Round-UpKnow Them Like The Back Of Your Hand: The Most Popular Watch Hands…Explained

The hands of a timepiece have the most important job—they point to the time. And yet, aesthetically speaking, they are oft-ignored or overlooked by most. However, not by horological connoisseurs, and with good reason! Every single detail in a fine piece of watchmaking is by design, and the watch hands are no exception. Along with the cases, the dials and the straps, the hands of a watch are an integral part of the design as well. Luxury watches, thus, come with intricately-designed hands that go well with the visual language of the timepiece. Even if we barely notice the specifics in the designs, they all contribute to the overall visual impact a watch has. It’s hard to list all the styles of hands that have ever been used by ingenious watchmakers across the world, especially because it’s the finest of details that separate one type from another. Here we look at some of the most popular ones, which should be easily identifiable the next time you’re looking at the face of a watch.

Alpha

Alpha hands have a wide base and become narrow towards the end. This gives the watch a clean and somewhat edgy look thanks to the sharp lines. If you’re looking for a clean design that’s minimalist and dapper, a timepiece with alpha hands is the perfect choice for you. A great example of alpha hands is what you will find on the dials of many Parmigiani Fleurier watches.

Arrow

As can be evinced from their name, these are hands that have arrowhead pointers on their tips. These type of hands can generally be spotted on sports or diving watches since their bold design makes them incredibly legible and difficult to miss, even when you simply glance at your watch.

The hands of the Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean feature arrowhead pointers with luminescence, ensuring that the watch is incredibly legible even in low-light conditions

Baton

Long, uniform and a perfectionist’s dream, as their name suggests, baton hands are shaped like batons. They can be narrow or slightly thicker, depending on the design of the watch. Thinner baton hands are also known as stick hands. Watches with a minimalist design code often use baton hands, as they amplify the simplicity in a way that other watch hands cannot. Dress watches also carry off baton hands with aplomb. Many fashion brands tend to use baton hands, as their watches’ designs are often simple.

Nomos launched the Autobahn Neomatik 41 Date at Baselworld 2018. The series is available in three dial colours—white silver-plated, sports grey and midnight blue

₹4,37,000

Check Our Selling Price

The watches are inspired by race tracks and automotive analogue dash counters, as is indicated by the curved rehaut in the centre of the watch

₹4,37,000

Check Our Selling Price

The arc symbolises a speedometer and is covered in lume, and so is the distinctive baton hour hand

₹4,37,000

Check Our Selling Price

01

Breguet

Named after the famed watchmaker Abraham-Louis Breguet, who was the first to design and make use of them, Breguet hands are extremely distinctive. They feature a hollowed-out hoop near the tip. Presented most commonly in timepieces crafted by the eponymous Swiss brand, these hands are eccentric and eye-catching but classy and sophisticated at the same time. They lend any timepiece a classical look that’s hard to beat. These hands are also referred to as ‘pomme’ hands, which means ‘apple’ in French, named so since the hoop resembles the shape of the fruit.

Designed by Abraham-Louis Breguet, Breguet hands feature a hollowed-out hoop near the tip and lend a classical appeal to any timepiece. Seen here is the Chronoswiss Sirius Chronograph Moonphase, which features Breguet hands

Cathedral

Though their history is quite murky, cathedral hands seem to be inspired by stained glass windows that one can see in many churches and historic buildings. They also lend a vintage appeal to timepieces. The hour hand here is wider and has an interesting segmented design, while the minute hand is simpler. Many Zenith timepieces, especially the Pilot series, feature these hands.

The silver-brushed dial of the Zenith Pilot Type 20 Extra Special Silver features cathedral hands. The design of these intricate hands was originally inspired by stained glass windows of churches—hence the name

Dauphine

Another popular style, dauphine hands appear like alpha hands—seeming like an elongated triangle—but have a faceted appearance. They were designed during the 1940s and still remain incredibly popular. The bevelling of the hands, making for a distinctive raised edge running down the middle of the hands, makes them incredibly recognisable. There are various theories for the genesis of their name—one being that ‘Dauphin’ was the title given to the eldest son of the king of France. We’re not sure what that has to do with watchmaking though. However, the word also means ‘dolphin’ in French—the hands start off wide and are tapered towards the end, almost like the silhouette of a dolphin. These hands give any watch a sophisticated and modern look.

Some of the most commonly used watch hands, dauphine hands are similar to alpha hands, but have a faceted appearance. Seen here is the Corum Admiral Legend 38 with dauphine hands

₹4,22,000

Check Our Selling Price

The shape of the hands is reminiscent of the streamlined silhouette of a dolphin. Here, one can see the Carl F. Bucherer Manero Peripheral with distinctive dauphine hands

₹18,09,864

Check Our Selling Price

Leaf

Slender and elegant, leaf-shaped hands, which are also called ‘feuille’ (French for ‘leaf’), are truly the epitome of grace and sophistication. These hands can most commonly be seen on classical or dress watches, and in women’s timepieces, lending them an air of delicacy that other heftier hands would not be able to achieve. Narrow at both ends and wide in the middle, these hands are definitely reminiscent of the shapes of narrow leaves and are instantly identifiable. The H. Moser & Cie. brand carries a number of elegant timepieces that feature leaf-shaped hands.

Leaf-shaped hands add an air of delicacy to any timepiece. Here is the H. Moser & Cie. Venturer Concept Vantablack, whose Vantablack dial puts the focus entirely on the feuille hands

₹28,00,000

Check Our Selling Price

The IWC Portofino Chronograph is also designed with leaf-shaped hands, which is an interesting addition to the sporty appeal of the chronograph feature

₹14,68,000

Check Our Selling Price

Pencil

Also called index hands, pencil hands are narrow and straight and feature a pencil-like point at the end.

Snowflake

Another distinctive watch hand, the snowflake hand can be found on Tudor’s diving watches. They were introduced to make them stand apart from the Submariner, which features the Mercedes hand. According to watch lore, these hands were developed at the request of the French navy, which wanted the diving watches its divers wore to be more legible underwater. The hour hand here has a rhombus, or diamond-like, shape at the end. Lollipop hands are similar, except that the shape at the end is a simple circle, reminiscent of…you guessed it…a lollipop. You will find these hands on diving watches as well.

Tudor watches feature the distinctive snowflake hand, which has a diamond shape at the end of the hour hand. Seen here is the Tudor Black Bay Bronze, whose snowflake hands come into sharp relief against the handsome grey dial

Spade

As is obvious from their name, the shape of spade hands is evocative of the symbol on playing cards from the spade suit. These hands give the timepiece an elegant and classical look.

Sword

Shaped like swords, the sword hand, or ‘glaive’ in French, is another commonly found watch hand. Sharp and modern, sword hands are featured on the dials of many dive watches. Bold and distinct, they can also be skeletonised, for a more elegant appeal. Several brands, including Cartier and Ulysse Nardin, covet the sword hand.

The Jaeger-LeCoultre Grande Reverso Lady Ultra Thin features sword hands, proving that sword hands needn’t be used only in chunky, masculine watches

₹20,10,000

Check Our Selling Price

Carl F. Bucherer Patravi Chronodate Annual has skeletonised sword hands that take the elegance of this dress watch to the next level

₹25,40,160

Check Our Selling Price