The Art of Time 2021: The Most Precious Dials in Horology

June 15, 2021

By Katerina Perez

12 min read

The dial is often called the ‘face’ of a watch and I entirely agree with that definition. As the central and largest element of the composition, as well as its functional part, it defines your first impression, which, as you know, is very difficult to change. Here are some new models with sophisticated dials that I am sure will make you tick.

BOVET 1822

Throughout the history of watchmaking, dials have been created from various materials: precious metals and stones, enamel and paints, varnishes and wood… Whatever material you can think of, Bovet craftsmen have probably used it in at least one of their models over the course of their nearly 200-year history. However, the new Miss Audrey Sweet Art uses an innovative and unexpected material that has never been seen before in watchmaking: sugar crystals! The process of making this dial, which conveys the sweetness of confectionery, a child’s favourite food, is extremely complex. Pascal Raffy, owner of BOVET, has been developing the idea for 20 years, and Audrey Sweet Art has brought it to life. This ‘recipe’ is patented and held in the strictest confidence; all that is known is that, to begin with, pure sugar crystals are prepared in such a way as to exclude the influence of light and heat on them, then they are calibrated in size and combined. The last step (the application of paint) gives the dial a finished look that is vaguely reminiscent of something between pavé gemstones and stingray leather.

Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a colour gradient dial crafted with sugar crystals

Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a colour gradient dial crafted with sugar crystals

 The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch has a colour gradient dial crafted using sugar crystals

The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch has a colour gradient dial crafted using sugar crystals

 The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a blue and black gradient sugar crystals dial

The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a blue and black gradient sugar crystals dial

 The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a pink sugar crystals dial

The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a pink sugar crystals dial

 The Amadéo case of the Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch can be transformed into a pendant

The Amadéo case of the Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch can be transformed into a pendant

 The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a sugar crystal dial can also be worn as a pendant

The Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch with a sugar crystal dial can also be worn as a pendant

 The new Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch can be worn as a wristwatch, a pendant or used as a table clock

The new Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch can be worn as a wristwatch, a pendant or used as a table clock

 The colourful new Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch

The colourful new Bovet Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch

 Sugar crystals have been used by Bovet to create an entirely new dial design for the new Miss Audrey Sweet Art timepiece

Sugar crystals have been used by Bovet to create an entirely new dial design for the new Miss Audrey Sweet Art timepiece

 Sugar crystals are chosen for size, then combined with special paints and hand-applied to the dial of the new Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch by Bovet

Sugar crystals are chosen for size, then combined with special paints and hand-applied to the dial of the new Miss Audrey Sweet Art watch by Bovet

CHAUMET

To celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the boutique at 12 Place Vendôme in Paris, the French maison Chaumet has released a limited edition Infiniment 12 – Rêverie Nocturne watch. This poetic piece embodies the secret charm that brings the Place Vendôme to life at night. The bezel is adorned with a thin halo of diamonds, and the sky, covered with enamel by the artist Anita Porsche, is strewn with golden stars, casting guilloche ‘rays’. Chaumet’s craftsmen, who combined several techniques simultaneously to make this, have thus managed to create a real miniature painting with contours, reliefs, shadow and light according to the laws of their discipline. A closer look reveals how mother-of-pearl accentuates the geometry of the square’s paving stones, as well as the masterfully detailed streetlamp. And, of course, there is a surprise for connoisseurs of Parisian elegance: each dial is secretly adorned with a tiny stone from 12 Place Vendôme itself, allowing the wearer to carry around a slice of Chaumet and the famous square wherever they go.

Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch with a dial in gold, guilloched and navy blue Grand Feu enameled and micro-mosaic

Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch with a dial in gold, guilloched and navy blue Grand Feu enameled and micro-mosaic

 The Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne draws on numerous artistic techniques to create a miniature Place Vendôme scene

The Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne draws on numerous artistic techniques to create a miniature Place Vendôme scene

 The streetlight on the dial of the Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch is crafted using engraved appliqués

The streetlight on the dial of the Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch is crafted using engraved appliqués

 The Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch with a diamond-set bezel

The Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch with a diamond-set bezel

 The Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch features

The Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch features

 The sky of the Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch is crafted with grand feu enamel by the artist Anita Porche

The sky of the Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch is crafted with grand feu enamel by the artist Anita Porche

 Gold stars sparkle in an enamel sky on the dial of the Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch

