Maen Jumps on the Stone Dial Bandwagon with New Versions of Its Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin
Ahead of the launch of the new stone dial editions of Maen’s Manhattan 37 Ultra-Thin, I got to test drive the Obsidian Snowflake variation. This was my first time seeing one of the models from the collection in the metal in addition to previewing one of the new dial materials. While stone dials have been used in watchmaking for decades and aren’t an entirely novel trend, I do feel they’ve been a bit overdone. However, I tried to put aside my eye roll for yet another stone dial and appreciate what’s interesting about these particular executions. So, here are my hot takes after going hands on. First off, I have to give the brand credit for the choice of the stones for the collection, which are relatively unique. Instead of the typical trifecta of tiger’s eye, lapis lazuli, and malachite, Maen has opted for onyx, golden swan, and obsidian snowflake. While onyx is another mainstay, you can’t go wrong with the classic look of an all-black dial, this time with a stone twist. Moving on, I’ll admit even as the resident woo-woo girl, I was not too familiar with golden swan. Even though I didn’t see this one in person, the photos look gorgeous – the mix of rust and black give the same versatile look as your go-to tortoise shell sunglasses. This variant seems like it would literally go with everything and make a great daily wear. Saving the obsidian snowflake for last, this stone is perhaps the most artful and offbeat of the lot. If you’re a person who loves neutr...