 90th anniversary special releases, comes in a burgundy red dial and pink gold case, and has two contrasting dials indicating different time zones. The strap for the two-faced watch has been handcrafted by Casa Fagliano, the storied Argentinian polo bootmaker.

Very few watchmakers have experimented with shape as Cartier has, and the Tank Asymetrique is a case in point. The parallelogram-shaped watch looks as ridiculously cool today as it did back in the 1930s when it was first introduced. Relaunched last year as part of the manufacturer’s Prive collection, the Tank Asymétrique is available in three versions, including platinum and pink gold, and is powered by the calibre 1917 MC which has a power reserve of 38 hours.