This Fan-Favorite Affordable Dress Watch Looks Way More Expensive Than It Is

Arguably no watch brand started in the past thirty years has accomplished more with a single case design than Dennison. The rounded rectangular ALD case has been presented in multiple metals and housed dozens of dials, and it even won an award at the “Oscars of Watches” in 2025.

As gorgeous and demonstratively versatile as the retro curvy case design is, it’s refreshing to see the British indie brand branch out with a new look.

Dennison

Dennison’s new Oblique case follows the same mid-century modern ethos with a more avant-garde inflection. Like the ALD collection, it houses a pair of captivating dress watches that look like they should cost quadruple the price.

The Oblique is a rectangular cushion case with the same 33mm width as the ALD, but at 35mm long, it is 2mm shorter than its predecessor. Designed by Emmanuel Gueit, the horology legend behind the ALD, it has similar curved edges, concealed lugs and a sunken crown.

Dennison

Where the new case clearly stands out is the dial shape. It is a warped rhombus that bulges out slightly on all four sides.

It is reminiscent of luxury dress watches from the 1950s and 1960s, and unlike anything else you’ll find today for under $1,000.

This collaboration consists of two distinct dials, each available in a polished steel or a gold-tone case.

Here comes the sun

The Oblique Vector pairs the funky case with a distinctively mid-century dial. Twelve evenly spaced lines emanate from the dial’s center, following the trajectory of the sunburst brushing on the dial plate.

The vertical and horizontal lines run edge-to-edge, forming a crosshair, with a pair of lines in each sector extending approximately halfway to the dial’s edge. The result resembles an atomic starburst motif.

Dennison

The gold-tone case is paired with a gold-tone dial plate and hands with black lines, while the steel case has a silver dial and hands with blue lines.

Beautifully off balance

The other half of the Oblique collection, the Enigma, is a reinterpretation of Collectability’s first collaboration with Dennison from 2025. It uses the same teal and blue colors for the dial, both with sunburst brushing and separated by a thin chamfered edge that matches the case.

Just as before, the dial design matches the case’s shape, but this time inverted, creating a disorienting imbalance. The acute corners of the inner rhombus almost reach the obtuse corners of the dial, matching the acute angles of the dial, which almost reach the edge of the case.

Dennison

Just like the border of the dial’s inner segment, Dennison’s stamped spade hands match the case color on each reference.

Two-hand touch

One detail carried over from all previous Dennison releases is the lack of a seconds hand. This two-hander is powered by a Ronda Caliber 1062 quartz movement, which helps keep the price down and the case thin at just 7mm tall.

Dennison

The gold-tone Oblique Vector comes on a brown leather strap, while the other three references use navy blue. All four are embossed with an alligator texture and have steel pin buckles matched to the case color.

Availability and pricing

Both versions of the Oblique maintain Dennison’s reputation for impressive affordability. All four references in this second collaboration with Collectability founder John Reardon are priced at $790.

This release is limited by time, rather than number. Preorders are open for one week, from May 27 to June 3, after which the Oblique will no longer be available.