Not every event is black tie and demands a golden dress watch to match. Instead, there’s a growing trend for subtler watches with a stealthy aesthetic in full black. In fact, the under-the-radar stealth wealth aesthetic is so popular now that most sports and tool watch brands have dabbled in blacked out designs. From the peak of luxury to some of the most accessible watches on the market, there are lots of sleek and stealthy black watches you should know about in 2023.
Here is our list of the best all black stealth watches of 2023. Click the links below to search by price.
Pricing Range
Under £1,000
Casio G-Shock Octagon Series GA-2100-1A1ER
It’s not just high end luxury watchmakers who lean into the sleek all black aesthetic – Casio’s G-Shock GA-2100-1A1ER is blacked out as well. It’s part of their retro Octagon series that dates back to 1983 and which has earned nickname “Casioak” due to its aesthetic resemblance to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. It features an ana-digi display with central hours and minutes, an analogue days subdial at 9 o’clock and a digital screen at 4 o’clock that can show multiple functions including a second time zone, multiple alarms and more.
Case/dial: 48.5mm diameter carbon core guard case with black dial
Water resistance: 200m (20 bar)
Movement: Quartz movement
Strap: Black resin
Price: £99
RZE Valour Obsidian Black
RZE are a Singaporean brand who specialise in accessible titanium tool watches and the Valour Obsidian Black is perhaps the ultimate expression of what they do. A well sized 38mm field watch with a round design in DLC coated titanium. It’s nice and legible too with a black dial and white Arabic numerals coated with lume. On top of that, it’s very accessible at sub-£300.
Case/dial: 38mm diameter titanium case with black DLC coating and black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: SII NH38A automatic movement with 41h power reserve
Strap: Black NATO fabric
Price: $299 (approx. £233)
Boldr Safari Vogelkop Superb
Boldr’s Safari Vogelkop Superb is inspired by the bird of paradise of the same name. That’s why it’s completely black with two eye-like dots that are a reference to the bird’s plumage. In order to achieve the rich depth of the black colour, Boldr have used Superkuro Musou paint, a colour that absorbs 99.4% of light that touches it. The only darker colour is Vantablack, which is far more expensive and difficult to use.
Case/dial: 40mm diameter stainless steel case with PVD coating and Superkuro Musuo black dial
Water resistance: 200m (20 bar)
Movement: SII NH38A automatic movement with 41h power reserve
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with PVD coating
Price: Pre-order for £358, delivery from September 2023
Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide
There are over a dozen variants of the Maurice Lacroix Aikon #tide and the vast majority of them are hyper colourful, which is what makes the full black edition stand out even more. As part of their collaboration with the #tide group, the watch’s case is made from recycled plastic reclaimed from the world’s oceans, meaning the watch is aiding in global sustainability initiatives. In keeping with the aquatic theme, the piece features a wave pattern dial called “vagues du Jura” or Jura Waves.
Case/dial: 40mm diameter ocean-bound upcycled plastic case with black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Quartz movement
Strap: Black rubber
Price: €750 (approx. £640)
Certina DS Action Diver Darkness of the Ocean
The Certina DS Action Diver Darkness of the Ocean edition is a new colourway launched this summer. It takes the 43mm DS Action Diver and repaints it black thanks to a PVD coating on its stainless steel case. It’s a really handsome watch with a classic diver’s display of oversize circle and triangle hour markers coated with plenty of lume. However, as the diving scale on the bezel has been made black on black, getting any use out of it underwater might prove difficult.
Case/dial: 43mm diameter stainless steel case with PVD coating and black dial
Water resistance: ISO 6425
Movement: Powermatic 80 automatic movement with 80h power reserve
Strap: Black synthetic with diver extension
Price: £835
Seiko Prospex ‘Black Series Night’ Turtle
The Seiko Prospex Turtle Night Series features a blacked out design for practical reasons rather than style. In the underwater realm having a high contrast display is vital to being able to read your watch accurately and the full black case and dial provides a solid backdrop against which to see the lumed indexes. The Night model has ‘lumibrite pro’ markers that are the same colour in light or dark conditions so that it’s familiar to the wearer in all conditions.
Case/dial: 41mm diameter stainless steel case with hard coating and black dial
Water resistance: 200m (20 bar)
Movement: Seiko 6R35 automatic movement with 70h power reserve
Strap: Black silicone
Price: £890, limited to 4,500 pieces
Herbelin Cap Camerat Black DLC
Herbelin’s Cap Camerat is a sporty wristwatch inspired by the integrated styles of famous watches from the 1970s. It has a thick bezel with decorative screws and a dial featuring a stamped horizontal pattern. Unsurprisingly, it’s all black with the case being finished with a DLC coating. DLC stands for diamond-like-carbon and is an incredibly tough, scratch resistant material that not only looks great but also enhances the robust qualities of the watch.
