When we started working on the WD2008, we knew we wanted to keep it small.
A lot of modern dress watches have gradually become larger, but for this design we preferred more traditional proportions. We settled on a 36.5mm case, paired with a 44.8mm lug-to-lug and a thickness of approximately 10.5mm including the crystal.
From there, most of our attention went into the parts you actually notice when the watch is on the wrist: the case finishing, dial, hands and overall proportions.
The WD2008 is a fairly simple watch on paper. It is a three-hand, sweeping quartz dress watch. That simplicity meant the details had to do more of the work.
Why We Chose 36.5mm
We tried to avoid making the WD2008 larger just for the sake of wrist presence.
At 36.5mm, the case keeps the compact proportions we wanted from the beginning. The 44.8mm lug-to-lug gives it enough length on the wrist, while the 20mm lug width keeps the case and strap visually balanced.
The case is also relatively slim at around 10.5mm with the sapphire bubble crystal included.
For us, this size simply suited the design better. It works well as a compact dress watch, but doesn't feel excessively delicate or formal.
More Attention to the Case
The case was one of the areas we spent more time on than might be obvious from the specifications.
It is made from 316L stainless steel and fully polished, but we didn't want the polishing to soften the shape of the case too much. Keeping the edges defined and the transitions clean was important, especially around the lugs and case sides.
On a watch like this, there isn't much to hide behind. There is no rotating bezel or complicated case construction, so uneven polishing or soft edges become quite noticeable.
Under different lighting, the polished surfaces give the case a much stronger sense of shape than we could show in the original renders. This is also why we've been sharing more real photos of the WD2008 rather than relying only on studio images.
The Heart-Shaped Hands
The hands are probably the easiest way to recognize the WD2008.
Instead of using a standard dauphine or baton handset, we developed three-dimensional heart-shaped hour and minute hands with fully polished surfaces.
We went through several versions before settling on the current proportions. They needed to be distinctive without making the watch feel too decorative, and the polished surfaces also needed to remain visible against the darker dial options.
Then there is the W-shaped seconds-hand counterweight.
This has probably been the most debated detail since we first showed the watch. Some people like it immediately, while others would prefer something more conventional.
We understand both reactions.
In the end, we kept it because we wanted the WD2008 to have a few details that were recognizably ours. On an otherwise simple three-hand watch, the seconds hand was a good place to add that small signature without changing the overall design.
Three Dials, Very Different Results
We currently make the WD2008 with three dial options: MUSOU BLACK, Black Tahitian Mother-of-Pearl, and Pink Mother-of-Pearl.
They use the same case and handset, but in person they feel surprisingly different.
[IMAGE 5 — All three WD2008 dial versions side by side]
Suggested ALT: WD2008 MUSOU BLACK and mother-of-pearl dial options
MUSOU BLACK
The MUSOU BLACK dial absorbs approximately 99.4% of visible light, giving it an unusually deep, low-reflection appearance.
This was one of the reasons we chose polished metal indexes and hands. Against the ultra-black surface, they catch the available light while the dial itself almost disappears.
Of the three versions, this is the simplest visually. There is very little texture or color coming from the dial, so the case, indexes and hands become much more prominent.
It is also difficult to capture accurately in photos. The effect makes much more sense when the watch moves under changing light.
Black Tahitian Mother-of-Pearl
The Black Tahitian Mother-of-Pearl dial takes almost the opposite approach.
It can look nearly black in one environment and then shift toward grey, green or subtle iridescent tones as the angle changes. The effect isn't uniform, and that is exactly what we wanted from this version.
Because this is natural mother-of-pearl, every dial has its own pattern and variation. Two watches from the same batch will not be completely identical.
This version has become one of our favorites to photograph because the dial can look noticeably different from one shot to the next without changing the watch itself.
Pink Mother-of-Pearl
The Pink Mother-of-Pearl dial is the most colorful of the three.
Depending on the lighting, it can move between soft pink, silver and stronger iridescent tones. Like the Black Tahitian MOP, the material is natural, so variation between individual dials is expected.
We didn't want the pink to feel overly saturated. The natural variation of the material gives this version enough character on its own.
Why We Chose the VH31
Inside the WD2008 is the Seiko Instruments VH31 sweeping quartz movement.
The VH31 gives the seconds hand a four-beat-per-second sweeping motion rather than the conventional one-tick-per-second movement associated with most quartz watches.
For this watch, it made sense.
It keeps the WD2008 relatively slim while offering the accuracy and convenience of quartz, and the smoother seconds-hand movement works particularly well with the simple three-hand dial.
The watch is also fitted with a sapphire bubble crystal and rated to 100 meters of water resistance, making it a little less delicate than its dress-watch proportions might suggest.
Which WD2008 Dial Should You Choose?
The three versions share the same specifications, but we don't think they appeal to exactly the same person.
MUSOU BLACK is the cleanest and most minimal, with the strongest contrast between the dial and polished metal details.
Black Tahitian Mother-of-Pearl is more understated at first glance, but changes considerably with the light. If you like natural materials and a dial that doesn't always look the same, this is probably the most versatile option.
Pink Mother-of-Pearl puts more emphasis on color and iridescence and is easily the most expressive of the three.
There isn't really a "best" dial here. The differences are mostly about what you want to see when you look down at the watch.
A Different Direction for Watchdives
The WD2008 also represents a direction we'd like to explore further.
Value has always been important to us, but we don't think value is only about adding more specifications. It can also come from getting the smaller things right — the proportions, case finishing, dial materials, hands, and the details you notice once the watch is on your wrist.
With the WD2008, we wanted to put more attention into those details while keeping the watch simple and accessible. It's compact and straightforward, but still has enough character to feel distinctly ours.
That's something we'd like to do more of going forward.
