If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s the advice Denis Villeneuve and his team heeded when it came to the production design of Dune: Part Two, which premieres this weekend. The first installment from 2021, based on Frank Herbert’s seminal 1965 sci-fi novel, was a massive success both critically and commercially (with a Best Picture nod for good measure) but drew us in first and foremost with its formidable art direction, helmed by industry icon Frank Herbert. Herbert is a titan known for bringing to life the worlds of recent classics like Independence Day (1996), War of the Worlds (2005), Oblivion (2013), and Blade Runner 2049 (2017). 

For Dune: Part Two, Herbert and his crew came up with sketches for a “desert watch” prop that would be utilized in the movie. It was intended to be futuristic yet a functioning wrist tool used by the native people of Arrakis. To execute the task, Villeneuve tapped American-turned-Swiss watchmaker Hamilton to take Herbert’s sketches and get the job done without any information on what purpose the ostensible watch would serve in the film. Hamilton has a long, legendary history in cinema, dating back to the 1930s, especially when it comes to futuristic-looking timepieces. As companions to the Dune watch (which isn’t for sale), the watchmaker has now released a pair of production models inspired by the prop. And fortunately, thanks to our friends over at Hamilton, we were able to get hands on with these two models, known as the Ventura Edge Dune Limited Edition and the Ventura XXL Bright Dune Limited Edition. Here’s what we thought about each.

At a Glance

The main difference between the two production timepieces is that the XXL Bright Dune Limited Edition features an analog dial function, powered by an analog quartz movement. Using the brand’s already-futuristic-looking Ventura platform, the XXL Bright sports the line’s hallmark angular shape as well as the main design ethos as the desert watch from the film. Stretching 52mm across from edge to edge, the case is made of black-PVD-finished stainless steel and is affixed to an integrated black rubber strap to make the lug-to-lug length longer than it actually is. The main feature of the XXL Bright is the extra button next to the 9 o’clock spot — opposite of the crown – which is used to activate the blue LED details on the dial. The blue color is a nod to the glowing blue eyes of the Fremen people. These details are part of the connective tissue of the prop watch used on screen, which sports a raised iteration of this design. 

Due to the nature of the crown, which is a push-pull unit, the watch is only water resistant down to 50m (the Edge goes down to 100m), which isn’t terrible by any means. And most people purchasing this limited-edition are unlikely to use the collector’s piece for legitimate diving purposes. Compared to the Edge, the XXL’s sweeping case arcs and slight sapphire crystal curvature are more true-to-form to the Venture collection and indicative of its classic styling that’s made it so popular over the years — even a favorite of Elvis Presley. The curved crystal also allows for less light reflection and thus better legibility on the dial. If you flip the watch over, you’ll notice the caseback is quite reserved with standard text.

As much as we love the movie tie-in, the analog function of the dial created some hurdles that prevented it from being as faithful as it could have been. Moreover, the design cues (such as the portion that glows blue) is flat rather than raised, since it would have gotten in the way of analog hands. Opting for a standard quartz, rather than a high-frequency one, the seconds hand missed the markers quite a few times, which, for $1,750, shouldn’t be an issue at all. However, if you’re a fan of these movies, you could see this as a dressed-up take on the Fremen watch and worth the extra price for a solid collector’s item, coming inside a custom case that looks like its from the film universe, equipped with sand-like texturing and text lining the interior.

At a Glance

If you want something slightly more faithful to the movie watch, take a look at the Ventura Edge Dune Limited Edition. While it still sports a different design, the ethos is more intact with a raised 3D-printed version of the dial design, which appears as motherboard-like components splitting the dial in half. This is accomplished by obviating a bit of the classic Ventura style for one more modernized. On the left side, rather than an analog display like the XXL Bright above, is a digital one. We loved the top-bottom orientation of the time (the hours on top and the minutes on bottom). Unlike the button on the left of the previous watch, the LED activator is built into the fixed crown on the right. When pushed, the blue details, as well as the time display on the dial, light up beautifully. But what’s even cooler is that instead of abruptly turning off like most dial lights, the blue glow fades slowly.

From an overall design perspective, we prefer the Edge both in terms of wrist presence and as a collector’s item in relation to the film. The unique design stands out more, as does the layout of the time. Also, digital just looks inherently more “sci-fi” than analog. And then there are the small details. Rather than a standard caseback, the one on the Edge features a laser-etched picture of the Arrakis. For the larger moon, which is mentioned in the first film, we get to view production-accurate topographic detail.

Slightly smaller than the XXL Bright, the Edge is housed in a 51.05mm case with a similar lug-to-lug, but because of the nature of the crown, it’s able to achieve 100m of water resistance instead of 50m (like its analog companion). It’s affixed to a rubber strap that carries over some of the dial detailing, which is a nice touch. Unfortunately, the sapphire crystal is a bit flatter on the Edge, which allows for more reflections, negatively affecting the viewing experience a bit. However, considering its futuristic aesthetic and the total experience of wearing the watch, the Edge is definitely our favorite of the two. It also comes in the custom case like the above watch. And since it utilizes a digital rather than an analog quartz movement, the timepiece doesn’t have the same foibles as the XXL Bright and is more worthy of the higher price tag.

Hamilton Ventura Edge Dune Limited Edition

More faithful to the prop watch used in Dune: Part Two, the Ventura Edge has a futuristic aesthetic with 3D-printed dial details, a unique digital layout, and a cool fading effect on the glowing blue LED. It’s our favorite of the pair and its higher price is more justified.

Pros

• 3D-printed dial details are more faithful to the movie version
• Unique digital layout
• Cool fading effect on the blue LED

Cons

• Flatter crystal brings more reflections
• Pricey but more justified than analog counterpart