Case/dial: 40.5mm diameter stainless steel case with black DLC coating, black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with 38h power reserve
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with black DLC coating
Price: €999 (approx. £850)
£1,000 – £5,000
Hamilton Navy Frogman
The Hamilton Khaki Navy Frogman Auto is a solid dive watch on a pure value for money basis. It’s a 46mm steel dive watch with 300m water resistance housing the H-10 automatic calibre with 80-hour power reserve for just £1,230. This edition has a black PVD coating, black dial and black markings. Although, on a technical level it’s not fully blacked out as it has an orange outline on its minute and seconds hands, but it’s so minimal that we let it slide.
Case/dial: 46mm diameter stainless steel case with black PVD coating and black dial
Water resistance: 300m (30 bar)
Movement: Hamilton H-10 automatic movement with 80h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber
Price: CHF 1,270 (approx £1,100)
Oceaneva Deep Marine Explorer III
When it comes to punching above your weight, Oceaneva are champions. The Deep Marine Explorer III has a 3,000m water resistance rating, which is frankly astonishing for a watch priced at just over £1,000. What makes this edition even more special is its black mother-of-pearl dial that fits within the scope of a full black design while having a faint effervescence. The piece is powered by the Sellita SW200-1 with 38-hour power reserve.
Case/dial: 42mm diameter stainless steel case with black IP plating and black dial
Water resistance: 3,000m (300 bar)
Movement: Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement with 38h power reserve
Strap: Stainless steel bracelet with black IP plating
Price: $1,299 (approx. £1,130)
Zodiac Super Sea Wolf LHD Pro-Diver GMT
The Zodiac Super Sea Wolf LHD Pro-Diver GMT has a 42mm case in stainless steel with a black DLC coating. What makes it stand out from the majority of Sea Wolves is the fact that the crown has been mirrored to the 9 o’clock position instead of the traditional 3 o’clock, which is what makes it a LHD or left-hand model. It’s designed to be worn on the righthand wrist and operated with the left. The display itself is black with a small orange GMT hand displaying a second time zone.
Case/dial: 42mm diameter stainless steel case with black DLC coating and black dial
Water resistance: 300m (30 bar)
Movement: Soprod C-125 automatic movement with 42h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber
Price: £2,299, limited edition of 282 pieces
Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer
The Raymond Weil Freelancer GMT Worldtimer is again pushing it when it comes to blacked out design but with its DLC coated case and black gradient dial, I think it fits. The display features an inner 12-hour time scale, a 24-hour GMT scale and a peripheral cities scale, enabling you to keep track of multiple time zones across the world with a single glance. Its size makes it ideal for travelling the globe as well at a diameter of 40.5mm.
Case/dial: 41mm diameter stainless steel case with black coating and black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Raymond Weil RW3230 automatic movement with 50h power reserve
Strap: Black leather
Price: £2,495
Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Diver
Technically the Rado Captain Cook High Tech Ceramic Diver isn’t a fully blacked out piece due to its silver coloured crown and bezel ring. But in the grand scheme of things silver is essentially shiny grey and grey fits within the monochromatic scheme of a black watch. The watch itself has a 43mm case in matte black ceramic with 300m water resistance. Below the black dial is housed the Rado R763 automatic movement, a calibre that exceeds standard accuracy tests in multiple positions and that has an 80-hour power reserve.
Case/dial: 43mm diameter matte black high-tech ceramic case with black dial
Water resistance: 300m (30 bar)
Movement: Rado R763 automatic movement with 80h power reserve
Strap: Matte black rubber
Price: £3,100
Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Phantom
The BR 03-92 from Bell & Ross is inspired by the instrument panels found in aircraft and so naturally there has to be a stealth bomber version. Sure enough, that’s the niche filled by the BR 03-92 Phantom with its fully blacked out design with matte black ceramic case, matching black dial, black hands and black rubber strap. Housed inside is the BR-CAL. 302 automatic movement, base Sellita SW300-1 a with 38-hour power reserve.
Case/dial: 42mm diameter matte black ceramic case with black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Bell & Ross BR-CAL.302 automatic movement with 42h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber and additional heavy duty black synthetic canvas
Price: £3,600
Tudor Black Bay Ceramic
When the Tudor Black Bay Ceramic first debuted it was the movement inside that made headlines rather than the fact it has a gorgeous blacked out design. That’s because it was Tudor’s first ever master chronometer certified watch with the calibre MT5602-1U. Style-wise, it is lovely though with a 41mm matte black ceramic case and matching dial. Interestingly the caseback is actually made from steel although that’s black too thanks to a PVD coating.
