Well before the Apple Watch drew eyes to the cornered case, watch designers knew of the lure of non-round cases as far back as WWI and into the Art Deco era,when many famed designs like Cartier’s Tank and Santos and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Reverso were launched. Even round-cased king Rolex introduced a rectangular Prince model starting in 1928. American brands were especially adept at square and rectangular cases, with Hamilton, Gruen and Bulova launching many successful cornered models in the post-Deco decades. And of course the pre-TAG Swiss chronograph masters at Heuer ended the last century with the now much-admired Monaco, the first square-cased automatic chronograph.
These designs paved the way for the comeback of square and rectangular timepieces in the 21st century. While it’s true that by the numbers round cases historically sell best, many top brands maintain at least one square-cased or rectangular-cased collection. While some contemporary cornered pieces reimagine early twentieth-century designs, others feature new, high-tech case-making technology. The pieces featured below include a variety of square and rectangular styles, and we’re careful to present a range of prices. Decide for yourself if it’s hip to be square. Look for more Cornered Cases later this week.
Franck Muller Master Square Playa $12,800 (rose gold); $7,800 (steel)
This 32.7mm by 40.7mm (with lugs) rose-gold or steel-cased quartz timepiece displays hours and minutes on a diamond-polished, rhodium-plated white dial decorated with Côtes de Genève. Then brand’s well-known extended Arabic numerals match the gold hands. The case is connected with a white rubber strap.
Baume & Mercier Hampton $1,550
Inspired by a previous Baume & Mercier Art Deco design, this quartz version within the collection features a polished steel 42.3mm by 29.2mm case with a white dial, Arabic numerals and sword-shaped hands. It is worn on a light brown calfskin bracelet with ecru topstitching or a black alligator strap.
Bell & Ross BR03-94 $5,900
This 42mm square model features a matte black ceramic case and a matte black dial with SuperLuminova-filled numerals, indices and hour and minute hands. The chronograph dial display also features a tachymeter scale on the flange. Its black rubber/fabric synthetic fabric strap offers a pin buckle in black-coated PVD steel.
Carl F. Bucherer Patravi EvoTec BigDate $28,900
The automatic 38.54 mm x 39.25 mm timepiece displays a large date and small seconds on the white mother-of-pearl dial. The CFB A1003 Manufacture movement features a functioning peripheral rotor with a patented dynamic shock absorption and a new adjustment system. The strap is made from water-snake skin with an 18-karat rose gold folding clasp.
Cartier Tank MC $7,000
The newest addition to the famed Tank collection, this timepiece is powered with a Cartier manufacture automatic movement, 1904-PS MC. The blue dial displays hours and minutes with rhodium steel sword-shaped hands. It is water-resistant to 30 meters.
Parmigiani Fleurier Kalpagraphe $31,000
The mechanical Parmigiani Fleurier 334 Caliber powers this piece with its silver or black dial. The 30mm square pink gold case (also available in palladium 950 or steel) is presented on an Hermès alligator strap. Hermès calfskin or rubber are available for the steel version.
Patek Philippe Ref.5124 G 011 $27,200
Revamping the 1990s Gondolo collection, this timepiece is a new addition inspired by the Art-Deco designs originally produced for the Rio de Janiero-based company, Gondolo & Labouriau. It features a blue sunburst dial with gold applied hour markers. The 43mm by 33.4mm case houses the manually wound Caliber 25-21 REC PS that shows hours, minutes and a seconds subdial.
Piaget Emperador $23,500
This 36mm by 46mm timepiece features a silvered guilloche sunburst motif dial with 18-karat gold hour-markers and a Piaget coat-of-arms. The manufacture Piaget 524P automatic movement powers the watch. It is presented on a brown alligator strap with an Ardillon buckle.