Four Dials To Die For!

Four Dials To Die For!

Martin Green
By Martin Green April 28, 2017

The dial is often described as the face of a watch, and how much more true can this be? It is one of those facets that can make, or break, the overall design. A dial in luscious guilloche can add a new dimension to a watch while changing merely the color of a dial is often enough to give it a whole new feel.

After the blue dials of Baselworld, which are the current trend, we now explore four more dials to die for!


Greubel Forsey Tourbillon 24 Secondes Asymétrique Edition Historique.
With their highly technical watches, Greubel Forsey has mostly withstood the temptation of forgoing dials altogether. In fact, they have used dials more than once to convey their philosophy, making their watches a pamphlet of their beliefs. Ten years after its conception, Greubel Forsey is retiring the Tourbillon 24 Secondes Asymétrique, and for this, they redesigned the dial. It now features two new ways of displaying the seconds and power reserve, but more so, it also features a stunning relief text, revealing Greubel Forsey’s philosophy. This not only adds a whole different dimension to the watch but might even inspire you to start taking those French lessons finally.


Hublot Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti in All Black
Leather is perhaps one of the most unusual materials to make a dial out of, yet when Hublot teamed up with Berluti, they did just that. Founded in 1895 in Paris, the brand is best known for making the shoes of Frank Sinatra and Andy Warhol. For Hublot, they put their craftsmanship to work on the dial and strap. Captured in a black ceramic case, with alternating polished and satin-finished surfaces, the Classic Fusion Chronograph Berluti in All Black is as stylish as it is understated. The dial is made of patinated Venezia leather with Scritto Décor, but I am especially fascinated by the embossed indexes. The strap is made from the same type of leather and also features the Scritto Décor. All you need now is some black Berluti’s to match!

Vacheron Constantin Copernicus Celestial Spheres
While the Copernicus Celestial Spheres by Vacheron Constantin mainly made headlines because of their incredible precision, making it that you only have to adjust this watch once every 8.000 years, there is so much more to it! Being part of the Métiers d’Art collection they feature the most stunning dials, and our favorite is the hand engraved one. In this watch, you see the hand of the master. Not only are the Zodiac signs displayed in great detail, but they are also intertwined with each other, and even extend to the inside section of the dial. This part is occupied by an equally beautiful crafted moon, making it that you completely forget about the precision of this watch and are just in awe of its beauty.

Blancpain Villeret Grand Décoration Lavaux
UNESCO noticed, and so did Blancpain: the vineyard terraces of Lake Geneva are extraordinairy. The same can be said for the painstaking details in which their beauty is captured on the Grand Feu enamel dial of this Villeret. The colors, the light, the contrast of the mountains and the vineyards, it is all there in its full glory. This scenery is framed by the 18K red gold case with its signature stepped bezel. Inside we find manufacture caliber 15B, a manual wind, ultra-thin movement, originating from the Villeret pocket watch,  and the perfect companion for a watch as pure like this. The only disappointing thing about this watch is however that it is a Piece Unique.