Overlooked is your weekly horological treasure hunt — where we dig through the vaults of European Watch Company to spotlight a few quietly brilliant pieces hiding in plain sight. It’s the sleeper hit, the underdog, the “wait, how is this still available?” watch you didn’t know you needed… until now.

There have been many very colorful watch dials in recent years, and the trend shows no signs of stopping. We get it - who doesn’t love a pop of color now and again? There is, however, something to be said for keeping it simple with a black and white color palette. We’ve found four gorgeous black and white examples that will not leave you longing for color.

Daniel Roth Datomax 18K White Gold 

The bold contrast created by the large black Roman numerals against the white dial of this Daniel Roth Datomax highlights how the interplay of black, white, and shades of grey can create striking visual impact. The nontraditional and distinctive case in white gold is a suitable and neutral frame for the time, small seconds, and date on the dial. In excellent condition, its eye-catching design is sure to be a conversation starter.

Jaquet Droz Les Ateliers Petite Heure Minute “Tiger” 18K White Gold

Jaquet Droz are known for their artistic crafts, and this Les Ateliers Petite Heure Minute model is a testament to their attention to detail. The deep black dial has a smaller time display in crisply contrasting white, taking up less than half of the space on the dial, leaving room for the exquisitely rendered, hand-painted image of a tiger on the dial’s lower portion. The blue eyes of the tiger on this dial contribute to the overall depth and drama of the black and white tiger’s “fur”, making the dial seem almost pettable. An 18K gold case and an automatic movement with a 68-hour power reserve round out this stunning model.

Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Perpetual Phases de Lune SS 

All the news that’s fit to print is included on the dial of this Blancpain Villeret Quantieme Perpetual model. It has all the classic features of Blancpain’s design sensibilities: distinctive case design, legible subdials, and the bemused side-eye of their moonphase indicator. Its in-house movement boasts a 72-hour power reserve, and the perpetual calendar displays the time, day, date, month, phase of the moon, and a leap year indicator. In like-new condition with box and papers, the comfortable bracelet will make this a dream to wear.

Patek Philippe Annual Calendar 5036/1G 18K White Gold

The Patek Philippe Annual Calendar is a classic in the Patek oeuvre, featuring an elegantly executed complication in a compact form factor. This 5036/1G in 18K white gold has a 37mm case with an integrated white gold bracelet that would be at home on many different wrist sizes. It has a silvery-white dial with applied Roman numerals and black text for legible calendar sub-dials, with day, month, date, moonphase, and a power reserve indicator. Patek’s annual calendar function only requires adjustment once per year. To top it all off, this timepiece comes with an extract from the Patek Philippe archives, showing its provenance.

Black and white on a dial serves up contrast, legibility, and quiet elegance, evoking a feeling of nostalgia and sometimes even formality. These strikingly beautiful timepieces would be suitable for any occasion.