Black and White, with a Touch of Silver: Meet Glashütte Original’s Monochromatic SeaQ Chronograph

After a plethora of colors and shades, brought to life by a variety of traditional and cutting-edge techniques such as guilloche, degrade or PVD treatments, a new old trend seems to be emerging: black and white. These monochromatic classics are literally “evergreen” favorites. No other shade but black exudes a comparable timeless elegance and can be combined with other colors in a variety of ways. While black offers a bold and often strikingly sporty look in the world of watches, white symbolizes purity and discreetly complements any wardrobe and style.

Glashütte Original, well known for its colorful collection, has chosen these champions for the 2024 edition of the SeaQ Chronograph, including a touch of noire and cinema with a bright “Silver Screen” finish. The timepiece is officially certified as a diver’s watch according to ISO 6425 as well as DIN 8306 standards. 

Part of the Spezialist Collection, this automatic chronograph comes in a round stainless steel case with a bold diameter of 43.2 mm and a height of 16.9 mm. Water-resistant to 300 meters, it features a unidirectional rotating bezel with a scratch-resistant black ceramic inlay. To ensure optimal legibility, the galvanized dial with luminescent hands, indexes and Arabic numerals uses the same optical effect that cinema screens once achieved by applying a thin layer of silver paint: the surface reduces the dispersion of light to a minimum, allowing greater contrast than a pure white background.

The readability and differentiation of the functions are further enhanced by the 30-minute counter and the small seconds sub-dial, which are grooved and finished with a “vinyl” impression in the manufacture’s workshops. Their slender galvanized black frames also feature this refined circular groove pattern. The black-and-white theme continues at 6 o’clock with the brand’s signature Panorama Date, which features white numerals on a black background.

The SeaQ Chronograph is powered by the in-house caliber 37-23 with flyback function and a power reserve of up to 70 hours. Thanks to its silicon balance spring, it is highly resistant to magnetic fields and temperature changes. While the technical performance is state-of-the-art, the decoration is in keeping with the time-honored decorations and finishes of the German watchmaking cities: Glashütte stripes on the three-quarter plate, beveled and polished edges, polished and blued screws that can be admired through the exhibition case back. The SeaQ Chronograph is available with a black rubber strap, orange textile strap or bracelet, with prices starting at $14,400.

Live pictures by Rüdiger Bucher.

To learn more, visit Glashütte Original, here.