Best Left-Handed Watch Models – 10 Destro Watches to Discover
According to a recent study by Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistic researchers, about 10% of the world’s population is left-handed. As a result, most watchmakers make watches with the crown on the right-hand of the case for the right-handed majority to wear on their non-dominant hand. This is so the dominant hand can manipulate the crown, making it easier to set and wind the timepiece. Yet, some watch brands have offered a selection of left-handed watches, characterized by the crown placed at the 9 o’clock position and made specifically for south-paws. Keep on reading as we highlight the 10 best left-handed watches, all made by high-end luxury watch brands.
What is A Destro Watch?
Destro is Italian for “right,” which while confusing since we’re talking about watches for left-handed people, is actually quite simple—destro watches are meant to be worn on the right hand. Therefore, the terms destro watch, left-handed watch, left watch, lefty watch, and so on, all mean the same thing: a watch with a crown on the left-hand side of the case designed to be placed on the right wrist.
It must be mentioned that some right-handed people like wearing a destro watch on their left wrist to not only avoid the crown digging into their hand but also for the novelty of it. Now, let’s get to 10 of the best left-handed watches from high-end watchmakers.
Rolex GMT-Master II “Sprite”
The GMT-Master II ref. 126720VTNR, launched in 2022, is Rolex’s first (and currently, only) series-produced left-handed watch (there were some one-offs in the past). It shares many details with other regular GMT-Master II models, such as a 40mm steel case, Cerachrom ceramic bezel, and a quartet of hands plus date window on the dial. However, as with all destro watches, the 126720VTNR has the winding crown on the left.
But that’s not all: Rolex essentially mirror-flipped the dial so that the date window is now at 9 o’clock as well. To accommodate this layout, the Caliber 3285 had to be modified slightly. The same 72-hour power reserve and ±2 seconds/day accuracy rating remain. Another first with the left-handed Rolex is the green and black bezel colorway, nicknamed “Sprite” and currently exclusive to this reference.
Rolex GMT-Master II 126720VTNR Watch Specs
| Model | GMT-Master II |
| Reference | 126720VTNR |
| Case | Stainless steel 40mm |
| Bezel | Cerachrom ceramic Black and green Bidirectional |
| Dial | Black Date window at 9 o’clock |
| Functions | Center hour, minute, and seconds hands. 24-hour display Second time zone with independent rapid-setting of the hour hand Instantaneous date Stop-seconds for precise time setting |
| Movement | Caliber 3285 self-winding movement 70 hours power reserve |
| Bracelet | Stainless steel Oyster bracelet |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
| 2024 Retail Price (MSRP) | $11,250 (Oyster bracelet) $11,450 (Jubilee bracelet) |
Tudor Pelagos LHD
Left-handed watches aren’t new to Tudor; the brand made bespoke ones upon request for the French Navy as far back as 1970. The Pelagos LHD (shorthand for Left Hand Drive), which came out in 2016, is the brand’s modern take on a Destro dive watch. As Tudor’s extreme diver, the 42mm titanium case is water-resistant to an impressive 500 deep. While the 14.3mm thickness is quite chunky, the use of titanium keeps things on the lighter side. The date window remains at its traditional spot on the right, sitting opposite of the left-sided crown, and retains its cool “roulette” style with alternating red and black numerals.
Tudor fits the Pelagos LHD with a matching titanium three-link Oyster-style bracelet but there’s an accompanying black rubber strap too. The watch relies on the same Caliber MT5612 as other dive watches in Tudor’s lineup but affixed with the -LHD designation to account for the unique crown placement.
Tudor Pelagos LHD Watch Specs
| Model | Pelagos LHD |
| Reference | 25610TNL |
| Case | Titanium and steel 42mm in diameter 14.3mm thick |
| Bezel | Titanium unidirectional rotatable 60-minute graduated bezel Ceramic matte black insert and graduations with beige luminescent coating |
| Dial | Black Date at 3 o’clock with even-numbered days displayed in red and odd-numbered days in black |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds Date |
| Movement | Caliber MT5612-LHD self-winding movement 70 hours power reserve |
| Bracelet | Titanium three-link bracelet |
| Water Resistance | 500 meters |
| 2024 Retail Price (MSRP) | $5,025 |
Patek Philippe Split-Seconds Monopusher Chronograph Perpetual Calendar
In one of the more surprising Patek Philippe drops in recent memory, 2022 saw the release of the reference 5373P, a platinum grand complication watch with a split-seconds monopusher chronograph, perpetual calendar, and left-handed orientation. That means that not only is the crown that houses the chronograph pusher placed on the left-hand side of the 38.3mm platinum case, but so is the split-second pusher. Interestingly, Patek replaced the right-handed 5372P (produced from 2017 to 2022) with this lefty 5373P and hasn’t shown signs of a righty update as yet.
