{"id":12340,"date":"2022-02-22T10:54:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T09:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.my-watchsite.com\/blog\/?p=12340"},"modified":"2023-01-03T12:51:51","modified_gmt":"2023-01-03T11:51:51","slug":"exotic-dials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.my-watchsite.com\/blog\/exotic-dials\/","title":{"rendered":"Down to fine art exotic dials"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Van Cleef & Arpels : le Pont des Amoureux<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After the transition to the third millennium, a new generation of designers,\u00a0in charge\u00a0of the ateliers of major brands, has emphasised the need to push the boundaries of watch decoration. Jewellers known for their groundbreaking watchmaking transformations did it first: they left behind the \u201cgood tone\u201d classicism,\u00a0in which the profession was slumbering, and conducted inventive experiments to enrich the graphic offer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Artistic license<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Of course, a synthetic lacquer dial can never hope to display the deep reflections of a dial designed in genuine Japanese lacquer by a master of the craft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Seiko Presage<\/a> Laque, a typical Japanese watch.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Some maisons, such as Vacheron Constantin and Seiko, have managed to capture the poetry of this living material. They have created timepieces mostly appreciated for the tiny frames they display,\u00a0barely above the size of a coin. Grand Seiko has\u00a0mastered the creation of\u00a0dials that evoke the nature of Japanese mountains, whether autumn leaves or winter snow. Other maisons were inspired by the abundance of nature to create hard-stone dials. Piaget made it their specialty in the seventies and other maisons followed, such as Corum, Cartier, Bulgari and Dior.\u00a0
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The exotic dial of the Bvlgari Divas’ Dream<\/a>.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After exploring all the possibilities with palaeolithic materials, as Louis Moinet did (mammoth ivory, dinosaur fossil elements), some maisons, such as Rolex, decided to explore other universes. They decided to cut out the dials for their luxury watches in metallic slices of meteorite.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rolex Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph Daytona with meteorite dial<\/a> \u00a9Rolex – Ulysse Frechelin.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Ever since, brands have been looking for original materials to create a buzz. The most eco-friendly among them have recently tried offering dials made of recycled fish nets to their target audience. But given the size of the object, their action seems as\u00a0piddling as it is hypocritical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tank Must watch by Cartier with a photovoltaic dial.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Whereas the smartest of them have decided to install tiny solar panels on their dials to keep the quartz calibres running, like Cartier (read our article\u00a0Cartier Tank Must SolarBeat, you must have it!<\/em><\/a>) or Casio. While others have called upon artists to create small series of dials as art objects. Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, Herm\u00e8s, and to a lesser extent Dior or Bvlgari, have made their specialty of dials adorned with\u00a0wood or straw marquetry,\u00a0mosaics, or paintings made of feathers.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rotonde de Cartier<\/a> with its exotic dial in wood marquetry. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every year, these international brands manage to surprise us, expressing a new vision of art on\u00a0tiny surfaces. Some of them use\u00a0ronde-bosse<\/em>\u00a0or scrimshaw engraving. Others line the dials with a fraction of a real work of art, with leather, or precious fabric. However, the most popular materials remain diamonds and coloured stones.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have totally mastered the ancient technique of cloisonn\u00e9 enamel, which Vincent Daveau thoroughly explained in his previous article.\u00a0

Expressing the ultra-technical<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

True, this is all aesthetically beautiful. But it did not solve the problem of brands that wanted to stand out at the turn of the century. Their goal was to answer the desires of\u00a0enthusiasts who wanted to picture themselves in the future with a mechanical watch on their wrist. And dials were the most appropriate medium to express that. So the most determined of the brands manufactured them very early in innovative materials such as carbon fibre.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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IWC Ingenieur Automatic Carbon Performance<\/a>, a full carbon model. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In reality, given the difficulty of producing them at a decent price, many\u00a0settled for applying\u00a0a varnish-coated carbon print on the brass disc. But who would try to\u00a0take the whole thing apart\u00a0just to check if it was real fibre and not a 3D imitation?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbon inspired others who were in search of originality to go looking for new ways to express modernity. Some were seduced by carbon nanotubes, while others explored honeycomb dials. Although a small number of contemporary dials are still made of silicon, most watchmakers, such as the Pequignet Manufacture, prefer more noble materials, like smoked or sanded\u00a0sapphire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pequignet Manufacture<\/a>, Royale Saphir Blue Royale Saphir.  <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As for Seiko, it has already offered aficionados the velvety softness of Arita ware on their Presage watch. Omega has also been producing high-tech ceramic dials for some time now. This technology\u00a0ensures that the enamel will last a long time and makes sports watches much sturdier. Surprisingly enough, brands have failed to mention dials made with a 3D machine so far. Actually, they may probably already exist, just like with Panerai and their sintered titanium cases. But those who manage the brands\u2019 marketing teams remain ignorant to questions and never say a word about their existence.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Omega Seamaster Diver 300 Beijing 2022<\/a>.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Moving dials<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, those same managers are much more talkative when it comes to reveal watches bearing complication mechanisms\u00a0\u00a0that\u00a0\u00a0makes the dial move. Those pieces draw attention for being unique and some maisons have made it their specialty. For example, the manufactures Ulysse Nardin and Blancpain, the jewellery maison Van Cleef & Arpels, Bvlgari or the independent watchmaker Christophe Claret. All of them frequently unveil fine watchmaking pieces displaying playful (Bvlgari and Genta Mickey), biblical, technical (Franck Muller and the Crazy Hours) or fun (Blancpain and Ulysse Nardin) short plays, that no lover of beautiful things could ignore.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ulysse Nardin Hannibal R\u00e9p\u00e9tition Minutes and automatons, also known as\u00a0jacquemarts<\/em>.<\/strong><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Among the incredible kinetic feat on the dials, connoisseurs regularly cite pieces like the Metamorphosis from Montblanc or the Reverso R\u00e9p\u00e9tition Minutes \u00e0 rideau from Jaeger-LeCoultre as references of the genre. To conclude this subject, which was deliberately exhaustive, we must also mention dials that are made up of the back of the mechanical movement\u2019s plate and whose visible components are the spectacle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso R\u00e9p\u00e9tition Minutes \u00e0 Rideau. <\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And since they occupy an ever-increasing share of the watchmaking market, it is important to highlight the presence of digital dials, featuring on new connected timepieces. They can change according to the desires of their owners, like the TAG Heuer Connected watches, and offer a multitude of facets and features, which traditional watchmakers can only dream about. Nevertheless, some manage to imitate them with talent, just like Moser & Cie does\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT by Chlo\u00e9 Redler<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The ORIS SUN WUKONG ARTIST EDITION<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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