Brown, yellow, green are some of the thousand facets of the tropical dials that can be found on watches with at least 40 years behind them. From Rolex’s 5513 submariner to Omega’s Speedmaster 321, this phenomenon has struck chronographs, divers and time-only watches of all kinds and brands over time.
If you are wondering what tropical dials are, how a tropical dial is born and if these watches are a good buy or just a ruined timepiece, this is the article for you
The definition of tropical dial
The tropical dial is a dial that has undergone a change in color or appearance due to the time and atmospheric conditions to which it was exposed, most importantly, the exposure to sunlight
A striking example of this phenomenon is this Nautilus ref. 3700/11, whose original dial has not only become copper-bronze, but is scattered with small darker spots, testifying to how the color change is not homogeneous but can affect the overall design of the dial itself.
Patek Philippe Nautilus Ref.3700/11
Where does tropical dials come from?
Very briefly, the tropical dials result from a manufacturing error. The most accredited theory states that around the 1950s manufacturers used a protective coating that, following exposure to sunlight, in conjunction with other certain factors, led to the famous brown patina that collectors love so much.
This is most likely an error that made many people in the business lose their job. Who would have thought that such a mistake could make timepieces even more sought after? Well, all us watch collectors should thank who made this mistake.
Tropical dials in the vintage market
Considering purely aesthetic evaluations, as always, “de gustibus non disputandum est”. This means that tropical dials can be liked and disliked. You may prefer brand new watches over used and “imperfect” watches or the other way around. Personally, I am only attracted to certain tropical dials that exhibit a certain “brilliance”, less so by those a little duller.
Aside from that, the world of watches, we know, is a very strange world. Here, what is used is often worth much more than what is new; what is imperfect, much more than what does not even have a defect. The same can be said of the tropical dials in vintage watches, which sometimes represent a true holy grail for every watch collector
Tropical dials in watches are generally regarded as a surplus value. In well-known brands such as Patek, Rolex and Omega are the most sought after. In the vintage market, examples such as Rolex Daytona ref. 6263, Explorer ref. 1016 or the inimitable Patek Nautilus ref. 3700, for which collectors from all over the world are willing to pay record figures. Each tropical dial is unique. Perhaps the particularity for which they are so desired is precisely this: the imperfection in each of them makes them a work of art made only by time and external conditions.
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