Despite the serious metal and even more serious complications, the overall look of this platinum Patek is sporty thanks in part to the charcoal gray dial with red accents and red stitching running through the fabric-pattern black calfskin strap. Like all platinum Patek Philippe watches, the ref. 5373P has a diamond set in between the lugs at 6 o’clock. The saphire crystal caseback gives us a view of the stunning manual-winding Caliber CHR 27-525 PS Q working away its magic inside the watch.
Patek Philippe 5373P Watch Specs
| Model | Grand Complication Split-Seconds Monopusher Chronograph Perpetual Calendar |
| Reference | 5373P |
| Case | Platinum 38.3mm diameter 12.93 mm thick |
| Dial | Charcoal gray with black-gradient rim |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds Split-seconds monopusher chronograph 60-minute counter Perpetual calendar (day, month, leap year, and day/night indication displayed in apertures) Date (pointer) Moonphase |
| Movement | Caliber CHR 27-525 PS Q manual-winding movement 38 -48 hours power reserve |
| Strap | Black calfskin, embossed with fabric pattern Fold-over clasp |
| Water Resistance | 30 meters |
| 2024 Retail Price (MSRP) | $595’070 |
More on Patek Philippe:
Patek Philippe Cubitus: All the Rumors of a New Release
Audemars Piguet vs. Patek Philippe
Hands-On Review: Patek 7118, The Ultimate Ladies’ Nautilus
Patek Philippe Aquanaut Price Guide: How Much Does an Aquanaut Cost?
Panerai Luminor Marina Militare Left-Handed Watch
Among all high-end watch brands, Panerai stands out as the one that makes Destro watches pretty much regularly. There have been several Panerai Destro references made over the last three decades, all characterized by the famed Luminor crown-protecting bridge operated by a lever placed on the left-hand side of the case rather than the right.
One left-handed example is the Luminor Marina Militare PAM 217, which interestingly doesn’t just have the crown guard on the left but the lever is also upside down compared to other Panerai watches. Normally, the lever is pulled down to release the crown whereas on the PAM 217, it has to be flicked upwards. The hefty 47mm steel case is of the Panerai 1950 case variety (rather than the traditional “Bettarini” case) with U-shaped case sides, a dramatically domed sapphire crystal, and longer lugs. The Panerai Luminor Marina Militare PAM00217 Destro came out in 2005 and was limited to 1,000 examples.
Panerai Luminor Marina Militare PAM 217 Watch Specs
| Model | Luminor Marina Militare |
| Reference | PAM00217 |
| Case | Stainless steel 47mm diameter |
| Dial | Black sandwich dial with a layer of SuperLuminova between |
| Functions | Center hours and minutes Running seconds at 3 o’clock |
| Movement | Caliber Panerai OP XI hand-wound movement 56 hours power reserve |
| Strap | Leather with trapezoidal brushed steel buckle |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
| 2024 Retail Price (MSRP) | $12,300 |
Tag Heuer Monaco Gulf
1969 was an important year in the watch world as it was when the automatic chronograph exploded onto the scene. Which brand can claim to have made the first automatic chronograph is still up for debate but what is safe to say is that Heuer was one of the pioneers of the field, teaming up with Breitling, Hamilton-Buren, and Dubois-Depraz to produce a self-winding chronograph movement they could all use. Heuer launched its range of automatic chronograph watches across several of its collections including the now-famous square-shaped Monaco watch.
Aside from its case shape, another detail that made the earliest Monaco designs stand out was that the crown was placed on the left while the pair of chronograph pushers remained on the right. This was a flex as it indicated that the watch no longer needed to be manually wound thanks to the innovative self-winding movement powering the chronograph.
Over the next half-century, Heuer (eventually TAG Heuer) released a slew of Monaco iterations, some with right-placed crowns and others with the original left-aligned one. One particularly excellent version is the special edition TAG Heuer Monaco ref. CAW211R.FC6401, complete with a left-sided crown, vintage Heuer logo, and Gulf Oil livery. This colorway is an homage to the car Monaco-clad Steve McQueen drove in the Le Mans (1971) film.
