Jamie Weiss
I know that the Venn diagram between watch lovers and car lovers is pretty close to one big circle. If you’re obsessed with your car, you’re definitely familiar with the “green tan” cult: first appears on the Piston Heads Forum, then popularized on Instagram accounts of the same name. It’s a simple idea that a green car with a tan interior is ideal. Of course, green – especially British racing green, is a colour that has also been immersed in the history of motorsports.
However, recently I noticed that there are a few watches on the market, and that this green follows the tongue color scheme. Just as sports cars look best in greener than sunburn, watches look amazing in this combination of colors. With that in mind, I rounded up some clocks that green the tan (or at least on brown and on green).
Hamilton khaki field titanium
Sir Lewis Hamilton is known for driving silver cars rather than green cars (and recently he drove red cars and moved to Ferrari with Mercedes), but watch brand Hamilton knows how to make green over the sunburn. A more affordable proposition compared to most greens in tan watches on the market, this khaki field titanium combines an incredibly lively Jade/Khaki green dial with a highly thriving tannubuck strap. Available in two sizes, the orange pop seen on the hand gives it a distinct (motor) sporty feel, just like its refined titanium case. Price: USD 1,123 (38mm) and USD 1,205 (42mm) at Time+Tide Shop
Oris Big Crown Bronze Pointer Date
Race car drivers are sometimes called “pilots” (and Avgie and Revhead are also very cut from the same fabric), so pilot watches also have automotive culture homes. With a vintage yet radically timeless aesthetic, this large crown bronze pointer date of this green Tanoris is perfectly combined with an old BMW with a gold BBS super RS rim, or even older. What’s more, its bronze case ages just as elegantly as an old, spectacular tourer. Price: 2,600 US$
Longines Spirit
Recently, Longines is well known for supporting horse racing rather than motor racing, but the Saint-Imier brand has a long history of involvement with rally and Formula 1 motorsports. Price: 2,650 US$ (40mm), 2,750 US$ (42mm)
Breitling Top Time B01 Ford Mustang
This is an obvious choice, even if I am stretching my definition of tongue a little. A watch homage to the first generation Ford Mustang – arguably one of the most iconic cars of all time – this braided ring top time combines a green brushed dial with a “Scalcol” subdial inspired by a vintage car dashboard and a rally style perforated leather strap. Although not as standard, I am sure the staff at the local Breitling boutique are happy to replace the tan rally straps at top time. Price: 7,650 US$
Anordain Model 2 Racing Green
As its name suggests, this happeningly Model 2 Racing Green features one of the famous Vitrose enamel dials of the Scottish brand in British racing greens. Anordain orders all watches (like finishing the car!), and there are several options for this model 2: 36mm or 39.5mm case diameter. The type of strap you want for it (go to the brown Sherkordovan for the proper green of tan); as well as the movement, it can also be decorated at an additional charge, either with a hand-wound Celta SW210 or an automatic La Joux-Perret G101. Price: ~2,500 USD + VAT (36mm, SW210 Movement)
Furlan Marri Disco Volante
Interestingly, “discovolante” (Italian for “flying saucer”) is a term used in both the watch and car worlds, with the former being used in the former to describe large staged or decorated bezels produced throughout the 20th century, and the latter being used under the name of several car models. It is then fitting that Fran Mari’s modern take the disco Volante spotted on this list. The “Disco Verde” colorway on the watch comes with a beige leather strap as standard (does beige also push the definition of sunburn?), but I personally replace the caramel leather strap from the “Havana Disco” colorway with this green dial model. Anyway, you’re getting a stunning, manual-wound dressy watch in a small second that clearly feels the inverted formula. Price: USD 3,400 at Time+Tide Shop
Time+Tide Timeless Pick: Singer FlyTrack Pulse Meter
This is almost fraudulent. The singer is best known among car enthusiasts as perhaps the best Porsche 911 restorer and modifier in the world (and Tancarte Green is highly Porsche-driven), but there is also a wide range of motorsport-inspired watches. And it’s probably not surprising that the singer has a green on the Tan Watch, just as the Porsche 911 is definitely the most popular car out of the Green than the Tan lovers. This FlyTrack pulse meter combines a unique combination of zero-reset flyback features with a unique handset to raise the typical time hand that supports the outer time disc. Unfortunately, this exact model with a green dial is not produced. Almost every singer’s watch is very limited and short-term – but as with exotic car makers, if you really want a green green, if the money is right, they’re sure they’ll do it for you.
