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When Switzerland, Japan, and Germany seem to dominate the watchmaking conversation, it leaves an opportunity for someone else to sneak in. That’s exactly what happened in 2021, when Shenzhen-based CIGA design became the first Chinese brand to win the Geneva Grand Prix with its remarkable Blue Planet, featuring a literal map of the world on the dial and displaying the time in one of the most unique ways we’d ever seen. Still breathtaking today, the Blue Planet has continued to evolve, such as with this 2nd-gen model that features the Atlantic Ocean
Even before you question how exactly you tell the time on the Blue Planet II Atlantic, you’re struck by the vast dial. Designed to mimic the contours of the landmarks surrounding the ocean, the dial showcases the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent continents with precise ratios. A symbol of the Age of Discovery, you can almost imagine those seafaring vessels traversing treacherous waves to venture into the unknown just so they can share culture and ideas. Taking over 68 hours to complete, the four-step dial process begins with CNC engraving, then gets a corrosion-resistant layer of blue ink employed to stabilize the rest of the steps. Granular details are added with a second CNC engraving, so you can literally pinpoint distinct landmarks of each region, from the Rocky Mountains in the Americas to the sun-soaked Mediterranean. Finally, UV oil is sprayed on the surface to deliver the texture you see here.
This time around, the curvature of the planet itself increased by 36%, while the domed sapphire increased by 25% compared to the previous Blue Planet. And to enhance legibility, the numerals have also been enlarged. At night, the hour, minutes, and compass hand glow a beautiful green thanks to the luminescent coat.
In terms of actually telling the time, the Blue Planet II is a unicorn as well. Powered by a CIGA-developed CD-04-E automatic movement, the time is given to you via a single reference point in the form of a map compass. Under the heavily domed sapphire crystal, it rotates around a stationary hour track on the outer ring, while the inner minute track rotates clockwise to match up.
Framing the beautiful dial is the 46mm lugless case, available in 316L stainless steel or recycled titanium, with a wide 17.05mm thickness — although that height also includes the domed sapphire. Giving you 30m of water resistance, the watch also comes on a blue fluorobubber strap.
Priced at $1,199, the Blue Planet II Atlantic is available now from CIGA design’s website.
