In the intricate world of watchmaking, small details are often the most meaningful. One proudly preserved and celebrated by West End Watch Co. is the use of Eastern Arabic numerals on its dials. These numerals are deeply rooted in culture, history, and identity.
This design choice pays homage to the brand’s enduring legacy, tracing back to its origins to 1886, while continuing to honour loyal customers and promises to respect diverse cultures through its craftsmanship.
This blog explores the symbolic and artistic relevance of Eastern Arabic numerals and why West End Watch Co. still uses them in their most famous watches.
A cultural legacy carved in numbers
Millions of people in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia use Eastern Arabic numerals (٠ ١ ٢ ٣ ٤ ٥ ٦ ٧ ٨ ٩) daily.
Their roots go back more than a thousand years, to old Indian and Arabic number systems. They spread widely throughout the Islamic Golden Age.
These numerals appear in everything from textbooks and signs to currency and official documents across Arabic-script-using countries.
So when they appear on a timepiece, it’s a direct cultural connection, one that communicates with those who grew up learning this numerical form.
In the world of Swiss watchmaking, where Western numerals dominate, Eastern Arabic numerals stand out as rare and meaningful.
Their inclusion shows a desire to create a watch that seems personal and familiar to the person who wears it.
Why West End Watch Co. continues to highlight them
Throughout its long history, West End Watch Co. has maintained a strong presence in regions where Eastern Arabic numerals are a daily part of life.
The brand’s early 20th-century expansion into South Asia and the Middle East brought its timepieces into the hands of soldiers, sellers, and professionals, earning a loyal following built on reliability, craftsmanship, and cultural sensitivity.
West End has always paid attention to what its primary customers demand. The use of Eastern Arabic numbers, coupled with other regional elements like Arabic day-date windows, shows that the brand has been talking to its clients for a long time.
Today, these numerals remain a signature element in many of West End’s models to preserve tradition and honor the trust and taste of generations of watch wearers.
Design that stands apart
Eastern Arabic numerals give the dial a style that is elegant and very different from other dials. Their shapes are flowing and solid, which gives the dial a feeling of rhythm and art.
When you add cathedral-style hands, sunray dials, and polished stainless steel casings, you get a watch that seems both classic and one-of-a-kind.
The Eastern Arabic numbers on later models like the CLASSICS 41 are additionally painted luminescent white, making them easy to see even in low light.
This makes the watch more beautiful and useful because every number is easy to read at a glance, day or night.
Deeper meaning for the wearer
People in regions such as the Gulf, Levant, Maghreb, and South Asia often wear watches featuring Eastern Arabic numerals to express pride in their culture, a connection to their heritage, and a desire for details that feel authentic.
Many people who purchase watches from West End Watch Co. appreciate these timepieces because they embody a shared visual language and a sense of history.
In a world where designs are mass-produced, this kind of cultural distinctiveness feels deeply personal and essential.
Tradition refined through time
At a time when brands are often tempted to modernize at the expense of identity, West End Watch Co. continues to find harmony between past and present.
The use of Eastern Arabic numerals is a reflection of how design can be inclusive, respectful, and enduring.
For over a century, West End has built watches that honor not only the mechanics of time but also the meaning behind it.
And as long as there are wearers who see themselves in these numerals, West End will continue to craft timepieces that reflect their world.
Check out our collections to find wristwatches that are stylish and historical, with Eastern Arabic numerals, Swiss precision, and a timeless look.
Find us on Instagram @behbehani1938 or visit www.westendwatchco-kw.com to learn more.
