7 of the best sandwich dial watches to satiate your hunger for lume
Zach BlassMany of you arriving at this article will know what a sandwich dial is, especially if you just searched for the best sandwich dial watches on Google. But for those not across the terminology, no, a sandwich dial does not indicate a watch that incorporates bread and condiments into its design. A sandwich dial is a structural reference that refers to a watch with a dial and calibre effectively being the bread of an internal sandwich, with a solid disc of lume acting as the meat (or veggies) in between. By using cutouts in a dial, the full disc of lume beneath is afforded the chance to shine through, and at least more often than not, results in a brighter lume experience than your more conventional coatings and fillings. Still confused? Well… check out our picks of the best sandwich dial watches below, and hopefully, all will be illuminated.
Baltic Aquascaphe Classic Gilt Blue
A subtle partial sandwich, admittedly, it takes more than a quick glance to recognise the Baltic Aquascaphe Classic Blue Gilt has its triangular quarter indications executed in a sandwich style, each triangle acting as a window that reveals solid lume beneath. I won’t suggest that this is a textbook example of a sandwich dial, but if you just want to get have a bite rather than the whole sandwich, the Aquascaphe is not only a fantastic dive watch, but also a very price-approachable one. For those less familiar, the Aquascaphe offers a 200-metre water-resistant case that measures 39mm in diameter, 13mm thick (including the double-domed sapphire crystal), and 47mm lug-to-lug. Its blue dial is framed by a blue sapphire bezel, and it is driven by a 42-hour automatic movement and can be purchased on a strap or bracelet. Price: starting from €580 (~US$595), available now in the Time+Tide Shop
Tusenö Shellback V2
With the Tusenö Shellback V2, the sandwich dial element is much more obvious. Each hour index is cut out, and if you look at the date window at 6, you can even see the cutout made in the solid disc of lume beneath the dial subtly illuminating the date disc. The Shellback is a lume fiesta, with the bezel and railroad minutes track fully lit as well. The watch, driven by a 38-hour automatic Sellita, is cased in stainless steel, 200 metres water resistant, and measures 40mm in diameter and 12.9mm thick. Comfortable size, comfortable price, and a whole lot of lume seen on its sandwich dial and beyond. Price: US$699
Wren Diver One Snow
While it is Swiss-made, Wren was founded by American Craig Karger who also founded the watch media outlet Wrist Enthusiast. As a self-professed enthusiast, Karger sought to create a value-driven dive watch that, while not reinventing the wheel, has rock-solid specs and desirable traits that sum up to a strong offering for his viewers and beyond. The Diver One Snow, his latest limited edition, brings a wintery feel to a summery category with an attractive, smoked, blue-white, full sandwich dial. The 41mm stainless steel case is outfitted with a blue sapphire bezel that matches the dial well, and inside is an automatic Sellita that offers robust and cost-effective performance. The Diver One Snow has the added perk of including a flush-to-case FKM rubber strap and bracelet you can swap between, and is limited to 100 pieces, meaning this isn’t a watch you’ll see every day. Price: US$965
Bausele Sydney Diver Infinite Sunset Dusk Gold
As an Aussie-born watch publication, Bausele has always held a place in our hearts, and fortunately for this list and those in the market for a quality sandwich dial, the brand has its Sydney Diver collection. My personal pick would be the Infinite Sunset Dusk Gold, its burst of sun-themed yellow contrasted by the sandblasted and blackened stainless steel case. For Australians, or those who have had the good fortune to visit Australia like myself, an interesting twist is that the screw-down crown is filled with sand from Manly beach, taking a piece of one of the most beautiful places in the world with you at all times. Less romantically speaking, the 41mm watch is 12.5mm thick and 47mm lug-to-lug, and has an asymmetrical, triangular form on its crown side – akin to Benrus military watches. It’s driven by an automatic Sellita, and comes with both a rubber and leather strap with quick-release systems. Price: US$1,400
Oak & Oscar Olmsted 38
Moving back to my neck of the woods, American watch brand Oak & Oscar brings the sandwich dial format to a field watch, rather than the far more common diver. A Goldilocks 38mm size, its 100-metre water resistant stainless steel case comfortably measures 10.8mm thick and 44.8mm lug-to-lug, for a more compact and vintage-like wrist presence. There are a variety of dial colours to choose from, with a full set of cutout hour numerals revealing the disc of lume beneath. Inside, you either have a 42-hour automatic ETA 2892A2 or Sellita SW300 movement. Between the bracelet and leather strap options, I’d definitely advise splurging for the bracelet because it has seven removable links and a six-position quick-adjusting clasp the brand lists will fit wrists from 6.2 inches to 9.1 inches. Price: US$1,575 (on leather strap), US$1,775 (on bracelet)
Omega Seamaster 300 Summer Blue
A watch I will transparently declare my favourite of this list is the Omega Seamaster 300 Summer Blue. The whole Summer Blue range made a big splash on its debut in the Summer of 2023, a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Seamaster. Omega tends to have a ton of configurations per collection and model, but what distinguishes the Seamaster 300 from the Seamaster 300M is the heritage-driven design that removes the contentious helium escape valve and uses a sandwich dial construction (with a few stone dial exceptions). Its case measures 41mm in diameter, 13.9mm thick, and 48mm lug-to-lug, and exhibited inside is the in-house, Co-Axial, and METAS-certified Calibre 8912 with 60 hours of power reserve. You can save a few hundred on the standard models, but the Summer Blue is worth the jump with its tribute to the blue depths the watch was built to traverse. Or put more simply, the shade of blue is just ‘effing hot. Price: US$7,400
Panerai Luminor Quaranta PAM01371
In the same manner the proprietary crown-lock is a known signature of Panerai, sandwich dials are also a very common element of its designs. So, I knew a Panerai was a must-include on this list. The question was: which one? In my smaller-wristed bias, I have selected the 40mm Luminor Quaranta PAM01371 that shaves a few millimetres down in diameter, and in exchange offers a lower, but still enough, 100-metre depth rating. Inside you have a three-day automatic movement to offer weekend-proof enjoyment, making it the longest power reserve seen on this list. Though I personally would never wear a Panerai with a suit, it does offer a more casual-elegant vibe with its crisp white dial and compact size while still delivering on the necessary tool watch spirit and robust spec to serve as a comfortable daily. Price: US$7,800