Missed out on the latest Nautilus? Here are ten of the best Tiffany blue dial alternatives

Zach Blass

The watch world, myself included, has labelled green the colour of the year. I mean, it has been absolutely everywhere and many brands have capitalised on the trend. But we all may have been sleeping on another contender. This week’s unveiling of the Patek Philippe Nautilus Tiffany Blue (5711/1A-018) has once again shined a spotlight on the highly desired tone and, when you dig into it, it is definitely not the first to the party. So if,  just in case, like 99.999% of the population you missed out on the latest Nautilus, we decided to put together a list of ten of the best Tiffany blue dial alternatives in rough order of price. OK, they’re not all necessarily 1:1 the exact shade, but they’re definitely close enough to scratch the itch.

Waldan Heritage Professional Sky Blue

If you are an American like me, then one brand you definitely should dig into is Waldan watches. Waldan utilises “Ameriquartz” movements, made in the USA, to power their highly attractive and affordable Heritage Professional wristwatches that are great for any new collectors on a budget – or even seasoned collectors looking for a bit of fun. They recently introduced fun pastel tones into the Heritage Professional lineup, one of which, the Sky Blue, certainly ticks the Tiffany’s box in our eyes. I know quartz is not always the most compelling to some – I get it – but it does have the quirk of being made in America and the case construction with its teardrop-style lugs really punches above its $299.99 USD pricing.

Islander Hi-Beat Automatic Dress Watch with Robin’s Egg Blue Dial

Another budget-friendly and Tiffany adjacent option is the Islander Hi-Beat Automatic in robin’s egg blue. Hi-Beat is a bit misleading, considering the Miyota 9015 movement inside beats at 28,800 vph but, if you can move past the misnaming, at $349 USD the watch can deliver Tiffany vibes at cost with some attractive specs. The 100 metre water-resistant watch, 38mm x 11mm x 44.5mm, has a combination of Datejust and Oyster Perpetual vibes. The blue dial is, perhaps, a bit darker than a true Tiffany’s blue, but for the price it is a wallet-friendly means of exploring the colour.

Halios Seaforth Pastel Blue

Halios has been a fan favourite amongst watch enthusiasts, ticking many of the boxes that collectors look for in a watch, but at a sub $1,000 USD price point. The Seaforth collection has utilised their Pastel Blue tone for many years now. The latest release in the series, The Seaforth III, has a pastel blue dial with black bordered indices, that of all the watches on this list, bear the closest resemblance to the colour pallet of the 5711/1A-018 that was just announced. While the above Seaforth III has since departed Halios’ website, there is an upcoming Seaforth Series IV on the way, which will include a Pastel Blue variant. The Seaforth Series IV will feature a 41mm stainless-steel case with a rotating bezel, or 40mm stainless-steel case with fixed bezel, 12.4mm thickness, compact 46.5mm lug-to-lug measurement, 200 metres of water-resistance, and a no-date caliber SW 200-1 from Sellita. The watch should be available for pre-order in January for $690 USD – a lot of bang for your buck, with a Tiffany blue bonus.

Doxa SUB 600T (or any Aquamarine Doxa really…)

When it comes to the Tiffany blue colour tone, Doxa has been there, done that. Many of their references leverage their Aquamarine dial shade, but the latest to the party is the new Doxa SUB 600T. The colour is a bit more electric then a true Tiffany blue, but nonetheless remains very appealing to the eye. I’d go more in-depth on the watch and collection, but you’d be best served checking out our in-depth coverage here.

Kurono Seiji

The launch of the Kurono Seiji was a bit contentious, presented originally as a watch exclusively for female customers. But with its incredibly attractive Tiffany’s adjacent celadon lacquer blue dial, male collectors could not resist digitally rioting to get in on the party. The slender 37mm watch leverages the familiar classic Kurono three-handed design layout, with exquisite central hands and concentric metallic rings framed within a railroad minutes track. At a cost of of approximately $1,800 or so USD, it was a superb opportunity for 500 lucky buyers to join in on the trend. I consider myself fortunate I was one of the them.

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Turquoise

The stella dial inspired Rolex Oyster Perpetual watches created a frenzy upon their introduction, following the suit of many Rolex references and selling well over their retail pricing. One in particular, the turquoise lacquer dial, has been exceedingly popular, trading for over three times its RRP in some instances. It is a bit ironic when you consider the Oyster Perpetual is Rolex’s entry-level collection, meant to be a gateway into the brand. But this blast of colour really struck a chord with buyers, recognising a rarely shown sense of playfulness from the Crown. The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Turquoise can be found in a variety of sizes – 31mm, 36mm, and 41mm – and both the 36mm and 41mm variants utilise the in-house caliber 3230 with an efficient Chronergy escapement that extends the total power reserve to 70 hours.

Grand Seiko SBGA407 “Skyflake”

The Grand Seiko SBGA211 is considered to be the modern flagship reference of the brand, the gateway watch for many into the manufacture. Since the Snowflake, other evolutions of the dial design have been introduced into their catalogue – one of which is the SBGA407. Known as the “Skyflake”, the SBGA407 utilizes a sky blue dial that incorporates the same “snowflake” texture as the SBGA211. With its 100 metre water-resistant Zaratsu polished stainless steel case, diamond cut indices and hands, and incredibly accurate Spring Drive caliber, the SBGA407 ranks among one of the best Tiffany-adjacent dials on the market today.

Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture “Year of the Fiftieth”

One brand that has continually delivered value and complication at a much more approachable price point is Frederique Constant. In a world where integrated stainless-steel sports watches reign supreme, Frederique Constant managed to make their mark in the category without veering too closely to homage. It has the value-adds of quick-release straps, both an H-link stainless-steel bracelet and rubber strap that integrate neatly into the case, as well as an in-house caliber of Frederique Constant’s design. Recently, at Dubai Watch Week 2021, Frederique Constant launched the Frederique Constant Highlife Perpetual Calendar Manufacture “Year of the Fiftieth” in honour of the 50th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates. The previous models were in stainless steel, but this 50 piece limited edition has been executed in titanium with a near Tiffany blue textured dial with contrasting grey registers. The pricing was not disclosed for the limited edition, but references that have preceded it were in the neighbourhood of just below $10,000 USD – uncommon for such a high-complication.

Girard Perregaux Laureato Sky Blue Arabic Dial Limited Edition

We, and many others, have always classified the Laureato as a viable alternative to the Nautilus and Royal Oak. To be fair, the Laureato was actually born one year before the Nautilus, and the collection today explores many materials and dial colours the aforementioned duo never have. One breathtaking new variant we encountered at Dubai Watch Week was the Sky Blue Arabic Dial Limited Edition of 8 pieces. I wish I could say it was an attainable alternative to the Tiffany Blue Nautilus, but this is one you’ll have to wait and see if it pops up on Chrono24 or other vendors.

Grönefeld 1941 Principia Automatic Light Blue Dial

Likely the most high horology you can get in this shade, at least when reservations resume for the brand, is the Grönefeld 1941 Principia Automatic Light Blue Dial. Available in a variety of case metals, stainless steel, red gold, and white gold, the 39.5mm x 10.5mm watch leverages a solid sterling silver 925 dial rendered in light blue. While a bit tone on tone, the flamed blue hands are both exquisite and legible. The externals of the watch are definitely stunning. But the real eye candy, beyond the light blue dial, is, of course, their in-house movement decorated to the highest standard by hand – with frosted, bevelled, and circularly grained surfaces along with a solid gold winding rotor that exhibits top-tier anglage that will make you absolutely drool.