7 of the best wave dials – surprisingly not comprising only dive watches

Buffy Acacia

Sometimes owning a dive watch just isn’t enough proof that you love the ocean. Water resistance is great, but if you don’t hear the waves crashing and the gulls squawking whenever you check the time, then maybe you’re missing out on the evocative powers of wave dials. No matter how realistic or abstract they may be, representing the sea on a watch dial can deepen your bond with it, or just provide a pleasing texture. Across a pretty spacious price range, here are six of the best wave dial watches.

Islander Northport

Originally posited as an alternative to DIY watch modifying, the Islander microbrand has spent years filling out pretty much every dive watch niche you can think of and more. It’s since explored to become much more than that, with several fan favourite collections. One of those is the Northport, which is a bit of a melting pot of influences between a Seiko 62MAS, a Rolex Oyster Perpetual, and a dizzying array of colours. The dial can certainly be classifed as a wave dial, although its texture is more reminiscent of ripples in the sand, or the dappled light of the water’s surface when viewed from below. Powered by a Miyota 9015 with a 4Hz beat rate and cased in a 40.5mm diameter case that’s 47mm lug-to-lug and 12.5mm thick, it’s also a spec monster for the price. Price: US$429

Seiko Prospex SPB483

Seiko releases a hell of a lot of watches, but it’s been a long time since we’ve seen an entirely new design in the Prospex Sea catalogue. The SPB483 is Seiko’s take on the octagonal bezel trend that has been escaping the confines of Royal Oak homages over the past couple of years, and the rest of the watch extrapolates its personality from that large, blocky bezel. As a chunky, 300-metre dive watch, it’s surprisingly compact at 41.3mm in diameter and 48.2mm lug-to-lug. It uses a sapphire crystal, and of course features a gently ebbing wave dial superimposed with sunburst brushing. Some of Seiko’s Save The Ocean series may depict more accurate ocean scenes, but this is a bold take and an exciting development for the Prospex catalogue. Price: US$1,100

Christopher Ward C60 #tide

As a brand that specialises in maximising value for money with no compromises, the Christopher Ward C60 #tide gives you no reason not to want it. The slim, ceramic bezel frames a psychedelic wave dial made from translucent sapphire that’s also luminous after dark. Beneath its trippy lines, you can glimpse at the blue-tinted components of the COSC-certified Sellita SW200-1, or just cover it with your hand to be entertained by the glow. It’s a collaborative model with #tide, who collect and recycle ocean plastics into various new products, such as watch straps. In addition to all that, the 42mm case is also water-resistant to 600 metres. Price: US$1,375

TAG Heuer Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT

TAG Heuer’s Aquaracer Professional 300 collection is a king’s ransom for fans of wave dials, with both the 42mm and 36mm references offering gorgeous, glossy colours with hypnotic gradients. However, it’s rare to see a wave dial that includes a GMT complication, so that’s the model I chose to highlight. Still in the 42mm case with its dodecagonal bezel, the Aquaracer Professional 300 GMT pairs its high-contrast wave dial in green or blue with a bi-colour and bi-directional 24-hour bezel. Chronometer-certified, 300-metre water resistant, and packed with features, it’s got to be one of TAG Heuer’s most enticing dive watches in its current lineup. Price: US$4,200

Baume & Mercier Riviera 10769

Pairing a wave dial with an integrated bracelet case is a perfect combination, as the Baume & Mercier Riviera aims to embody the laid-back style of the Côte d’Azur. This 42mm version has been given a translucent sapphire dial in a deep blue ultramarine, etched with an alternating wave pattern. The flipping boomerang style is definitely more stylistic than organic, but it works in conjunction with the dodecagonal case to reinforce a sense of sharp dressiness. Beneath the dial, you can see the workings of the ValFleurier Baumatic calibre with a 4Hz beat rate and 120-hour power supply. The stainless steel case with blue PVD is contrasted by a sandblasted and black coated titanium bezel, darkening up the look nicely. Price: US$4,500

Omega Seamaster Diver 300M Summer Blue

For a time, the wave dial of the Omega Seamaster Diver 300M, as seen on the wrist of Pierce Brosnan’s 007, would have been one of the most recognisable watches in the world. When the range was revamped with a laser-engraved ceramic dial and a simplified wave pattern, the watch took a definitive leap into the contemporary. For the Summer Blue line, it’s evolved even further with a PVD dial coating, sunburst brushing, and a delightful blue gradient. Even the luminous markers have been given a baby blue colouring that almost makes it look customised, but ensures pretty much every shade of blue is represented. At US$6,300 on a rubber strap, it’s not too much more expensive than the base model for an electrifying new look. The caseback features a stunning engraving of Poseidon with his seahorse-driven chariot, which covers the METAS-certified Co-Axial Master Chronometer calibre 8800. Price: US$6,300

Breguet Marine Équation Merchante 5887

Taking the concept of a wave dial to the extremes of luxury, the Breguet Marine Équation Merchante 5887 would be impressive even without the hypnotic criss-crossing of wave peaks and troughs, hand-engraved on a rose engine. The grey-brown and rose gold colour scheme is also a refreshing change up from the association between waves and the colour blue, here evoking a turbulent sea after dusk. Additionally, you’re getting a tourbillon from the brand who invented them, and a perpetual calendar. The anchor on the hands of the pointer-date complication is another nice touch, as well as the golden sun on the hand which displays solar minutes. Price: US$215,000

Time+Tide Timeless Pick: 1995 Omega Seamaster Diver 300M 2541.80

Yes, there’s already a modern Omega Seamaster Diver 300M in this list, but it’s a far distant relative from the one which graced cinemas in 1995’s GoldenEye. This is the watch which lives in the collective consciousness as the James Bond watch, and with the original reference 2541.80 using a quartz movement, it also happens to be pretty affordable. When a watch is accessible, bears a brand name as powerful as Omega, and is a Hollywood legend, how can it not be our Timeless Pick? There are plenty out there for less than US$2,000, as well as variants in different sizes or using automatic movements.