Alfred would approve: 5 of the best Batman bezel watches

James Robinson

Few other bezel designs in recent memory have conjured more furore and admiration in the horological community than the so-called Batman bezel. Yes, the black and blue aesthetic has had everyone in a tizzy for years now, likely since Rolex unveiled their GMT-Master II Ref. 116710BLNR in 2013. Since then, the two colours have featured on the bezels of numerous watches from other manufacturers, keen to celebrate the oh-so-vogue colours and, let’s be honest, punch their ticket on the hype train. However, while motivations for creating such timepieces might trigger the odd cynical reaction, there are now many watches out there that rock the Bruce Wayne bravado just as well as the original Batman. On that note, here are five of the best black and blue timepieces on the market right now.

Timex M79 Automatic

OK, yes, this is a controversial one, mainly because despite being released just days ago, the new Timex M79 Automatic has already sold out and you can find the watches on eBay commanding a hefty premium … damn flippers! Anyway, ignoring the cheeky speculators, the new M79 Automatic is a good-looking watch, and if you can manage to get your hands on one for retail (roughly $420 AUD) it’s great value for money.

TAG Heuer Formula 1 Calibre 7 Twin-Time

The TAG Heuer Formula 1 collection is a very popular range of watches and is the first “nice watch” for many people, including some of my closest friends. As a result, it makes sense for TAG to create a version of their most popular entry-level timepiece with an equally popular bezel. This Formula 1 is democratising an aesthetic and engaging a whole new generation of watch enthusiasts at the same time.

Seiko Prospex SRPC25K1

A favourite among our fraternity, the Seiko Prospex “Turtle” is another Road to Damascus timepiece – a watch that has captured the imagination of many a burgeoning enthusiast. As such, and much like the aforementioned TAG Heuer Formula 1, it makes a great deal of sense for the Japanese manufacturer to make a watch that employs the vogue black and blue aesthetic. The fact that, regardless of bezel colour, the Seiko Turtle is a great everyday watch is also a bit of a boon.

Carl F. Bucherer PATRAVI ScubaTec

Carl F. Bucherer’s Batman bezel equipped PATRAVI ScubaTec is quite a compelling proposition if you’re after a fit-for-purpose dive watch with the iconic colourway. Thanks to its chronometer certification, water resistance to 500m and a sizeable 44.6mm case, this is an impressive amphibious timepiece, especially if you like the black and blue look.

Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710BLNR

You didn’t think we’d make this list without including the Batgirl, did you? No, of course we had to include the very quintessence of the black and blue bezel equipped wristwatch. Unveiled at Baselworld 2019, the new Rolex GMT-Master II Ref. 126710BLNR picked up where the last one left off. However, unlike the previous Ref. 116710BLNR, this reference scores the Swiss watchmaker’s latest Calibre 3285 movement and what is possibly the most iconic bracelet ever designed for a wristwatch – the Jubilee. This combination of factors makes the watch incredibly sought-after, and nigh on impossible to purchase as a result, creating one of the hottest watches on sale today.