Play Date: Seven Luxury Watches with Incredibly Fun Dials

If you think luxury watches are all about just mind-boggling complications and awe-inspiring aesthetics, think again. Watchmakers also create pieces that promise unadulterated fun! They often treat watch dials as canvases to showcase their creativity as well as indulge in a bit of playfulness. Collectors too are serious about fun elements — take emojis or images of beloved cartoon characters — on watches. That explains, among other things, why top brands such as those mentioned below come up with fun watches from time to time. GMT India looks at seven such luxury watches with undeniably fun dials. 

Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36

Last year, Rolex added a playful twist to the Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 with uplifting keywords like "Happy" and "Eternity". Instead of a date, there's an exclusive emoji at 3 o'clock. The champlevé enamel dial, inspired by a jigsaw puzzle, dazzles in vibrant colours, symbolising life’s key moments. Ten baguette-cut sapphires match the dial’s hues. Powered by calibre 3255, this watch offers a unique keyword every week and a fresh emoji daily, blending sophistication with whimsy.

Richard Mille RM 88

Richard Mille’s RM 88 Automatic Tourbillon Smiley is a vibrant tribute to Franklin Loufrani's iconic Smiley face. Featuring whimsical micro-sculptures by Olivier Kuhn—like a flower and a rainbow—this piece centres on a yellow gold Smiley motif within a sleek white ATX ceramic case. The new CRMT7 calibre powers the skeletonised automatic tourbillon, while grade 5 titanium bridges add sophistication. The crown displays the Smiley icon and the red gold caseband completes this cheerful, eye-catching timepiece.

Konstantin Chaykin The Minion

Konstantin Chaykin’s Minions watch transforms timekeeping into a charming art piece. Featuring a banana yellow dial with wide open "eyes" and goggles, it has evolved from the Joker Selfie Wristmon. This playful design includes a bright smile with white teeth, reflecting the Minions' charm. The exhibition caseback reveals a custom rotor featuring a minion portrait and the word, "Minions". A blue denim strap with contrasting yellow stitching echoes the classic jumpsuits, adding a whimsical touch to this delightful timepiece.

Ralph Lauren Martini Tuxedo Polo Bear and Martini Tartan Polo Bear

The Polo Bear has been an iconic motif in Ralph Lauren’s world, and now it graces the dials of the Martini Tartan Polo Bear and Martini Tuxedo Polo Bear watches. The Martini Tartan Polo Bear showcases a dapper bear wearing an impeccable tartan tuxedo, complete with embroidered velvet slippers, holding a martini glass. The case is crafted in stainless steel or in 18 ct rose gold. The bear is 3D-printed on the dial and visually stands out against a white lacquered background, with black Arabic numerals and shiny black hands. The 42 mm timepiece is powered by an RL200 caliber mechanical self-winding Swiss movement that is hand-finished with vertical Côtes de Genève stripes and circular graining, known as perlage. 

Gérald Genta Mickey Mouse Watch

The watch brand is eponymously named after the watchmaking legend Gérald Genta, known for his iconic designs like those of the Patek Philippe Nautilus and Audemars Piguet Royal Oak watches. The watchmaker showcased a unique timepiece at LVMH Watch Week 2024. The watch is a whimsical take on haute horlogerie, combining a playful display of time with Disney’s Mickey Mouse and an on-demand chiming time. The octagonal case honours Gérald Genta’s design masterpieces. At the heart of this timepiece is the in-house caliber GG-001, a manual wound caliber, developed by La Fabrique du Temps, combining a minute repeater, jumping hour, and retrograde minute. 

Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition 

The Oris ProPilot X Kermit Edition, launched at Watches and Wonders 2023, is a joyful titanium timepiece made in collaboration with Disney’s The Muppets. Powered by calibre 400, it features central hands and a date window at 6 o'clock. Kermit appears on the first day of every month, reminding wearers to embrace joy. The watch has a three-link titanium bracelet with satin and sandblasted finishes, in addition to an Oris-patented clasp for security. Indeed, it’s a delightful, happy-green companion for any adventure.

Reservoir X Popeye Cricket watch

The RESERVOIR X POPEYE CRICKET watch embraces the essence of competition and camaraderie that cricket stands for. The 41.5 mm stainless steel brushed case houses a dial that depicts Popeye holding a bat in a cricket stadium, while the red leather ball denotes 00 minutes. At 6 o’clock, a round jumping hour window can be spotted. The outer periphery marks the retrograde minute track. The bright white indices and Arabic numerals, set against the colourful backdrop, enhance legibility, adding a touch of contrast as well.