It is said that the dial is the face of the watch.
Have you ever noticed that every watch has a different dial?
In the production of each watch, the most important priority is the dial, as it is like the face of the watch and the first part that everyone notices. Therefore, the dial design also influences the overall appearance of the watch. Manufacturers design dials in a variety of styles to express the uniqueness and beauty of each timepiece.
In that case, how many types of watch dials are there?
For anyone who has ever thought that all watch dials are the same, today we will introduce you to 10 types of luxury watch dials, along with the meanings hidden in their colors, which might help you choose a watch that fits your style and expresses your identity even better. Let's see how each type has its own distinct uniqueness.
Types of Watch Dials
This type of dial is considered the most classic and widely used since the mid-century. It features vertical and horizontal lines across the dial, resembling a crosshair or gun sight. One of the brands popular for using Crosshair dials is OMEGA.
The production of an Enamel dial involves applying color or patterns covered with a clear glaze over glass, earthenware, or ceramic materials, known in Thai as “long ya.” It requires multiple rounds of high-heat firing to achieve a smooth and glossy surface. Therefore, Enamel dials are considered one of the oldest innovations in watch dial production. They require extreme precision and take a long time to produce, making them rarely seen today.
A Gilt dial involves coating the dial surface with a thin layer of gold or using real gold paint for symbols or the brand name on the dial. An example of a brand that popularized this type of dial is ROLEX.
This type of dial features intricately engraved patterns on the surface. A common example is the beautiful, captivating wave pattern, among many others. This must be done using a hand-operated engraving machine called a “Rose Engine.” It is considered a highly detailed craft. Nowadays, guilloché patterns may be done via laser engraving, which most watch manufacturers explicitly state. For watches that qualify as traditional guilloché using high-end patterns, they bear the “Swiss Guilloche Main” stamp, a master certification from Switzerland. These are very rare, with only brands like “Breguet” and a few others receiving this stamp.
This type of dial features small, vertical and horizontal lines appearing throughout the dial, similar to the texture of linen fabric.
Marquetry dials are considered pieces of art, as they are meticulously crafted by the manufacturer using a variety of materials, such as beautiful mother-of-pearl, shimmering gemstones, or other materials arranged into beautiful shapes that mesmerize the viewer.
The uniqueness of this dial type is the use of a piece of meteorite as the material for production, making each watch completely one-of-a-kind and entirely different.
Skeleton dials are another type that remains popular today. They involve using transparent materials like glass or crystal, or utilizing open-worked patterns between the dial plate and the movement, allowing the internal mechanism to be clearly seen from the front through to the back. Nowadays, if a dial is only partially open-worked to reveal the movement below without seeing all the way through, it is called an “Open-work” dial, frequently found in Hublot watches.
A dial featuring small, square patterns arranged in an orderly fashion with slight gaps between them. It is classified as a form of guilloché, but due to its high popularity, it is categorized as a distinct dial type. Each piece takes a relatively long time to produce. The watch brand famous for using this dial is AUDEMARS PIGUET.
This type of dial features simple vertical lines that provide a sense of luxury and power. An example of a watch that uses a Teaked dial is the OMEGA brand.
The Meaning of Watch Dial Colors
Every color in this world has a hidden meaning.
Whether it is the yellow in a famous fast-food brand's logo, representing cheerfulness and friendliness, or the blue often found on the logos of major banks, conveying stability and reliability, to the orange often appearing on online shopping business logos, effectively evoking feelings of enthusiasm and excitement.
It is the same for branded watches. In addition to the different types of watch dials, one thing that clearly expresses the identity of each watch is the dial color. As we know, the production of each Hi-End watch requires meticulousness in every step, and every model released has an interesting story. Choosing the color for the dial is part of telling the meaning and the intention behind creating that watch for the wearer.
Therefore, if you know the secret and power hidden in each dial color, it might help you choose a luxury watch that better suits your lifestyle.
Represents composure and power. We often see that Rolex frequently designs watches with black dials paired with silver bands, providing a feeling of luxury and power at the same time.
Represents reliability, confidence, and intelligence. This dial color looks good with stainless steel, brown leather, and black bands.
- White Dial
Represents purity. It is an easy color to wear, matching every dress style.
Represents a captivating sweetness, as we often see on ladies' watches.
Represent enthusiasm and intrigue, indicating your unique taste and outstanding style.
If you are looking for the right luxury watch to be your companion for every lifestyle, at PIXIU WATCH, we have many authentic pre-owned branded watches in flawless, beautiful condition for you to choose from, sold at fair prices. With the intention of passing on the beauty and value of watches with a long history to all watch lovers, no matter which Hi-End brand you are looking for, please trust PIXIU WATCH. We are ready to provide advice and facilitate every step of your purchase. You can contact us at 083-713-9292 (Oat) and 081-535-3595 (Tee) every day from 7:00 AM to midnight.
