Round-UpThe Allure Of Enamel Dials

Enamel dials were one of the major components of vintage-era pocket watches. It is that delicate, opaque material created when glass-forming silica crystals are fired with metal oxides at high temperatures. There diverse enamelling techniques used for creating watch dials, such as: cloisonné (fusing thin metal wires into the base coat of enamel), champlevé (application of enamel over engraved metal spaces via etching, die stamping, engraving and high-quality casting techniques) and grand feu (meaning ‘big fire’, fusing glass power with metal oxides under extremely high temperature of 800 degree C). Compared to lacquered dials, enamelling is time exhaustive, and needs extreme accuracy in managing temperature control to get it right. Even after following the rules to the ‘T’, enamel is fickle, has a mind of its own, and at any stage of the firing process can get ‘flawed’ with the sudden formation of bubbles, cracks, roughness, and inconsistent colouring on the dial. Given the tedious process, enamel dials are mostly limited-edition or limited-production watches. Here’s listing top watches that have reinvented vintage enamel dials with modern technique and aesthetics.

Chronoswiss Delphis Horizon

The blue Chronoswiss Delphis Horizon casts the illusion of a quiet midnight, thanks to its semicircular enamel design in the top half of the dial. This neo-classic dial architecture, with the background of the fan-shaped design on top and sub-dial on the bottom, is made resplendent by the machine-engraved classic decorative technique of guilloche. To produce the delicate, hairline ripple effect with glossy sheen, a coating of translucent enamel is painted over the blue portions.

Complementing this blue tone are contrasting timekeeping and design aesthetics such as the grey outer minute track Arabic numerals and date aperture, black textured and smooth portions, and the encircling 18-karat knurled white gold case.

Czapek Quai des Bergues Emerald Green And Sapphire Blue

The Quai des Bergues Emerald Green and Sapphire Blue variants offer a modern take on the conventional off-white, vintage-era enamel dials. Both the Czapek Quai des Bergues versions feature webby textured flinqué enamel dials. Flinqué are repetitive etched geometric patterns using the guilloché technique. Once the etching in the ancient decorative art technique is complete, the dial is applied coat with a coat of translucent coloured enamel. The brand’s two versions are made resplendent with the signature Czapek Ricochet guilloché pattern. This thicket of textures offers a good contrast against the smooth backdrop of the sub-dials at four o’clock and eight o’clock.

The Czapek Quai des Bergues versions feature webby textured flinqué enamel dials

Once the etching in the ancient decorative art technique is complete, the dial is applied coat with a coat of translucent coloured enamel

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H Moser & Cie. Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel

The Endeavour Perpetual Calendar Tantalum Blue Enamel dial stands out for its bright and textured grand feu enamel dial coloured in ‘Abyss Blue’. To achieve the signature fumé effect, the translucent grand feu enamel dial is fired 12 times in total, involving careful work and an almost-limitless patience. Cementing the brand’s minimalistic philosophy, the dial does not feature the brand logo, just one silver-hued indice at 12 o’clock, a big date window at three o’clock with the ‘Flash Calendar’ function, small seconds sub-dial at six o’clock, and power reserve indicator at nine o’clock. Adding to the rarity quotient is the usage of tantalum, a highly dense and extremely strong metal that develops a fine layer of oxidation which helps protect the metal from corrosion and other aggressive factors. The stable case structure (42mm in diameter, with 13.1mm thickness) in a dark grey colour with a blue-ish reflection that does not tarnish.

H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour

₹78,00,000

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Jacob & Co Astronomia Casino

The Jacob & Co Astronomia Casino mixes the art of enamelling watch dials with the thrill of gambling. At the heart of this watch lies a fully operational miniature roulette wheel, meticulously designed with green, red, and black enamel alongside mahogany inlays. The enamel roulette feature can be set in motion using a trigger at the eight o’clock position on the case, and doubles up as a winding mechanism for the animation’s power reserve. To add a personal touch, Jacob & Co offer a mother-of-pearl insert on the owner’s lucky number. Complementing the enamel case, is the handcrafted 18-karat rose gold case, sealed by a domed sapphire crystal glass that offers an unhindered view of both the tourbillon calibre and the functioning roulette wheel. Housing the manual-winding JCAM36 calibre, the watch offers a 60-hour power reserve, and it all sits comfortably on the wrist with an alligator leather strap paired with an 18-karat rose gold, folding buckle.

The Jacob & Co Astronomia Casino mixes the art of enamelling watch dials with the thrill of gambling

₹6,37,00,000

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The dial is a fully operational miniature roulette wheel, meticulously designed with green, red, and black enamel alongside mahogany inlays. The enamel roulette feature also doubles up as a winding mechanism for the animation’s power reserve

₹6,37,00,000

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To add a personal touch, Jacob & Co offer a mother-of-pearl insert on the owner’s lucky number

₹6,37,00,000

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Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel

The Louis Erard Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel shifts the focus from its coveted regulator mechanism to its enamel dial. Launched along with other two Le Régulateur Louis Erard watches, Atelier Oï and Cédric Johner, Louis Erard, for the first time ever, have used their regulator mechanism with the glossy, opaque enamel for dial surface. In the Le Régulateur Grand Feu Enamel, Louis Erard chose the vitreous technique, popularly known as grand feu enamelling, which is the French term for ‘great fire’. This involves firing the enamel over 800 degree C. To ensure the technique is carried out to perfection, Louis Erard had collaborated with Donzé Cadrans SA, a Swiss-based company that specialises in using traditional firing techniques to create enamel dials. Inscribed alongside the dial edge between seven and nine o’clock is the hallmark Fabriqué en Suisse émail grand feu (meaning ‘made in Switzerland, grand feu enamel’). The dial features a vertically stacked trio of timekeeping indications—an hour counter at 12 o’clock, a long central minute hand at the coaxial, and a running seconds counter at six o’clock—with three blued steel fir tree hands that make a wonderful contrast against the vintage enamel dial.

Seiko Presage SPB401 

The 1,500 limited-run Seiko Presage SPB401 was created in the image and likeness of the vintage-era first-issue iconic Seiko Laurel. What redefined this otherwise usual stainless steel version is the ‘Super Hard Coating’ dial. The Presage replicates this aesthetic with a white enamel dial that looks busy but not uncluttered even after showcasing  a list of timekeeping elements, black Arabic numerals, red coloured Roman numeral 12 o’clock, brand logo, and sub-dials at six o’clock and nine o’clock. Both sides are sealed with double curved sapphire crystal glass having an antireflective coating.

The Seiko Presage features a ‘Super Hard Coating’ white enamel dial that looks busy but uncluttered even after showcasing a list of timekeeping elements such as contrasting black Arabic numerals, red coloured Roman numeral 12 o’clock, brand logo, and sub-dials at six o’clock and nine o’clock

The 1,500 limited-run Seiko Presage SPB401 was created in the image and likeness of the vintage-era first-issue iconic Seiko Laurel

Seiko Presage

₹1,80,000

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Titoni Seascoper 600

The Titoni Seascoper 300 is a classic example of a dashing all-black wristwatch. At the heart of this dark COSC-certified chronometer is a jet black enamel dial that becomes the deep dark contrast for the 11 grey indexes, and matching grey hands, all filled with Super-LumiNova to aid legibility. Despite its monochromatic appearance, the black dial displays the time and date with exceptional clarity. Designed as the diving tool watch, given its impressive 300m water resistance, the dive time scale on the ceramic bezel includes the signal triangle at the 12 o’clock with a lume dot to indicate the time underwater. Completing its all-black aesthetic is the sustainable #tide strap made from recycled ocean plastic.