What type of watch hand is this?

Although a watch's hands are crucial for telling the time, they're a component most people don't really consider when buying a watch. Yet, the hands also play a significant role in the watch's appearance. Moreover, there's often a long history behind the type of hand! In this article, we'll delve deeper into the wonderful world of watch hands. 

There are different types of watch hands, each with its own characteristics. Traditional hands, such as Breguet or Dauphine hands, are often used for classic watches. Modern hands, such as the baton or arrow hand, are more commonly used in casual or sports watches. And sometimes, the hands are characteristic of a brand's identity, as with the Mercedes and snowflake hands. Some hands are very common, while others are rarer.

The Most Common Watch Hand Shapes 

Baton or Stick Hands 

Baton or stick hands are the most common watch hands. They are simple, no-nonsense, straight hands that are usually the same width along their entire length. The baton hand comes in two shapes: with a flat, straight end or a rounded end. This simple design allows the rest of the watch face to shine, so it's no wonder these hands are often used on minimalist and modern watches.

Pencil Hands 

The pencil hand is related to the baton hand, but has a pointed end. Because of their shape, these hands are also called index or picket fence hands.

Dauphine Hands 

Dauphine hands have been used in watches since the 1930s. They are elegant, tapered, pointed hands that add depth and focus to the dial. It is a popular and frequently used hand shape for luxury or classic watches. 
The name Dauphine is derived from the French word "dauphin," the title used for the king's eldest son. It also means "dolphin," the animal featured in the coat of arms of the French Crown Prince. 
Dauphine hands come in a variety of finishes: flat, with curved edges, or with a center facet, allowing for the use of different brushing or polishing effects for added contrast.

Sword hands 

Sword hands are very similar to Dauphine hands, except that the hand appears to be on a stem, like the hilt of a sword. This type of hand is often used on stylish, classic watches, such as the iconic Cartier Tank.

Arrow hands 

Arrow hands are, as the name suggests, shaped like an arrow. This type of hand is particularly common on diving watches and other "tool watches." These watches usually have just one arrow-shaped hand combined with another hand shape.

Breguet hands 

Breguet hands are named after their 18th-century designer, Abraham-Louis Breguet, founder of the eponymous watch house and inventor of numerous movements, including the tourbillon. This type of hand is characterized by an elegant feather shape with a small apple or hollow moon at the end. Breguet hands are typically used on elegant, classic watches and vintage design pocket watches.

Cathedral Hands 

Cathedral hands have a fairly classic shape, somewhat reminiscent of the chess game bishop piece. However, they are most commonly used on sports watches like the Seiko Alpinist and military watches like the Hamilton Khaki. These hands owe their name to their shape and the stained-glass-like decorative pattern on the hand itself.

Skeleton Hands 

Skeleton hands are hands that have cut outs, so that the dial is visible through the transparent sections. This type of hand is often, but not exclusively used on skeleton watches to add another ‘transparent’ layer to the design.

Syringe Hands 

The name "syringe hand" comes from the hand's shape, which resembles a syringe. It has a rectangular section with a needle-shaped tip. This type of hand is wide enough to be easily readable (especially when it is luminous), while its thin tip allows for accurate timereading. That is why, the syringe hand is often used on military and aviator watches.

Leaf-shaped hands 

The leaf-shaped hand has an elongated oval shape that ends in a thin point. This type of hand is often used for classic dress watch dials. The "leaf" hand is also called a "feuille" hand, after the French word for "leaf". This style of hand is sometimes also used for smaller hands, for example, on chronograph subdials, to contrast with another set of main hands.

Special Types of Hands 

Besides these common types of hands, there are also hand shapes primarily used by specific brands. For example, the Mercedes hand, primarily used by Rolex. The shape is somewhat similar to the cathedral hand, but the round part is a true circle and always divided into three parts, like the logo of the famous German car manufacturer. 

Snowflake hands, on the other hand, are typical of Tudor watches. This hand shape was first used on the second-generation Submariners in 1968, complementing the large, rectangular lumen on the dial.

And then there are hand shapes that are rarely used anymore, such as Fleur de Lys hands, named after the royal French flower, or the Louis XV hands that are sometimes used on pocket watches.

And finally, we'd like to mention the Spade hand. A thin, delicate hand with a spade (like on a playing card) shape at the tip.

Watch hand production: a lot of work for such a small part! 

Watch hands are made from various materials, such as stainless steel or gold. Most hands are stamped from a very thin, long strip of metal. The hand is then polished and coated before being mounted on the watch. It takes about thirty different stepsto produce a single watch hand! 

Making hands luminous 

To be able to read the time in the dark, the hour indices on the dial and the hands, lumen are often applied. This is a luminous material that charges in (sun)light. Seiko's SuperLuminova is a well-known example. 

In the early 1920s, hands were made luminous by coating them with radium. Mostly female factory workers painted the hands by hand, first placing the brush in their mouths to form a fine point before dipping it in the radium paint. This radioactive material caused many health problems and is no longer permitted. 

In the 1960s, radium hands were gradually replaced by hands with luminous tritium tubes. Luminox watches, for example, still use tritium tubes for illumination. Tritium is also slightly radioactive, but not harmful as long as the tube is intact and the substance is not inhaled or ingested. 

Special finishings

Some watch hands are color-coated, but an older technique still used for luxury watches is thermal bluing. This finishing technique requires great precision and skill. It involves heating the metal of the hand to change its color. 

And of course, like the case and bracelet, hands are polished or brushed to achieve various effects.

Is that all? No, there are many more types of watch hands! 

In this article, we've already discussed quite a few types of hands, but there are many more. For example, the Alpha hand, the Lollipop hand, and so on. And designers often use different types of hands interchangeably and in different colors. 

There are also hands with special functions, such as the GMT hand, chronograph (sub)hands, and date pointers. Plenty of material for a future article! 

In any case, now you know when you're looking at a watch what kind of hands it has, and what their origin is. Paying attention to the finish of the hands is also a good indicator of the quality of the entire watch. Good to know when you're looking for a new watch!