TAG Heuer Monaco Gulf Watch Specs
| Model | Monaco Gulf |
| Reference | CAW211R.FC6401 |
| Case | Stainless steel 39mm 14.3 mm thick |
| Dial | Sunray dial decorated with Gulf livery Pearl white counters at 3 and 9 o’clock Date window at 6 o’clock |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, Chronograph: 1/4 seconds, 30 minutes counter Date |
| Movement | Caliber 11 Self-winding 40-hour power reserve |
| Strap | Blue leather racing strap with orange lining and topstitching Heuer logo-decorated folding clasp |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
| 2024 Retail Price (MSRP) | $7,800 |
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch Edition “Right-Hander”
True to its name, everything on the IWC Big Pilot’s watch is BIG, including the case, dial, and crown. That oversized crown can present a major digging-into-the-hand situation, which means that a left-side-positioned crown could prove to be useful for those who wear watches on the left arm too, not just for those who wear them on the right.
Released in 2019 and limited to 250 pieces, the IWC Big Pilot ref. IW501012 “Right-Hander” is the first destro version within the well-known aviation watch collection. It sports a large 46mm steel case that houses an expansive gray dial punctuated with a running seconds subdial at 3 o’clock, a power reserve indicator at 9 o’clock, and a date window at 6 o’clock. The closed caseback shields the automatic IWC Caliber 52010, which packs an impressive seven-day power reserve.
IWC Big Pilot’s Watch “Right-Hander” Watch Specs
| Model | Big Pilot’s Watch |
| Reference | IW501012 |
| Case | Stainless steel 46.2mm 15.6mm thick |
| Dial | Gray dial with black counters |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, Small seconds, Power reserve indicator Date |
| Movement | Caliber 52010 Self-winding 7-day (168 hours) power reserve |
| Strap | Black calfskin strap |
| Water Resistance | 60 meters |
| Last published retail price (MSRP) | $14,200 |
Omega Ploprof Summer Blue
2023 saw the release of the Omega Seamaster 75th Anniversary Collection, home to 11 water-ready watches in a “Summer Blue” colorway. Naturally, the Omega Ploprof was part of the lineup, dressed in moody shades of dark blue. Before the release of the Ultra-Deep, the Ploprof was the most extreme of all Omega dive watches, born in the 1970s and named after the French words “plongeur professional,” which translates to “professional diver.”
As is customary for the model, the Omega Ploprof “Summer Blue” ref. 227.32.55.21.03.001 has the crown (and oversized locking mechanism) on the left side of the asymmetrical case to reduce the risk of damage to the crown and allow free wrist movement. The unusually shaped case measures a substantial 55mm across, 45mm wide, and 15.5mm thick, and includes the bezel locking device on the top right at 2 o’clock. The mono-bloc case is crafted from O-MEGASTEEL, the brand’s proprietary steel alloy that’s about 50% harder than traditional 316L steel. The bezel is made from blue ceramic while the sun-brushed Summer Blue dial has a gradient finish.
Omega Ploprof Summer Blue Watch Specs
| Model | Seamaster Proprof 1200M |
| Reference | 227.32.55.21.03.001 |
| Case | O-MEGASTEEL 55 x 45mm 15.5mm thick 45mm lug-to-lug |
| Dial | Summer blue |
| Bezel | Blue ceramic 60-minute dive scale Bi-directional Locking device at 2 o’clock |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Movement | Caliber 8912 Self-winding 60-hour power reserve |
| Strap | Blue perforated rubber strap |
| Water Resistance | 1,200 meters |
| Last published retail price (MSRP) | $14,300 |
More on Omega:
Omega vs. Rolex: Who Makes Better Watches?
The Omega Constellation: A Timeline from Pie Pan to Present Day
2024 Omega Watch Releases
Two-Tone Omega Speedmaster Professional Models
One of the Biggest Left-Handed Watches: Breitling Navitimer Super 8
In 2018, Breitling announced the launch of the (short-lived) Navitimer 8 collection, home to vintage-inspired aviation watches and named after the historic Breitling’s Huit Aviation department — “huit” is French for “eight.” Not long after the launch, Breitling followed up with a left-handed Navitimer Super 8, inspired by the vintage reference 637 stopwatch that WWII pilots strapped around their thighs.
The Navitimer Super 8 is gargantuan, with its titanium case measuring 46mm in diameter or 50mm including the notched bezel. The crown, positioned on the left of the case, is also large just like the old-school stopwatch so that pilots could easily manipulate it even with gloves on. The green dial, home to large Arabic numerals as is customary for pilot watches — is time-only but it does include an inner bezel to measure elapsed time. While the first edition of the Navitimer Super 8 was a destro version, Breitling later replaced it with a more conventional iteration with the crown on the right.