Gold stars sparkle in an enamel sky on the dial of the Chaumet Infiniment 12 - Rêverie Nocturne watch

DIOR

Lovers of midnight romance will definitely be interested in the Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch dials, inviting you to visit Monsieur Dior’s garden in the quiet of the night. The extensive Dior Grand Soir collection is regularly replenished with new items. This time we are waiting for 15 models, the dials of which have wild golden branches, layers of the elytra of a scarab beetle and precious flowers plunged into darkness. At midnight, moonlight beams on these picturesque paintings, illuminating them with magical colours and mysterious shades. The same light passes through the leaves, illuminating their contours in gold, while the gemstone petals flicker furtively in the darkness of the night. In this mystical twilight, morning dew slowly appears, rolling softly over the foliage like golden drops. Each model is a separate garden, bathed in the glow of fairy lights from dusk to dawn, immersing you in a wonderful atmosphere. This supernatural aura is enhanced by a bezel carved from decorative stones and a case that is completely encrusted with diamonds.

Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch with golden branches, scarab-beetle elytra leaves and a velvet strap

Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch with golden branches, scarab-beetle elytra leaves and a velvet strap

 A closer look at one of the new Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watches

A closer look at one of the new Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watches

 The Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch has a three-dimensional dial design crafted with gold, gemstones, scarab beetle elytra and gold leaf

The Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch has a three-dimensional dial design crafted with gold, gemstones, scarab beetle elytra and gold leaf

 Each of the 15 Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watches represents a different garden from dusk to dawn

Each of the 15 Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watches represents a different garden from dusk to dawn

 The Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch is available in a variety of colourways

The Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch is available in a variety of colourways

 The bezel of each Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch is crafted from carved ornamental stone

The bezel of each Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch is crafted from carved ornamental stone

 A striking white Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch with a diamond-set bezel and lugs

A striking white Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch with a diamond-set bezel and lugs

 Creating the Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch

Creating the Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch

 A carved gemstone bezel is placed atop a decorative dial to complete the Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch

A carved gemstone bezel is placed atop a decorative dial to complete the Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch

 The art of diamond setting is required for variations of the Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch

The art of diamond setting is required for variations of the Dior Grand Soir Jardins de Nuit watch

BVLGARI

The Italian jewellery house Bulgari presented three new dazzling and exquisite watch models: Divas’ Dream Peacock Dischi, Divas’ Dream Peacock Diamonds and Divas’ Dream Peacock Tourbillon Lumière, thereby enriching the Divas’ Dream collection. As you probably know, Bulgari craftsmen have long been renowned as skilful ‘jugglers’ when it comes to coloured gemstones. Now this extravaganza of colour has spread to the watch dials of these new Divas’ Dream styles, which celebrate the beauty of colour in the purest and most intense shades. The motif of each dial is inspired by the peacock, nature’s most colourful bird, and is brought to life using intricate old-fashioned techniques such as natural peacock feather marquetry, miniature painting, champlevé and cloisonné enamel, which Bulgari has been doing for over 130 years. Snow pavé, highly expressive individual diamonds as hour and minute indicators, and a stylised skeletonised tourbillon movement complete the picture of impeccable glamour.

The three new Diva’s Dream watches created by Bulgari for 2021, including the Peacock Dischi, Peacock Diamonds and the Peacock Tourbillon Lumière

The three new Diva’s Dream watches created by Bulgari for 2021, including the Peacock Dischi, Peacock Diamonds and the Peacock Tourbillon Lumière

 The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock watch with more than seven carats of diamonds

The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock watch with more than seven carats of diamonds

 The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Tourbillon Lumiere watch with a skeletonized dial decorated with natural peacock feather marquetry and snow-pavé set diamonds

The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Tourbillon Lumiere watch with a skeletonized dial decorated with natural peacock feather marquetry and snow-pavé set diamonds

 The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Diamonds and the Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi

The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Diamonds and the Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi

 The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi with a natural peacock feather marquetry dial

The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi with a natural peacock feather marquetry dial

 The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi with a sapphire and diamond-set bezel and natural peacock feather marquetry

The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi with a sapphire and diamond-set bezel and natural peacock feather marquetry

 The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi with a natural peacock feather marquetry dial and blue alligator leather strap

The Bulgari Diva’s Dream Peacock Dischi with a natural peacock feather marquetry dial and blue alligator leather strap

 Bulgari used natural peacock feathers for three new additions to its Diva's Dream collection of timepieces

