What is the material of the dial?
The production of dials is not easy. In general, the materials that can be used as dials are: metal, enamel, mother-of-pearl, carbon fiber, etc., and even gemstones are used as dials. Dial made of metal is the most common, of which brass is the most common. In addition, high-end brand watches will use 925 sterling silver dials, or lacquered dials, such as Lange's dials, and sometimes even white gold.
Enamel dials are common in top watches, such as Van Cleef & Arpels, Athens, Paco. The production process of enamel is extremely complex, the fault tolerance rate is very low, and the process is cumbersome, so the enamel watch often fetches sky-high prices when it comes out. The mother-of-pearl disc is the favorite pairing with women's watches. In the sun, the disc will refract colorful rays of light. The refraction is mainly due to the thin calcium carbonate laminated inter layer, and its flickering effect is very charming. Carbon fiber dials are light and stiff and are most commonly used in sports watches. The carbon fiber dial must be made of carbon cloth, which in turn is interwoven with several vertical and horizontal strands of carbon fiber.
What I think is the most special is the dial made of precious stones, which are mostly onyx, tiger's eye, lapis lazuli and opal. Gemstones vary in texture and colour, so each gemstone dial is unique and cannot be replicated. Watches that can use gemstones to make dials are very difficult. For example, Blancpain and Earl have used gemstone discs, but in order to ensure that the luster and charm of gemstones can be fully presented, They often cancel the calendar window and use the simplest big three needles and small bar scales to indicate, and even wish to not even need the scales, in order to maximize the beauty of the gemstones on the dial.
