6 of the best chocolate dial watches under US$10,000

Zach Blass

When it comes to dial colours, I can confidently assume everyone is comfortable with white, black, silver, grey, or blue. They are super versatile colours you can wear with anything – novice-friendly. Green has recently become a fan-favourite, but depending on the hue, it does not have the same hassle-free universal nature in terms of pairing a watch with a wardrobe – perhaps intermediate. As stupid as it may sound to some, chocolate dials, or brown dials rather, are a bit advanced. Whereas a blue dial can go with black shoes and belt, brown shoes and belt, or any shoes and belt for that matter, with a brown dial, you, at least to a fashionista’s standard, need to be wearing earthy tones all over for a brown dial watch to look right at home. From a design perspective, taking a person and their wardrobe out of the equation, it is not easy to design an attractive brown dial watch. Arguably, the best brown dials occur naturally over time and are found on vintage watches that have since achieved the perfect tropical patina. That being said, when a brown dial watch is done right, it can be smokin’. Here are six of my favourite brown dial watches under US$10,000.

Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical H69439901

If you are looking for a more affordable brown dial watch, the ”60s-inspired Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical H69439901 might be just right faux you. That is because Hamilton has done a solid job bringing the right amount of faux-tina to its brown dial variant, creating an aged look for the luminous indices and hands along with a faux-faded dial that creates a tropical effect. Aesthetic aside, the Khaki Field Mechanical has the advantage of a friendly-sized 38mm case with a hand-wound 80-hour calibre. And all for just… Price: US$595

Longines Conquest Automatic 41 L38304626

If the militaristic matte case and dial of the Hamilton Khaki Field Mechanical does not have enough flair and elegance for you, the Longines Conquest Automatic 41 L38304626, with its rich brown sunburst dial and mixed finished case and bracelet, delivers the “robust elegance” goods. Its 41mm stainless steel case, 10.9mm thick and 49.1mm lug-to-lug, offers 100 metres of screw-down crown-secured water-resistance and inside, you have a 72-hour automatic movement with a silicon balance spring. Considering this is a watch that comes from a big-name brand and the spec that it offers, it is fair to say there is a ton of value at play here with a price of just US$2,075. Price: US$2,075

Nomos Club Sport Neomatik 39 Tabac

Pivoting away from the Swiss, the Germans know how to design a smokin’ brown dial as well. The dial hue of this Nomos Club Sport Neomatik 39 is inspired by brown tobacco, thus the Tabac colour name. Blending brown and Bauhaus, Nomos offers its signature aesthetic in a distinct shade. The only disclaimer I have here is that its 200-metre water-resistant stainless steel case measures 39.5mm in diameter but a rather broad 49.5mm lug-to-lug.

That being said, if the span across the wrist does not bother you, it does have the dimensionally redeeming element of a super slender case that is just 8.4mm thick. Furthermore, you have an in-house 43-hour automatic DUW 3001 calibre that is finely decorated and exhibited (should you opt for the slightly pricier exhibition caseback). Price: starting at US$3,090

Tudor Black Bay 58 Bronze Boutique Edition

If you want a gold look without paying gold dollar, the Tudor Black Bay 58 Bronze Boutique Edition is an excellent option to consider. I had a love-hate relationship with both Black Bay 58 watches I once owned, the original and the blue dial. I loved the watch, but I hated how I could never find the perfect fit without half-links or micro-adjustment. Then the Black Bay 58 Bronze entered the equation, ushering in the era of T-fit micro-adjustment that has since been slowly rolled out in the novelties that have since followed. Distinct to its bronze Black Bays, the BB58 Bronze offers an Explorer Submariner look with its applied 3′, 6′, and 9′ numerals. You also have a burgundy-brown timing bezel that colour-matches the subtle gradient brown dial that has a bit of a tropical patina feel.

The 39mm case is compact and slim, and the 200-metre water-resistant watch has an automatic chronometer-certified movement with 70 hours of power reserve. If you are okay with the case and bracelet aging or willing to routinely clean the watch, then this is arguably the strongest brown dial watch you can buy below US$5,000. Price: US$4,875

Grand Seiko SBGW293

We’ve tackled Swiss, we’ve tackled German. Now, I turn to the Japanese. Grand Seiko is renowned for its coloured and textured dials. But, the SBGW293 opts for a more classic finish, pairing its brown shade with a more conventional rich sunburst finish. What really made the SBGW293 stand out was the fact it was one of the first two regular production models of Grand Seiko’s then-new 36.5mm 44GS case.

Now, I am on the record stating that I do not necessarily love the fact it has a manually-wound movement rather than an automatic. I also do not love the handset they use in this smaller size, a handset that does not have the razor-sharp look like the ones seen on larger models. I do, however, love the vintage-inspired 36.5mm diameter that nets a compact 42.7mm lug-to-lug span. I love that despite its smaller size, it is still a 100-metre water-resistant case. And the level of zaratsu distortion-free mirror-polishing seen on this 44GS case is absolutely incredible. I cannot say for sure how much it would cost, but if you decide to look into this watch, I would also inquire how much extra it would be to get the compatible case-matching bracelet. Price: US$5,200

Cartier Santos de Cartier WSSA0065

In typical Cartier fashion, the designers absolutely nailed the brown dial seen on the Cartier Santos de Cartier. The above render does zero justice to it. In hand, it is so dynamic – the quadrants of the sunburst dial darkening and brightening to an almost amber-like hue as you move the watch on your wrist. While some find the Santos de Cartier’s polished bezel to be a bit of a scratch magnet, it is undeniably situated within the “robust-elegance” category due to its 100-metre depth rating that allows you to swim safely with the watch. Then, on the flip side, aesthetically, it is so versatile because you can wear the watch on its bundled interchangeable bracelet or dial-matching leather strap. Even the links are ingeniously and securely finger-removable. You can size the bracelet anytime, anywhere, without any tools. Price: US$7,050