ETIEN Watch Dial

Our ETIEN watch dial

The watch dial-making process at Etien is a meticulous and intricate one. Starting with a base material of German silver with a thickness of 1.6mm, our artisans create 96 tracks that radiate from the centre of the dial. The upper left of the dial displays the beautiful guilloche pattern.

The first layer of enamel is then applied on the bottom left, allowing the guilloche to shine through and create depth. Next, another 3 to 4 layers of enamel are added to saturate the colour, as seen on the upper right. Finally, grinding commences. This process ensures a flat surface for the chapter ring to sit nicely, as shown in the middle right. The final result, displayed on the lower right, is a stunning watch dial that showcases the skill and craftsmanship that goes into every Etien timepiece.  

Why do we use German silver?

German silver, nickel silver, is a copper alloy with nickel and often zinc. The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel, and 20% zinc. Despite its name, German silver does not contain any silver. Instead, it gets its name for its silvery appearance, which can make it an attractive and more durable substitute for silver. “German Silver” refers to German metallurgists' artificial recreation of the natural ore composition(Source: TimesofIndia). Due to its hard, tough, and corrosion-resistant properties, German silver is a popular material for a wide range of applications.

At ETIEN, we use German silver for our base as it is a good watch base material. It has great qualities, such as a workable and durable alloy that looks very pretty. In addition, it has a certain warmth, its key visual characteristic (it looks like warm silver, hence the name). Being untreated means that the colour of your movement will gently change over time. It will age to a lovely honey-like shade. That is a beautiful testament to the elegant art of watchmaking, as it creates a visible effect on your wrist that will get people’s attention anytime.

Why are enamel dials special?

Enamel is used for watch dials because it is a hard-wearing material that retains its shine and colour over time. In addition, the enamel prevents the base it covers from rusting. It also adds an irresistible glitter to the watch. Applying enamel on a dial is cumbersome and costly, but the result is a beautiful, durable watch dial that lasts forever.