Best enamel dial watches, from value-oriented microbrands to the haute horlogerie stuff of dreams

Borna Bošnjak

Enamel is closely tied with the advent of portable timekeeping, appearing on the dials of pocket watches some time in the 17th century. Though they’ve mostly fallen out of favour for large-scale production given the relative ease of working with metal blanks such stamped copper, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find them across a wide range of price points. Their translucent lustre and colours combined with other decoration methods such as guillochage make them among the most revered dial-making techniques. With that in mind, let’s explore the best watches with enamel dials at varying price points – just remember that you’re unlikely to get a Genbrugge or Porchet-made dial from your micro purchase.

Erebus Ascent

While it is true that affordable enamel dials are not on the level of luminescence nor depth as the properly high-end stuff, that’s not to say that they’re not a welcome sight. The Ascent launched as Erebus’ take on the perfect entry-level watch, and with it, the unexpected inclusion of either a black or white enamel dial. For under US$500 and with a high-beat Miyota 9000-series movement keeping it down to just 11mm in height, the enamel dial just adds to the value proposition. Price: US$449

Seiko Presage SPB449 Craftsmanship Series Porter Classic

If we’re talking about value-oriented enamel dials, you need to look no further than Seiko. The brand is known for its special attention to Japanese crafts for its dial, most recently encapsulated in the Presage Craftsmanship Series collection that contains watches with enamel, lacquer, and porcelain dials, amongst others. My pick for this is Seiko’s recent collaboration with Porter Classic, equipped with the stunning black enamel dial with its signature undulations as it flows beneath the pinions of the handstacks. Seeing as this piece is inspired by the Laurel, it’s all the more fitting. Price: US$2,300

anOrdain Model 1 Plum Fumé

Stepping things up a notch is the Scottish-based microbrand anOrdain. The brand built its reputation with its fumé enamel dials that are created in-house, and their phenomenal texture and depth despite the simple design. There have since been improvements in the case design and a movement upgrade (both resulting in an overall significant price jump across the brand’s offering), but the original style still works best in my opinion. Price: US$4,012 (ex. VAT)

Lundis Bleus ref. 1120

Lundis Bleus is a brand often overlooked by enthusiasts, but one that’s producing highly custom pieces worthy of your attention. Similarly to anOrdain, dial-making is the main focus here with all other parts being outsourced, and while you can have one of the entry-level models for just over CHF 3,000, I think that Lundis Bleus’ cloisonné dials are where it’s at. In a nutshell, cloisonné enamel involves thin, precious metal wire being precisely bent into a shape that is then filled with enamel to create intricate shapes. For around US$10,000, you can commission a custom dial that sits in a 39mm steel case powered by a Sellita SW300. Price: CHF 9,800 (~US$11,400)

Credor Eichi II

With an admittedly pretty significant jump up in price, we’re now playing in the big leagues amongst enamel heavyweights, starting with the Credor Eichi II. While any Eichi is a fantastic example of the Micro Artist Studio’s skillful artisans, I’m much more fond of the cleaner aesthetic of the model’s second generation that omits the semi-transparent dial numerals. You’ve got a choice of white or blue enamel (the latter making our best of list, because of course it did), both painstakingly hand-painted instead of pad-printed. The rest of the watch is deceptively simple, as it’s powered by a wonderfully decorated, manually wound Spring Drive calibre, just in case you ever get bored of looking at that dial. Price: £51,000 (~US$67,000)

Patek Philippe World Time ref. 5231G

When I think of enamel dials, I immediately think of Patek Philippe’s World Time with its signature central medallion depicting some part of the world. Rendered in cloisonné enamel, its latest variant is the ref. 5231G that just so happens to picture Australia – a welcome coincidence. The gradients of brown, cream, and green wonderfully contrast against the deep ocean blue, and give what appears to be a flat dial incredible depth. The micro-rotor, worldtime complication-equipped calibre 240 HU is hardly something to complain about too. Price: US$94,980

Kari Voutilainen 28E

If there was one artisan that was always going to make this list, it would be Kari Voutilainen. While I have no doubt Voutilainen would be able to produce any kind of dial wonder, this particular 28E combines guilloché and enamel in the technique known as flinqué. First, the dial is engine-turned by hand before layers of translucent blue enamel are painted on top and fired, showing off the intricate rose engine work but colouring it in a unique way. The Voutilainen 28E steps it up another notch, as the dial blanks are made of solid silver and gold, with only the latter being enamelled. Price: CHF 86,000 (~US$100,000)

Louis Vuitton Voyager Flying Tourbillon Poinçon de Genève Plique-à-jour

I’ve saved what I’d like to believe is best, for last – but I might be biased given that this is my favourite type of enamel technique – plique-à-jour. This particular Louis Vuitton Voyager gets (a part of) its name from it, and it’s the closest you’ll ever get to having a stained glass window miniaturised and on your wrist. Think of it as an evolution of the cloisonné, where the white gold openworked lattice replaces the thin precious metal wire, except that for plique-à-jour, there is no backing material, and the enamel portions float suspended by the beams of white gold.

Most impressive, however, is the sub-dial and its floating central barrel that allows the pinion to pass through. It must be positioned by hand before the enamel is fired and while it’s still liquid, and is only held in place by the fragile translucent material. Price: €275,000 (~US$300,000)