Case/dial: 41mm diameter black ceramic case with black dial
Water resistance: 200m (20 bar)
Movement: Tudor MT6506-1U automatic movement with 70h power reserve
Strap: Black hybrid leather and rubber and additional black fabric strap
Price: £4,210
£5,000 – £20,000
Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent 01
An unconventional blacked out watch is the Girard-Perregaux Casquette 2.0 Saint Laurent, which has a vertically mounted digital display with the case pulling away from it horizontally in a tapered rectangle. It’s a reference to the 1970s original model with its retro-futuristic design. This edition was made in collaboration with Saint Laurent, aesthetically it’s pretty much identical to the Casquette 2.0 except for the fact it’s dual branded on the bottom and is being sold exclusively through Saint Laurent stores in Paris and Los Angeles.
Case/dial: 42.40mm diameter x 33.60mm titanium case with DLC coating
Water resistance: 50m (5 bar)
Movement: GP3980-1474 quartz movement
Strap: Black ceramic and rubber
Price: £5,105, limited to 100 pieces, available exclusively through Saint Laurent stores in Paris and Los Angeles.
Hermés H08
Hermés create some of the most unusual and stylish watches around and the H08 is one of the best. Its 39.5mm case feels totally modern with a unique shape that’s somewhere between cushion and tonneau. It gives the piece an industrial, sporty appearance that works really well alongside the signature Hermés typography. Of course, the model here is the blacked out edition with full black colourway.
Case/dial: 39.5mm diameter graphene composite and ceramic case with black-gold treated dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Hermés H1837 automatic movement with 40h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber
Price: £7,220
Carl F. Bucherer Heritage BiCompax Annual Black
At the start of the year, Carl F. Bucherer kicked off celebrations of their 135th anniversary in strong fashion by launching a capsule collection consisting of blacked out versions of their best hits. One of the most popular pieces they launched was the Heritage BiCompax Annual Black, an annual calendar chronograph with a sleek black design. It measures 41mm in diameter and uses the CFB Calibre 1972.
Case/dial: 41mm diameter stainless steel case with DLC coating and deep black matte dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: CFB 1972 automatic movement with 42h power reserve
Strap: Black hybrid rubber with ‘Cloud de Paris’ texture
Price: £7,400
Cartier Santos de Cartier
The original Cartier Santos is arguably the world’s first pilot’s watch and so over the years its descendants have remained on the more robust and dare I say sporty end of the Cartier spectrum. This edition has a steel case with a black coating that works well alongside the black dial and black alligator strap. It’s almost as if there’s a reason it’s included in this article about blacked out watches. It’s a cool variant on the classic design.
Case/dial: 47.5mm x 39.8mm diameter stainless steel case with DLC coating and black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Cartier 1847 MC automatic movement with 40h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber with additional black alligator strap
Price: £7,950
Bulgari Octo Roma World Timer
Looking at the case of the Bulgari Octo Roma World Timer it’s signature Octo Roma through and through. 41mm of stainless steel in an octagonal shape with a round bezel and black DLC coating. The stealthier and more robust appearance suits the worldtime complication as it feels well suited to jet-setting across the world and surviving the trials of travel. It looks incredibly smart and houses the Calibre BVL257.
Case/dial: 41mm diameter stainless steel case with black DLC coating and matte black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Bulgari BVL257 automatic movement with 42h power reserve
Strap: Black textured rubber
Price: £8,400
Tag Heuer Monaco Luminous Turquoise
Off rip, you might think that the amount of colour on the Tag Heuer Monaco Luminous Turquoise precludes it from being described as a blacked out watch. However, the turquoise portions of the display are actually lume and following the precedent we set with other watches in this article, lume isn’t part of the colour consideration. What actually matters is the black DLC titanium case and black skeletonised display – coincidentally it’s the first ever skeleton Monaco.
Case/dial: 42mm diameter stainless steel case with DLC coating, white dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Tag Heuer 02 automatic movement with 80h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber & leather
Price: £9,800
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon “Black Black”
Ok, yes, the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon “Black Black” might have one of the least imaginative names in all of horology, but that doesn’t stop it from being a seriously cool watch. A bicompax chronograph with a completely black display from the tachymeter to the date disc. It takes the concept of a blacked out watch to the most extreme degree. Beneath the stealth surface of the ceramic case is housed the Calibre 9300 with 60-hour power reserve.
