This Demure Dress Watch Balances Rich Colors and Classical Design

Farer brings early 20th century watch design into the modern age with rich organic colors.

the case, dial and crown of a Farer watch

Published May 8, 2025

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Updated May 8, 2025

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Farer is unabashedly proud of being a British watchmaker, enjoying a deep well of historical inspiration from which to draw.

The new Lissom collection taps into two disparate Anglo heritages that go back over a century — and blends them into a remarkably contemporary dress watch.

a white dial Farer dress watch with a blue strap — The Lissom applies rich floral hues to a classical small seconds dress watch.

Starting with a small seconds dial that was the standard for both wrist and pocket watches around the turn of the 20th century, when the Brits set the standard for men’s fashion, Farer applied a color scheme that honors the prestigious history of English botany.

Following that classical dress watch design like a blueprint, Farer built the Lissom with modern materials like a polished steel case, an intricately finished dial and applied hour markers in a contemporary typeface.

a green dial Farer dress watch — Each watch has a default suede strap that matches the color scheme, which can be switched at purchase.

The five-watch collection includes a steel dial with blue detailing, a black dial with polished steel detailing, a green dial with tan seconds dial, a deep violet dial with a gray-blue seconds dial and a magenta dial with a contrasting seconds dial.

Completing the botanical feel on all five watches is a course suede strap deeply dyed in a color that matches the dial or the accents.

Deep roots

Color is the defining characteristic of the Lissom collection. Three of the five watches stand out with unique hues rarely seen on the wrist, while the other two skew formal with rich black and blue.

a purple Farer dress watch — The crown is signed with a brass icon.

The magenta dial is named after Agnes Arber, a British plant scientist who revolutionized the study of plant anatomy. It is by far the boldest of the collection and, aside from an orange second hand, is monotone with a silver case, hour and minute hands and hour markers.

Second only to the magenta in boldness is the purple dial, named after John Lindley, one of Britain’s most celebrated botanists. Purple is always overlooked in men’s formalwear — unless you’re Ralph Lauren — and this is one of the finest uses of the hue I’ve seen in a dress watch.

a purple dress watch — The Lisson collection offers bold and classic dress watch options.

Farer anchored the Lissom collection with two traditional dress watches in the black dial, named after Daniel Solander, and the silver dial, named after Isaac Balfour. Both watches apply the beautiful proportions of this design to a more approachable appearance.

a black dial with a Farer dress watch with a black suede strap — The black dial, complete with the default black suede strap, is the most formal of the collection.

Rounding out the collection is the decidedly not-dressy green dial, named after George Forrest, a renowned British explorer. The teal shade and tan sub-dial with an orange second hand offer a casual option to balance the collection.

An everyday dress watch

Comfortable case proportions, a timeless dial layout and eye-catching colors make the Lissom an excellent dress watch that can be worn daily. A “goldilocks” 38mm case is made to feel even smaller with curved lugs that hug the wrist and a slim 8mm thickness.

a Farer watch dial in the dark — The hour and minute hands are coated with lume.

These proportions are made possible by using a La Joux-Perret caliber D100 hand-wound movement. A clever optical illusion makes the case appear thinner with an engraved keyline outlining a brushed finish, contrasting the polished top.

It is worth noting that hand-wound movements are making a strong comeback as cases get narrower and thinner. Automatic movements can only get so small before becoming exceptionally expensive, and while quartz movements take up the least space, they still carry a stigma.

the back of a Farer watch — The La Joux-Perret caliber D100 hand-wound movement is visible through the case back.

With the Lissom collection, Farer offers something for everyone. If you’re looking for a more formal dress watch, the black Solander and silver Balfour are beautiful, timeless options.

a black dial Farer dress watch with a black suede strap — The black dial Solander is the most traditional of this dress watch collection.

For something bolder that will add flavor to a watch collection, the magenta Arber and purple Lindley are daringly formal timepieces. In contrast, the green Forrest lands on the other end of the spectrum with casual, sporty vibes.

All five watches offer solid value at $1,295 because they pull double duty as a formal accessory that can be utilized as a go-to everyday watch.

Availability and price

The Farer Lissom collection is now available for preorder from Farer for $1,295. Orders are estimated to ship on June 12.

Each watch defaults to a matching suede strap, but five other leather options are available at the same price, as well as a steel mesh bracelet for an additional charge.

During the preorder period, each dial is limited to 100 examples, and Farer offers the opportunity to choose the number of each marked reference at the time of purchase. For instance, if your favorite number is 10, you can select the watch numbered 10/100 for your desired color, if it is still available.

a Farer dress watch with a blue suede strap

Farer Lissom Balfour

Specs

Case Size	38mm
Movement	La Joux-Perret caliber D100 hand-wound
Water Resistance	50m

$1,295 at Farer

About the Author: Brad Lanphear is an associate editor at Gear Patrol covering watches and style. Before joining the publication, he previously wrote for Heddels and Men’s Health. Now, he’s on a never-ending quest to find the perfect pair of Japanese denim.