On the other side of the design spectrum we have the Apple Watch with its square design (squircle, as some people call it), and it’s not as simple as Apple vs Google. Round vs square is a dichotomy that’s been around for more than a hundred years.
Did you know that the first square watch was made by Cartier back in 1904 for the Brazilian pilot Alberto Santos-Dumont. The super-successful prototype then became the Cartier-Santos and gave rise to the square-shaped watch revolution (and the wristwatch as we know it, for that matter).
The Cartier Santos was the world’s first square watch meant to be worn on the wrist
After WWI, Cartier even made a square watch inspired by the design of… a tank (named Cartier Tank)! But enough with the history lessons! Nowadays, even though we have the technology to make every shape imaginable, we still stick to round and square watches. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe these shapes are the most practical ones, who knows.
Recommended For You
Let’s see which one is your favorite! I remember my first square watch - it was a Casio hybrid watch with a conventional face and a small LCD display integrated inside. I was very fond of it, despite the fact that it was coined as a women’s model at the time.
Smartwatch design - Round vs Square!
Round!
66.45%
Square!
24.43%
Can't decide...
8.31%
Other (in the comments)
0.81%
Now I prefer round watches and smartwatches - there’s something eternal and perfect about the round shape (some new wave stuff here). What about you? Round or Square, which one is it? Vote and share your opinions in the comments below, as always.
Our new coffee table book, Iconic Phones, is a stunning visual tribute to the legends in the world of phones, featuring exclusive high-resolution photography, stories, quotes and fun trivia. Save 10% by using this code at checkout: XMAS10. Offer lasts until 1 January 2026.
Mariyan, a tech enthusiast with a background in Nuclear Physics and Journalism, brings a unique perspective to PhoneArena. His childhood curiosity for gadgets evolved into a professional passion for technology, leading him to the role of Editor-in-Chief at PCWorld Bulgaria before joining PhoneArena. Mariyan's interests range from mainstream Android and iPhone debates to fringe technologies like graphene batteries and nanotechnology. Off-duty, he enjoys playing his electric guitar, practicing Japanese, and revisiting his love for video games and Haruki Murakami's works.
A discussion is a place, where people can voice their opinion, no matter if it
is positive, neutral or negative. However, when posting, one must stay true to the topic, and not just share some
random thoughts, which are not directly related to the matter.
Things that are NOT allowed:
Off-topic talk - you must stick to the subject of discussion
Offensive, hate speech - if you want to say something, say it politely
Spam/Advertisements - these posts are deleted
Multiple accounts - one person can have only one account
Impersonations and offensive nicknames - these accounts get banned
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts:
New accounts created within the last 24 hours may experience restrictions on how frequently they can
post or comment.
These limits are in place as a precaution and will automatically lift.
Moderation is done by humans. We try to be as objective as possible and moderate with zero bias. If you think a
post should be moderated - please, report it.
Have a question about the rules or why you have been moderated/limited/banned? Please,
contact us.
![Some T-Mobile users might be paying more starting in March [UPDATED]](https://m-cdn.phonearena.com/images/article/176781-wide-two_350/Some-T-Mobile-users-might-be-paying-more-starting-in-March-UPDATED.webp)
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless
Things that are NOT allowed:
To help keep our community safe and free from spam, we apply temporary limits to newly created accounts: