Square and rectangular shaped wristwatches evoke a both a vintage and heirloom vibe. The classic linear silhouettes on these timepieces recall the splendor and romance of models worn on the wrists during on the early and mid 20th century.
In fact, one of the very first wristwatches, the Cartier Santos introduced in 1904, featured a 31mm wide square-shaped gold case on a leather strap. In 1917, Cartier followed the Santos with the Tank, an elongated, rectangular shaped timepiece modeled after Renault tanks used during World War I. Other watchmakers such as Movado and Bulova offered their own version of rectangular shaped models during the same era with the the Polyplan and Trojan timepieces respectively.
The Tank watch was so popular for Cartier at the time, that the brand registered and copyrighted the name in the early 1920’s. In the 1940’s Swiss watchmaker Baume & Mercier offered a wider rectangular shaped gold men’s watch presented on a snakeskin strap, which would later serve as the inspiration for one of the brand’s most popular collections for men and women: The Hampton.
In the early 1970’s, TAG Heuer introduced a racing inspired chronograph The Monaco, which was worn by actor Steve McQueen in the film “Le Mans,” and brought the brand to widespread popularity throughout the globe and is still being produced 46-years later today.
Square and rectangular timepieces are the focus of attention at luxury retailer TheWatchery.com this week with the site’s Think Inside The Box event, featuring popular square and rectangular style watches from many of today’ leading watchmakers, including Cartier, Bell & Ross, Maurice Lacroix, Baume & Mercier, Longines, Bulova, Nixon, Egard, Michael Kors, Omega, Oris, Rado and TW Steel.
The Cartier Tank Americaine Automatic men’s watch recalls the grandeur of the brand’s Tank wristwatches from yesteryear. The elongated, tank shaped case in brushed and polished 18K yellow gold is presented on a luxurious brown crocodile strap with attractive stitched detail and the signature Cartier buckle in 18K yellow gold. The granular detailed 18K yellow gold crown is topped with a signature blue sapphire cabochon stone.
The attractive ivory dial has blue sapphire colored hands, black Roman numeral hour markers and a date calendar window at the 6 o’clock hour. This Swiss-made watch features include precision automatic movement inside and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal above the dial. Cartier watch is 27mm wide, 9mm thick and is water-resistant to 30 meters or 100 feet.
The Baume & Mercier Hampton men’s timepiece offers a modern, updated look of the classic Hampton timepiece from the 1970’s. The handsome 27mm wide rectangular shaped case in premium-grade stainless steel features sleek angular contours in contrasting brushed and polished surfaces. The handsome black alligator strap with a convenient deployment clasp adds to the stylish good looks.
The attractive gunmetal dial with a lighter gray center shines with polished silver-tone hands and raised Arabic numeral hour markers. A window at the 3 o’clock hour reveals the automatic date calendar. Features include a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal above the dial, premium Swiss-made quartz movement inside and water-resistance to 50 meters or 165 feet.
Modern and contemporary, the Bell & Ross Aviation Automatic men’s watch is sleek, masculine and appealing with a square-shaped case in brushed stainless steel presented on a handsome black leather strap with contrasting white stitched detail. Decorative brushed steel screw accents adorn the four corners of the perfectly square bezel.
The silvery white dial features luminous silver tone hands, Black Arabic numeral and luminous baton hour markers. This Swiss-made watch features precision automatic movement inside, a sapphire crystal above the dial and a locking screw-down crown and case back for water-resistance to 100 meters or 330 feet. Bell & Ross watch is 46mm wide and 12mm thick.
Complimentary shipping and returns are included on all domestic purchases within the continental United States at TheWatchery.com.