Behind the wheel, there are times that require intense concentration and your hands firmly at ten and two. If you’re a race car driver, you might not even want to turn your wrist to check the time. It’s this specific situation that justifies the somewhat odd-looking but very purposeful design of what’s known as a driver’s watch, and which has led to some of the funkiest watch designs ever made.
Chronographs made for motorsports timing and watches with racing themes for car enthusiasts are plentiful, but most don’t qualify as “driver’s watches” in the stricter sense. What defines this niche genre is a dial that, in some way or another, is oriented to face the wearer while his or her hands remain on the steering wheel. However, there are multiple approaches to accomplishing this:
The first is via a watch with a rotated dial orientation, so that the 12 o’clock marker is where 1:30 or 3 o’clock would normally be — resulting in a quirky asymmetric look compared to that of most watches. Taking the concept even further, however, there are driver’s watches in which, rather than being parallel to the case, the dial’s plane is actually tilted up at the 12 o’clock side for easier viewing. There are even watches with the dial situated more or less parallel to the side of the wrist.
Despite their seemingly eccentric design, these watches’ offbeat looks makes them purposeful and interesting. Driver’s watches were more common decades ago, and some were intended to be worn under the wrist (an example is the Omega Chronostop). They are rare today, but there have been reissues as part of the general trend of vintage-inspired styles, and some brands even offer a modern take on this largely forgotten concept. Take a look at some below.
CourtesySeiko x Giugiaro Speed Master
The Seiko x Giugiaro collab watches are all automotive-themed, and over the years many have used the driver’s watch concept. They’re some of the funkiest ever from Seiko (and that’s saying something), but somehow very cool, and this most recently reissued Speed Master model from 2018 is a good example.
Diameter: 39.4mm
Movement: Quartz
Price: ~$370
Manufacturer info: seikowatches.com