Breitling Navitimer Super 8 Left-Handed Watch Specs
| Model | Navitimer Super 8 |
| Reference | EB204010/L535/491X |
| Case | Titanium 46mm case, 50mm including the bezel 14.4mm thick |
| Dial | Green |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds Inner bi-directional bezel marked to 60 minutes |
| Movement | Caliber B20 Self-winding 70-hour power reserve |
| Strap | Brown leather strap |
| Water Resistance | 30 meters |
| Last published retail price (MSRP) | $5,900 |
Bulgari Aluminium Match Point
Bulgari has been leaning into reviving its late-nineties and early-aughts Aluminium line in recent years. In 2023, the brand introduced the Bulgari Aluminium Match Point Solotempo Limited Edition, which not only featured a green colorway but also a left-side placement of the crown. As is the norm for the collection, the watch is heavily Bulgari branded, from the double logos on the bezel and rubber straps to the name emblazoned on the dial — just in case you forgot who makes the watch.
As the name indicates, the destro Aluminium Match Point Solotempo (limited to 800 pieces) does indeed include an aluminum case, which measures 40mm in diameter. It’s accompanied by a DLC-coated titanium caseback and crown and a green rubber bezel. The Match Point part of the name is in reference to the watch’s tennis theme; in addition to the green palette, there are also the neon-green tennis ball seconds hand counterweight and a tennis ball etched into the caseback. A left-handed watch for a tennis fan — why not?
| Model | BVLGARI BVLGARI Aluminum Match Point Solotempo |
| Reference | 103854 |
| Case | Aluminum 40mm |
| Dial | White |
| Bezel | Green rubber |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Movement | Caliber B77 (ETA 2892) Self-winding 42-hour power reserve |
| Strap | Green rubber strap with aluminum links and Velcro |
| Water Resistance | 100 meters |
| Last published retail price (MSRP) | $3,350 |
A (Sometimes) Left-Handed Watch: Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph
The Reverso, launched in 1931 as the go-to watch for polo players, remains a mainstay of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s catalog. Characterized by a rectangular swivel case, the Reverso is offered in many flavors, not limited to just sizes, materials, and colors but also what is displayed on the two faces of the case. Some Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso models include only one watch dial and the opposite side is a solid piece of metal (perfect for engraving). Conversely, other models include two dials and the wearer can decide which side to display. This is where we make our case that a two-dial Reverso is one of the best left-handed watch models since you can decide whether to wear the crown on the left or right, depending on which dial you want facing up!
The Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph ref. Q389848J, which debuted in 2023, is an excellent choice. On one side is a classically designed time-only dial and on the other, a chronograph with a retrograde 30-minute counter and large running seconds subdial set on an open-worked dial. This truly is two watches in one, each side offering a distinct personality (and functionality). Inside the 49.4 x 29.9mm steel case is the new Caliber 860 manual-winding movement.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Chronograph Watch Specs
| Model | Reverso Tribute Chronograph |
| Reference | Q389848J |
| Case | Stainless steel 49.4 x 29.9mm 11.14mm thick |
| Dials | Recto dial: Blue, sunray-brushed Verso dial: Rhodium grey, Opaline, Open-worked |
| Functions | Recto dial: Hours, Minutes Verso dial: Chronograph’s Second, Hour – Minute identical on front/back, Chronograph, 30-minute counter |
| Movement | Caliber 860 Manual-winding 52-hour power reserve |
| Strap | Brown leather strap |
| Water Resistance | 30 meters |
| 2024 Retail Price (MSRP) | $25,000 |
Finding The Right Left-Handed Watch
There you have it, 10 of the best left-handed watches a.k.a. destro watches to consider, regardless of which hand you choose to wear your watch on. Interestingly, almost all these options are some kind of sports or tool watch, most of which are quite large.
Perhaps there’s a gap in the market for smaller, more refined left-handed luxury watches? Maybe there’s no demand for them or maybe brands haven’t thought to add lefty dress watches to their regular-production catalogs yet (there have been some examples of custom-made ones). Whatever the reason, it’s a curious state of affairs, which hopefully will change soon.
Other Best Of Watch Round-Ups
The Best Yellow Gold Watches for Men
Guide To The Best Tudor Watch Models
The Best Rolex Alternatives
Best of Watches and Wonders 2024
The Best Entry-Level Breitling Watches
The Best Entry-Level Luxury Watches
The 8 Best Chronographs to Consider in 2024
Leave a Reply