Bulgari used natural peacock feathers for three new additions to its Diva's Dream collection of timepieces

PIAGET

Do you like wild roses? Then you share a passion with Yves Piaget that is embodied in four new PIAGET ROSES watches. Each dial highlights the rich colours, textures and volumes of beautiful rose bouquets. Their designs were not workshopped and realised by florists, as one might think, but by the craftsmen at Ateliers de l’Extraordinaire Piaget and guest artists. They have masterfully engraved rose petals using gold, carved hollows in the surfaces of coloured semi-precious stones, covered these with enamel and then inlaid them with diamonds, amethysts, tsavorites and pink sapphires – a true celebration of colour for those with a delicate nature! Each of the four dials is the result of the skilled work of two craftsmen: Dick Steenman, master watchmaker, jeweller, gemstone setter and engraver, and Anita Porsche, the most famous enamel artist in the watch industry. Dick and Anita have years of experience and are leaders in their respective industries.

Piaget Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art watch with a dial adorned with ornamental stones, gold and enamel

Piaget Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art watch with a dial adorned with ornamental stones, gold and enamel

 The Piaget Rose collection of watches are hand-decorated with enamel and gemstones

The Piaget Rose collection of watches are hand-decorated with enamel and gemstones

 A closer look at the dial design of a Piaget Rose timepiece

A closer look at the dial design of a Piaget Rose timepiece

 The Piaget Rose collection of watches features dials decorated with enamel flowers and coloured gemstones

The Piaget Rose collection of watches features dials decorated with enamel flowers and coloured gemstones

 Carved gemstones in the shape of floral blooms create a three-dimensional effect in the Piaget Rose collection of watches

Carved gemstones in the shape of floral blooms create a three-dimensional effect in the Piaget Rose collection of watches

 Details on the dial of a Piaget Rose watch

Details on the dial of a Piaget Rose watch

 Ornamental stones are individually carved to decorate the dials of Piaget Rose watches

Ornamental stones are individually carved to decorate the dials of Piaget Rose watches

 Each dial in the Piaget Rose collection of watches is carefully constructed

Each dial in the Piaget Rose collection of watches is carefully constructed

 A trio of Piaget Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art watches

A trio of Piaget Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art watches

 This gold engraved dial features in one version of the Piaget Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art watch

This gold engraved dial features in one version of the Piaget Altiplano Rose Bouquet Métiers d’Art watch

 Flowers carved from gold and set with coloured gemstones and diamonds feature in the Piaget Rose collection of watches

Flowers carved from gold and set with coloured gemstones and diamonds feature in the Piaget Rose collection of watches

HERMES

The Slim d’Hermès collection, created in 2015 based on the design of the La Source de Pégase scarf by Pierre Marie, has been replenished with new interpretations: two watch models in yellow and azure shades. Almost identical designs are made using completely different technologies. Pegasus in radiant colours is made using hot enamel and straw marquetry, while the background of the dial is made using the champlevé enamel technique. The second, but no less sparkling version, is on a mother-of-pearl base with a miniature painting, against which an engraved Pegasus, with his wings woven from gold, stands out. This is not a metaphor, the craftsman really has shaped the wings using precious threads cut from thin gold sheets. He puts them in layers of different thicknesses and paints them in bright colours. Honestly, it is hard even for me to imagine how much patience is required for such painstaking work, but the result is definitely worth it!

The Pegasus-inspired dial design of the Hermes Slim d’Hermès watch

The Pegasus-inspired dial design of the Hermes Slim d’Hermès watch

 The Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase is limited to 12 pieces

The Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase is limited to 12 pieces

 The two variations of the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch with a miniature painting on mother-of-pearl

The two variations of the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch with a miniature painting on mother-of-pearl

 The process of hand-painting the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch

The process of hand-painting the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch

 The yellow Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch has an enamel and straw marquetry dial

The yellow Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch has an enamel and straw marquetry dial

 Building the straw marquetry dial on the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase

Building the straw marquetry dial on the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase

 The Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase is decorated with straw marquetry and enamel

The Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase is decorated with straw marquetry and enamel

 The creative starting point and the finished result for the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch

The creative starting point and the finished result for the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch

 Creating the details of the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch

Creating the details of the Slim d’Hermès La Source de Pégase watch

After getting to know these new pieces, I noted how many experts in a number of different fields were required to design each dial. I hope I was able to convey to you the scale of the expertise and the extraordinary execution of these amazing miniature paintings.

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