Nubeo’s Ecliptic Gives a 45mm Steel Square Case a Spacecraft Dial

Nubeo‘s Ecliptic Retrograde Dual Time, the nubeo ecliptic watch in this review, is a square steel watch with a second time zone on a sweeping hand. It returns in 2026 in six new colorways, after its October 2024 debut. The core design stays the same, and the watch is built to look like an instrument panel.

The second time zone runs on a hand that travels from 0 to 24 across the lower dial. It then snaps back to the start in a retrograde motion. The watch also has a big date, a 24-hour subdial, and a caseback engraved with the sun, Earth, and the ecliptic plane. The ecliptic is the path the sun appears to follow across the sky over a year, which explains the name.

Each colorway of the nubeo ecliptic watch uses a Japanese quartz movement. Nubeo lists the watch at $250, with an advertised 20 percent launch discount that brings the price to $200.

Each colorway of the nubeo ecliptic watch uses a quartz movement, and if you enjoy a playful dial with serious precision, Seiko’s Panda Chronograph and Its Whimsical Charm offers a useful comparison.

A dial built like a control panel

The dial is built in layers. At the base sits a matte black honeycomb mesh. Above it, a raised chapter ring carries a printed track marked from 05 to 55 minutes. An oversized applied 12 anchors the top of the dial.

The 24-hour subdial sits near 9 o’clock. The framed date window appears at 4 o’clock. The dual time arc wraps across the bottom third of the face. Applied indices and hands are filled with Japanese lume for low-light reading.

Placing the second time zone on its own arc keeps it separate from the main display. A traditional GMT, such as the Rolex GMT-Master, uses a fourth hand that points to a 24-hour scale around the bezel. The Ecliptic moves that scale to the lower dial. On the blacked-out version of the nubeo ecliptic watch, green lume highlights the hands and markers. The coil-spring details at the four corners are decorative. They reinforce the control-panel look.

Case size, weight, and water resistance

The stainless steel case measures 45mm across and 45mm lug to lug. It is 16mm thick. The watch weighs 155 grams (5.5 ounces) and comes on a 26mm rubber strap. An anti-reflective mineral crystal covers the dial. The case is rated to 5 ATM of water resistance.

A square case watch of this width tends to look larger than a round one. The corners add visual mass to the case outline. The matching width and lug-to-lug measurements, however, keep the case from projecting past the wrist.

Square sports watches have precedent. Bell & Ross’s cockpit-inspired BR 03 and Hublot’s Square Bang both use angular cases. Nubeo adds recessed channels with exposed screws along the case flanks. The crown carries the accent shade of each colorway.

The spacecraft look here has roots in real aerospace hardware, and the 24-Inch Spy Camera From the Lockheed Era shows how far precision instrument design was pushed for flight.

Nubeo does not name the quartz caliber inside. For a dual time watch, quartz keeps both displays accurate without winding. That suits a watch that may go unworn for days between trips.

Six nubeo ecliptic watch colorways for 2026

The 2026 lineup includes Firewater Blue, Cardinal Teal, Forest Veil, Royal Twilight, Dark Alloy, and Steel Phantom. All six share the same matte black dial. The colorways differ in dial accents, crown color, case finish, and rubber strap. Straps come in yellow, blue, and gray with yellow details. A blacked-out case is also available.

The original 2024 variants were Space Blue, Hazard Red, and Golden Black. Nubeo sold those as limited editions. The caseback in the press images carries a limited-edition marking. Nubeo has not published an edition size for the new run.

Nubeo’s catalog leans on space and pop culture. It includes collaborations such as the Space Invaders Automatic and the Atari Asteroids watches. The Ecliptic draws on astronomy instead of a licensed property. Its price sits well below those collaborations. Citizen’s Eco-Drive BR0120 also offers retrograde dual time, but in a round case. The Ecliptic is the more conspicuous choice, with its square case and layered dial.

Nubeo lists the nubeo ecliptic watch at $250 before the launch discount. The price includes free shipping and a two-year warranty. For buyers who want a watch that looks like it belongs on a spacecraft, the Ecliptic makes its case clearly and without apology.

Source: yankodesign.com

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