Regardless of whether you tend to gravitate towards tool or dress watches, it’s quite likely your watch of choice will be circular and almost certain it will be symmetrical. It’s only natural given watches are used to measure the passing of time in equal increments (just think back to all those primary school maths lessons visually depicting fractions in the form of pies or pizzas). Plus, wristwatches are derived from pocket watches, which were exclusively created in round shapes to work around the circular movement within.
Related: A Guide To The Different Watch Case Shapes
However, watches are equally as much a form of adornment—though ardent watch bros will vehemently deny it—as they are a practical tool. Cartier was one of the first to delve into the world of asymmetry, with the Tank Asymétrique, a driver’s watch that saw Louis Cartier’s rectilinear Tank tilted 30° clockwise to allow the dial to be read while steering a vehicle. Post-war, during the 1960s and ‘70s, jewellers and watchmakers alike leaned into the unconventional, experimenting with shapes and forms. Most notably, the (then) American watch manufacturer Hamilton.
Today, most timepiece experimentation happens under the hood or on the dial, however there remains a small subset of watches tapping into the niche appreciation for the unconventional. From classic asymmetry to downright weird, these are the best watches with unusual case shapes.
1. Cartier Crash
Let’s start with one of the most iconic asymmetrical watches. Cartier’s ability to straddle the boundary between jewellery and watchmaking has seen the maison come up with some of the most striking cases. The Cartier Crash was designed by Jean-Jacque Cartier in 1967 and, according to the brand, was inspired by a Baignoire Allongée that had been half-melted in a blazing automobile accident (hence the rather on the nose sobriquet). The Cartier Crash is one of the maison’s most coveted models, sported by the likes of Timothée Chalamet; Tyler, the Creator; and Jay-Z, and regularly going under the hammer for well upwards of six figures.
2. Panerai Luminor
Technically, any watch with a crown has an asymmetrical case. However, the Panerai Luminor (or any Panerai, for that matter) takes it to the next level, with its signature oversized crown guard essentially changing the shape architecture and giving it an asymmetrical appearance. With most Panerai Luminor timepieces sized at upwards of 44mm, it’s a decidedly dominant presence on the wrist.
3. Exaequo Softwatch
Despite the Cartier Crash’s alleged car crash story, many believe the timepiece to be inspired by Salvador Dalì’s work, however this has never been confirmed. The Exaequo Softwatch is verified to draw its design codes from Dalì, with the brand’s founder Philippe Muller looking to the Spanish artist’s The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory (a follow up to The Persistence of Memory) which appears to feature something akin to a softwatch within it. Far from the most accurate timepiece, the Exaequo Softwatch is defined by its asymmetrical ‘melted’ case design with the distorted proportions extending to the Roman numerals, which are larger at the ends of the vertical case and smaller towards the middle at 3 and 9 o’clock. The Exaequo Softwatch is no longer in production (the brand was sued for using the Dalì signature on the dial of later released without permission and subsequently shut down in 1998) and has become something of a collectible (in no small part thanks to its resemblance to the Cartier Crash); with resale prices far exceeding its modest three figure pricing during the 1990s.
4. Cartier Cloche
Last Cartier, we promise. The Cartier Cloche is worth a mention, as unlike the Tank Asymétrique and Crash mentioned earlier, it’s actually possible to buy. The Cartier Cloche debuted in 1921 and was based on a brooch. The bell-shaped design sees the dial turned 90° with 12 o’clock at the top of the ‘bell’. The underside is completely flat which, so should its wearer so desire, allows it to be removed from its leather strap and placed on a bedside table or desk as a substitute for a clock. Despite its asymmetric shape on the wrist, its unusual orientation bestows it with a sense of symmetry.
5. Hamilton Ventura
The Hamilton Ventura came about with the advent of the electric age, with the timepiece the first commercially produced watch to house an electric calibre (not to be confused with a quartz movement); an invention brought about to compete with the mass of inexpensive imported Swiss watches entering the American market. Designed by American industrial designer Richard Arbib, it was released in 1957 and featured the V-line design present across much of his portfolio. The retro futuristic design has been sported by Will Smith in Men in Black and Elvis Presley in Blue Hawaii, solidifying its place in pop culture. While Hamilton’s electric calibre was short lived (it was laden with issues with the manufacturer ceasing its production in 1969), the Ventura lives on in quartz and automatic form.
6. Vianney Halter Antiqua
This is your watch on drugs. Proving round watches aren’t just for squares, the Vianney Halter Antiqua was presented in 1998 and is evocative of a future that never was. Designed to resemble a time machine from a Jules Verne novel and paying homage to marine chronometers of the past while using a classic horological complication, the Antiqua plays with rounded forms, splitting a perpetual calendar into four riveted portholes. The portholes display the hours and minutes, month and leap year, day of the week, and date in order of decreasing diameter. A singular take on an asymmetrical watch.
7. Berneron Mirage
Asymmetry in the watch world is largely a thing of the past, with the case-curious having to seek out vintage watches to get their avant-garde fix. However, Sylvain Berneron, chief product officer at Breitling, is changing that with his eponymous watch brand. The Berneron Mirage features an asymmetrical pebble shaped case that follows the lines of its similarly shaped hand-wound movement, with the calibre CH233 designed specifically for this timepiece; featuring a large barrel and slimline proportions, it’s crafted entirely out of 18k gold, making it a decidedly luxurious timepiece all round. The distorted effect continues onto the dial, with the hands, hour indicides, and small seconds subdial warped in a curvilinear fashion.
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8. Rolex King Midas
The King Midas is an anomaly in the Rolex lineup, marking a vast departure from any of the timepieces produced before it. Over half a century on from its release, it’s safe to say it’s not a direction the Swiss manufacture pursued. The work of legendary watch designer Gerald Genta, the asymmetrical King Midas was released in 1964 in a limited run (just 790 examples were made) and marketed as the heaviest, most expensive Rolex ever released — crafted exclusively in precious metal, it was made in white and yellow gold. The case measures 27mm long, with its pentagonal shape referencing the Parthenon in Greece and the grooves of the bracelet evoking the columns in ancient Greek architecture. Its unique saw tooth crown is designed to evoke the sun rising over the monument.
Enjoyed this article? Check out our Ultimate Guide To Watches here; covering everything from the types of watch movements to watch styles and complications.
Words by Henry Blake