If you’ve ever had the chance to handle an IDF-issued Tudor Submariner, you might notice small traces of black paint still faintly visible on the stainless steel. As the story goes, the navy had its watches painted black before they were affixed to the wrists of Shayetet 13 commandos in order to diminish their visibility on combat operations. This process of “blacking out” the watch — case, bracelet, everything — is a simple way to minimize reflections that can give away one’s position in the field.
This was back during the 1960s. In the early 1970s, a technology called “PVD” — “physical vapor deposition” — hit the scene, which vaporizes a thin layer of black (or other) material and physically bonds it with the base material. At Porsche Design in Germany, Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche employed this tech to produce his Chronograph 1 with Orfina — the first commercially available “blacked-out” watch on the market.
Others quickly followed: Heuer with its all-black version of the Monaco racing chronograph, later termed the “Dark Lord” by collectors, in 1975. Audemars Piguet with its all-black Royal Oak Offshore chronograph for Arnold Schwarzeneger’s film End of Days in 1999. As the decades wore on, the tech improved: “DLC,” or “diamond-like carbon,” makes for a much more robust finish by employing an amorphous carbon coating to other materials; titanium can likewise be coated.
These days, high-end manufactures often skip the idea of a coating altogether and simply fashion a watch out of black ceramic or similar materials — likewise, inexpensive black watches can be formed from plastic. In fact, we’re sort of living in the golden era of black watches. No longer merely a military necessity, they’re available at virtually any size, at any price point, and in a variety of materials. If you’re looking for a cool, left-field timekeeper to accompany you day-to-day, you needn’t look far!
Terms:
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD): A process by which a thin coating of one material is bonded to a base material within a vacuum. Often used in the watch industry to create a black coating on stainless steel (or other) watches.
Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC): A carbon material, often applied in a coating to a base material, that displays diamond-like properties. Often used in the watch industry to create a black coating on stainless steel (or other) watches.
Plastic: A synthetic (or semi-synthetic) material formed from polymers — substances with large molecules. They can be made from fossil fuel-based chemicals or, increasingly, from renewable materials.
Ceramic: A material formed by shaping and firing a non-metallic material. (In watches, zirconium oxide powder is often used.) The resultant color depends upon the formula of the base material.
Titanium: A chemical element, atomic number 22 and symbol “Ti,” that has been used in watchmaking since 1970. Can be coated via DLC to produce a black titanium watch.
Ceratanium: A material patented by IWC that combines the lightness of titanium with the scratch resistance and robustness of ceramic. Used by the brand in numerous all-black watches.
11 All-Black Watches
SWATCH Masa
Based upon the very first SWATCH from 1983, the Masa is a great way to get into all-black watches on the cheap. Formed from a bio-renewable plastic made from castor plant seeds, it features a 34mm case with an integrated black strap, a quartz movement, and a black dial with stylized, white Arabic indices.
- Diameter: 34mm
- Movement: Quartz
- Water Resistance: 30m
- Price: $75
Timex Q Timex Reissue 38MM
With its 12-hour bezel, brightly illuminated dial, integrated bracelet, and convenient battery hatch, this all-black take on the beloved Q Timex is the most fun you can have in watches for under $200. And at 38mm, it’s the perfect size for both men and women — so maybe snag a pair of ‘em?
- Diameter: 38mm
- Movement: Quartz
- Water Resistance: 50m
- Price: $189
34MM Black General Purpose Mechanical (GPM)
Looking for the real deal in military timepieces? Grab this automatic field watch from Marathon, a historic military supplier based in Canada. While its case is black fibershell, it features a modern sapphire crystal, a black single-pass strap, and tritium tube illumination — so you’re getting the best in practical features at an eminently reasonable price point.
- Diameter: 34mm
- Movement: Seiko NH35 automatic
- Water Resistance: 30m
- Price: $420
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Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto
With its highly legible 24-hour dial and two-piece rubber strap, the Hamilton Khaki Field Titanium Auto is a field watch through and through — but the use of matte-black titanium combined with a black dial and band update the aesthetic for the 21st century. Meanwhile, a reliable, Swiss-made automatic movement provides 80 hours of power reserve.
- Diameter: 42mm
- Movement: Hamilton H-10 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Price: $1,095
Longines Legend Diver
In this instance, Longines took a modern vintage reissue — based upon a midcentury, “Super Compressor” dive watch — and updated with an all-black PVD treatment. The results are striking not only for their looks, but for the value inherent in the finished package: For under $3K you get a serious dive watch that could easily do double-duty as an everyday watch.
- Diameter: 42mm
- Movement: Longines L888 automatic
- Water Resistance: 300m
- Price: $2,825
Tudor Black Bay Ceramic
If you’re after a blacked-out version of the Submariner, you’ll either have to go custom — or spring for one of these. Tudor’s Black Bay Ceramic takes a most excellent, modern take on the Rolex-Tudor dive watch and offers a ceramic case, a hybrid leather-rubber strap, a highly visible dial in the classic Tudor mold, and an in-house, Master Chronometer movement.
- Diameter: 41mm
- Movement: Tudor Calibre MT5602-1U automatic
- Water Resistance: 200m
- Price: $5,150
Zenith Chronomaster Revival Shadow
One of the downright coolest black watches on the market, this special take on Zenith’s El Primero A386 uses a matte titanium case and ditches the seconds track and date window. Based upon a little-known prototype from the 1970s, it’s highly comfortable thanks to its light weight and black Cordura-effect rubber strap. (Plus, it’s the perfect size.)
- Diameter: 37mm
- Movement: Zenith El Primero automatic
- Water Resistance: 50m
- Price: $9,000
Porsche Design Chronograph 1
Who would we be if we didn’t include the blacked-out watch that started it all? This modern take on the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 is a numbered edition with a black titanium carbide coating, a chronometer-certified movement, and a triple-register chronograph with day-date function. Strap this thing on and you’ll automatically have the coolest watch in the room.
- Diameter: 40.8mm
- Movement: Porsche Design Caliber WERK 01.140 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100
- Price: $9,650
Panerai Submersible Carbotech
Though all Panerai watches are based on vintage, military-issued divers, the Submersible line is where the brand parks its deep-diving competitors with the likes of the Seamaster, Submariner, etc. This version, made in the company’s black Carbotech — a composite material based on carbon fiber — features 300m of water resistance.
- Diameter: 41mm
- Movement: Panerai P.900 automatic
- Water Resistance: 300m
- Price: $17,600
IWC Pilot’s Watch Performance Chronograph 41 Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team
Unnecessarily long name notwithstanding, this high-tech take on IWC’s famed pilot’s chronograph combines many of the brand’s best traits in one stellar product: You get a black Ceratanium case and bracelet; an in-house, automatic IWC movement; a three-register chronograph layout with day-date display; and a cool new tachymeter bezel.
- Diameter: 41mm
- Movement: IWC Calibre 69385 automatic
- Water Resistance: 100m
- Price: $19,900
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Self-Winding Chronograph
In the spirit of Karl Lagerfeld’s predilection for early, blacked-out Royal Oaks, please consider this most excellent, black ceramic R.O. chronograph. With its pink gold accents and classic Grand Tapisserie dial, it might not be the first choice for a tactical watch — but AP might just have the commando chic market cornered!
- Diameter: 41mm
- Movement: Audemars Piguet Calibre 4401 automatic
- Water Resistance: 50m
- Price: $75,900
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