The Best White-Dial Watches Work All Year RoundThere’s something about a clean white dial on what is otherwise a utilitarian watch that collectors simply love. (Think about the white-dialed Rolex Explorer II “Polar” references, or the white version of IWC’s Mark-series pilot’s watch.) Many contemporary tool watches are the successors to vintage military watches, whose black dials with luminescent elements not only ensured excellent legibility, but also minimized reflections in the field. A white dial with black (or colored) elements, however, is perhaps even more legible, and if reflections are a non-issue, they function just as well as their black-dial cousins. The aesthetic is one that’s become increasingly popular in recent years as brands large and small begin experimenting with alternatives to the classic tool watch look. And while a white dial or an all-white look is typically associated with summertime wear, a staggered release schedule means that white-dialed pieces are hitting shelves every quarter. So if you like a white-dialed watch, unless you’re someone who prescribes to the old sartorial tenant banning white after Labor Day, this is your time to shine — wear them all year long! Of course, it’s more than just tool watches that look great in white — panda-dial chronographs are more popular than ever, and plenty of dressier pieces feature either white or silver-opaline dials. For the sake of this guide, we’re going to lump in silver and other white-adjacent color schemes along with white lacquer and other types of white dials. If you have the opportunity, go to your local boutique or authorized dealer and try some of these on in person — you’ll probably be surprised at just how versatile and attractive some of these pieces look on the wrist. | 