Case/dial: 44.25mm diameter black ceramic case with black dial
Water resistance: 50m (5 bar)
Movement: Omega 9300 automatic movement with 60h power reserve
Strap: Nylon fabric
Price: £12,100
IWC Topgun Double Chronograph
IWC have numerous all black watches that could justifiably earn a spot in this article. We’ve chosen the IWC Topgun Double Chronograph because it goes the extra mile by featuring grey numerals and markings as opposed to the traditional white. It’s also one of their most high end chronographs featuring the titular double chronograph function, although the more common name for this style of chrono is split-seconds chronograph or rattrapante.
Case/dial: 44mm diameter black Ceratanium® case with black dial
Water resistance: 60m (6 bar)
Movement: IWC 79420 automatic movement with 44h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber
Price: £12,800
Zenith Defy Skyline
The Zenith Defy Skyline is one of the most exciting watches the brand has launched in the last few years, it’s a wonderful tribute to sporty, integrated bracelet design from the 1970s. There are a number of colourways available now but one of the coolest is the blacked out ceramic edition with a full black case and dial. With the star pattern still visible on the dial, it’s reminiscent of the soft night sky. It’s powered by the El Primero 3620 automatic with 60-hour power reserve.
Case/dial: 41mm diameter black ceramic case with black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: El Primero 3620 automatic movement with 60h power reserve
Strap: Black ceramic bracelet
Price: £13,300
Girard-Perregaux Laureato Black Ceramic
While the most recent Girard-Perregaux Laureato, the Aston Martin Edition, could be described “greened out” this article is focussing on blacked out watches. Which is why the 42mm Black Ceramic model is the one being featured. It has all the signature elements of the collection including the 8-sided bezel and intricately textured dial rendered in stylish black. There is a flash of colour via the white hands and indexes, assisting with legibility.
Case/dial: 42mm diameter ceramic case with black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: GP01800 automatic movement with 54h power reserve
Strap: Black ceramic bracelet
Price: £17,300
Over £20,000
Roger Dubuis Excalibur Spider Huracán Black DLC
Roger Dubuis are known for their extravagant approach to modern horology with the Excalibur range and their collaborations with Lamborghini have done nothing to dampen that spirit. The Spider Huracán Black DLC is a skeletonised behemoth at 45mm in blacked out titanium. It has all the menace and fierce qualities of a Lambo hyper car and it has an engine to match, the RD630 automatic calibre with 60-hour power reserve.
Case/dial: 45mm diameter titanium case with black DLC coating and skeletonised dial
Water resistance: 50m (5 bar)
Movement: RD630 automatic movement with 60h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber
Price: £44,800
Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph
With their penchant for full ceramic cases there are plenty of blacked out Audemars Piguet Royal Oaks that could qualify for this list. This is the Offshore Chronograph, which has a black ceramic case measuring 42mm in diameter with a matching octagonal bezel, Tapisserie dial and black chronograph subdials. It’s powered by the Calibre 4404 with a 70-hour power reserve and featuring hour, minute, small seconds, central chronograph seconds, 30-minute timer, 12-hour timer and date window.
Case/dial: 42mm diameter black ceramic case with black dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: AP 4404 automatic movement with 70h power reserve
Strap: Black ceramic bracelet
Price: £72,500
Richard Mille RM037
Richard Mille are known for their high end luxury watches with urban, street aesthetics so it’s no surprise that they often use stealthy, all black colourways. The RM037 embodies the subtlety that comes with a full black design as it has a comparatively understated design in contrast to many RMs. It has a carbon TPT case in the classic tonneau shape with a partially skeletonised dial that features an oversize date complication.
Case/dial: 52.63 x 34.40mm diameter carbon TPT case with skeletonised dial
Water resistance: 100m (10 bar)
Movement: Richard Mille CRMA1 automatic movement with 50h power reserve
Strap: Variety of different straps
Price: Price on request
Urwerk UR-Satellite UR100V C52 Black
The Urwerk UR100 has been around for several years this point and Urwerk continue to revisit the design with fresh colourways. However, I think few have come close to beating the class of the UR100 Black. It manages to be understated while at the same time looking like a hyper modern spaceship, not an easy feat to pull off. It features a satellite hours display with retrograde minutes as well indicators for calculating the movement of the Earth.
Case/dial: 41mm x 49.7mm diameter CTP Carbon case with skeletonised dial
Water resistance: 30m (3 bar)
Movement: UR 12.01 automatic movement with 48h power reserve
Strap: Black rubber
Price: Price on request, limited to 25 pieces
