These are 9 Under the Radar Enamel Dials You Should Know
Probably one of the proudest informal titles I’ve garnered in my nearly 15-year career in the watch industry is “the resident enamel girl.” As a refresher, I fell in love with the artform in a hands-on workshop during a press trip several years ago and have gone on to complete three different apprenticeships in Switzerland studying the craft. I have an immense appreciation not only for the beauty of enamel dials but also the meticulous creative process behind them. Enamel dials were long held in esteem as one of the elements of watchmaking reserved for the elite, much like high complications. It’s no small feat to bring a well-executed enamel dial to life. The materials, tools, machines, and the expert level of training for the craftspeople were once gripped tightly by top brands like Patek Philippe, Breguet, Vacheron Constantin, Jaquet Droz, and Van Cleef & Arpels. Let me be clear – in practice, brand clout ultimately does not correlate to the best enamel dials. There’s a particular maison not named here (and who I will not call out by name) but who is one of the biggest names in the industry, with every resource at their disposal, and one of their recent and highly popular enamel dials is unbearably mediocre if you give it a look under a loupe. Thankfully, the collector community is starting to come around to this notion that enamel from independent brands can be equally good if not better than the old guard. If you need further proof, here are nine under the...
Time+Tide
