Neon Revolution: Three Brands That Are Taking Color to the Next Level

Outside of highly artistic enameled pieces or haute jewelry timekeepers, the palette of watch design has been largely neutral. In recent years, this has started to shift, and while blue remains a resoundingly popular hue, watchmakers have opened their eyes to a whole rainbow of colors. Sure, from early on, you can see brands like Swatch that never shied away from a splash of color. However, this approach was (for the most part) reserved for more entry-level and, dare I say, less serious Maisons.

Below a certain price point, perhaps it feels easier to take risks on bold or even trendy color schemes. However, in the world of luxury watchmaking, brands play it safe because they are often striving for timelessness (after all, “you never actually own a Patek Philippe,” right?). The more liberal use of color in watchmaking isn’t just about design and aesthetics. It’s a symbol of a new approach to watchmaking, one that’s more playful, experimental, and daring – one that pushes the limitations of classical watchmaking and is helping to redefine what makes a luxury watch.

At this Geneva Watch Days, we saw three brands in particular that are pushing the needle on bucking tradition with neon designs.

When it comes to the use of color, I’m not sure if it’s more audacious to go full rainbow or go all in on one shade for a more monochromatic design. With Speake Marin’s latest design, the Openworked Tourbillon Purple Hour, the Maison has taken the latter approach with a focus on a single-color story in one of the boldest hues in the spectrum.
 

What I love about this design is the dichotomy. The foundation takes root in traditional watchmaking with a highly detailed openworked construction layered with depth and texture, thanks to a combination of classic finishing techniques. This layout is all held in the Maison’s signature “Picadilly” case –rendered in lightweight titanium – as a nod to Speake Marin’s British origins.

In contrast to these classic design elements, we get a commanding use of color with neon purple spanning across the dial and strap. Here, the dial features a two-layer plate with a satin finish and a positive purple PVD coating that has been meticulously shaped to accommodate the primary mechanical components.
 

The bright, shiny dial has a glossy effect on the beveled and angled edges and a micro-beaded finish on the carved pockets, all of which beautifully play with the light. Moreover, the bright purple hue emphasizes the original rhodium-plated bridges with polished, beveled edges, evoking a futuristic architectural aesthetic.

Sometimes accent colors can be just as striking as a full dose of color, particularly when contrasted against a black backdrop. Enter one of Geneva Watch Days’ most exciting collaborations: the 47mm Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter 'Mission Control.'
 

Among brands that aren’t afraid of a little (or a lot) of color, Oris is no surprise. Since the Maison’s founding back in 1904, part of its vision has been to create watches that make people smile, and in my humble opinion, there’s no quicker way to get people grinning than with fun colors.

Oris first introduced the Altimeter to its collection back in 2014, marking the first “Swiss Made” mechanical timepieces to include the mechanical function. More significantly, thanks to this one-of-a-kind complication, the watch can relay altitude readings up to 19,700 feet.
 

Here, the choice of color isn’t just aesthetic (although it’s pretty mesmerizing) – it serves a practical purpose, enhancing the legibility of the dial in both daylight and lowlight conditions.

Taking on the rainbow, we have MB&F’s next installment to its M.A.D.Editions line, this time in collaboration with Yinka Ilori, a British-Nigerian multidisciplinary artist with a self-proclaimed obsession with color (and it shows).
 

For Ilori, the use of color isn’t just about the visual appearance; it’s about the feeling behind it, one that elicits joy. Through every artistic medium, he strives to uplift, and what better way to do that than with an object you wear on your wrist every day.

This spirit is perfectly aligned with MB&F, specifically its more accessible line of M.A.D.Editions, aimed to spread the Maison’s one-of-a-kind and inherently joyful approach to watchmaking with more people. So, together, the duo developed not one, not two, but three different colorways for the M.A.D.1S “Grow Your Dreams,” each inspired by the elements: sun, nature, and water.
 

With this trio of 42mm timepieces, color extends to every aspect via the titanium rotor, rendered in either vivid neon yellow, green, or blue. Next, the color play traces over the bezel for the first time in the M.A.D.Editions line. Here, instead of relying on conventional PVD coatings, a precision-machined groove is filled with HyCeram. This high-tech liquid ceramic hardens through heat and is then finished with hand-polishing.
 

To complete the rainbow of colors, the aluminum baseplate features stamped textural waves that ripple under the movement with a 3D effect. Each model is topped off with a colored rubber strap.

The Speake Marin Openworked Tourbillon Purple Hour is produced in a limited production run in two sizes (38mm and 42mm) priced at CHF 69,400 and CHF 69,900, respectively.

In addition, the 47mm Oris x Bamford ProPilot Altimeter 'Mission Control' is a limited edition of just 250 individually numbered pieces, priced at CHF 6,700.

Last but not least, the 42mm MB&F M.A.D.Editions x Yinka Ilori – M.A.D.1S “Grow Your Dreams” trio is produced in just 400 pieces each, available only through MB&F’s exclusive raffle program.