{"id":1890,"date":"2018-05-03T10:08:48","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T10:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/TheWatchClub\/?p=1890"},"modified":"2025-08-01T15:28:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T15:28:12","slug":"panda-mania-a-quick-guide-to-panda-dials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swisswatchexpo.com\/thewatchclub\/2018\/05\/03\/panda-mania-a-quick-guide-to-panda-dials\/","title":{"rendered":"Panda Dial Watches Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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First released in the 1960\u2019s, the Panda dial<\/a> is one of the most sought-after dial designs ever. The chronograph design, whose white dial and black sub-dials recall the face of a panda, is anything but meek \u2013 in fact, few watches turn heads quite like it.<\/p>\n

While it has always been popular among the watch community, it has become the subject of public curiosity in the wake of the record-breaking $17.5M\u00a0sale of Paul Newman\u2019s \u2018Paul Newman\u2019 Rolex Daytona<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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What makes the Panda so desirable? For the curious, here\u2019s a quick guide to the iconic design:<\/div>\n
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What is a Panda Dial<\/a>?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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A Panda dial<\/a> is a watch with a white dial and black sub-registers. The original Pandas have the registers arranged in a 3-6-9 position on the dial, creating what looks like two Panda eyes staring at you, with a nose or a mouth.<\/p>\n

It became popular in the 60\u2019s and 70\u2019s, when chronographs grew in demand. The high-contrast style was meant to give the dial easier readability, with the sub-dials and index hour markers arranged neatly, and with\u00a0standout colors.
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The Allure of the Panda Dial<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Beyond its hypnotic, aesthetic appeal, the Panda is sought-after because it\u2019s an uncommon design feature, most commonly found in chronographs from the 1960\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Because of this, some of the watches that have the panda dial<\/a> are now considered iconic and are worth a premium. Let\u2019s take a look at some of them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref 6239<\/em><\/strong>
\nNo Panda dial<\/a> list would be complete without the iconic Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. The very first Rolex Cosmograph to be named a\u00a0Daytona\u00a0<\/em>was ref 6239. There were Daytona models released before it, but it marked the first time Rolex used inverse colors for sub-dials, as previous Rolex chronograph dials were monochromatic.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref 6241<\/em><\/strong>
\nThis is THE Paul Newman \u2013 the watch owned by the famous actor-racer that elevated \u2018exotic dials\u2019 to a category worth collecting. Look out for the\u00a0sub-dial\u00a0hash marks with a small square on their end and\u00a0the distinctive red lettering that matches the outer track.
\nThe design wasn\u2019t a commercial success when it was first released, thus making it a rarity.<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Heuer Autavia<\/em><\/strong>
\nWhile the Heuer Carrera<\/a> is their more popular racing-inspired watch, the company\u2019s first motoring chronograph is the Autavia. Named after their\u00a0main markets (Aut<\/em>omotive-Avia<\/em>tion), it was launched in 1962, a year ahead of the Daytona. The first and most classic of the Autavias had a simple black dial with oversized white sub-dials, lume hour markers, 12 and 6 numerals, and dauphine hands.
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Other Variations of the Panda Dial<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
The Panda dial<\/a> has evolved in its half-century existence, with different permutations in color and dial positioning.<\/div>\n
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