The year 2024 was a year of adversity for many watch brands, but that hasn't deterred Omega from fully embracing meteorite dials - a combination tailor-made for a brand closely associated with space. This is particularly fitting, given that Omega was the first watch brand to be worn in space, dating back to 1969.
"Full meteorite dials offer a unique value proposition," states Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO of Omega, which has been producing all-meteorite dials since 2016. The company has now enhanced this feature in 2024, applying various colours to the meteorite dial.
He says the colours make meteorite trendier, more stylish, more fashionable. "The beautiful structure of the natural so-called Widmanstätten criss-cross pattern is highlighted by the colours," Aeschlimann says, noting that the coloration also makes the overall appearance a little less technical. "It is an interesting effect, especially with the contrast of a polished Constellation case."
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The colours - applied with galvanization or physical vapor deposition (PVD) - give a unique touch to the natural, crisscross pattern of meteorites with a high iron content. Omega also coordinated the collection to coincide with the prominent color trend for autumn/winter 2024 - burgundy. The other hues - grey, blue, green, gold, white, brown, black - also complement the palette for this season.
Beyond the colours, the characteristics of the material itself render each meteorite dial distinct. Aeschlimann acknowledges that working with meteorite is a significant challenge, as achieving the perfect combination of size and quality is complicated, and it must also harmonize with the watch's overall design.
This remarkable meteorite itself is even older, originating around 4.5 billion years ago, and officially recognised as the earliest known meteorite to have landed on Earth, having been used by several brands previously.
The use of meteorite in watchmaking is a relatively recent development. Corum was among the first to introduce such dials in a limited number of timepieces in the 1990s, and Rolex created a series of dials featuring the Gibeon meteorite, an iron-based meteorite, in 2002. The Gibeon meteorite, discovered in Namibia in 1838 and approximately four billion years old, has become the most popular material in the watch industry for dial production. Numerous brands have undergone the meticulous process of cutting thin slices of this material, including Omega's 2016 Grey Side of the Moon model.
For a dial, a 0.1-millimeter sliver is usually used. After being cut, it is smoothed out and polished to a flat surface before being acid-etched, which brings out the contrasting alloys and minerals to create a more pronounced pattern.
In 2019, Rolex utilized the intergalactic material on the GMT-Master II, adding new nuances to the iconic Pepsi-colored design. Apparently, it was well-received, as Rolex continues to feature silver-gray, raw meteorite dials today – as seen on a Daytona model worn by 2023 and 2024 Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz at his award ceremony.
Meanwhile, independent brand Czapek's 40.5mm stainless steel Antarctique Green Meteor features a green hue that includes a hint of blue to add depth to its appearance. According to CEO Xavier de Roquemarel, the Gibeon meteorite dial is coloured through the application of 14 layers of lacquering and polishing. "Using colour on the meteorite was a natural progression of the material's utilisation. The natural grey colour is so often used and now that we finally had the chance, we wanted to create a watch that showcased the Gibeon meteorite in a new way," de Roquemarel said about the model, which will be produced in a limited quantity of 100.
Will purchasing meteorite even enhance Girard-Perregaux's appeal among collectors? In 2022, Patrick Pruniaux acquired the brand, which has its roots dating back to 1791, from the Kering Group, restoring its independence. The new Free Bridge Meteorite, released in February 2024, features two bridges accentuated with Gibeon meteorite plates, offering a refined design update.
One further fashion-meteorite connection can be seen in one of the six new Louis Vuitton Escale models unveiled this summer, an indication of the luxury brand's ongoing high-end direction in watchmaking. On the Escale, the meteorite dial is secured with rivets, much like those found on the brand's classic trunks, adding an additional narrative element to the watch.
It's worth noting that not all brands that incorporate meteorite into their products are high-end: the relatively affordable microbrand Selten, for instance, also uses slices of Gibeon, albeit at a price point of under US$1,000.
This lesser-known watch brand, though highly respected among watch enthusiasts, remains a little-known quantity among the general public. One such brand is Louis Moinet, named in tribute to the inventor of the chronograph. This innovative brand creates exceptional timepieces centered on two core concepts:watchmaking marvels and cosmic art. The latter draws inspiration from meteorites and space-traveled materials. In October 2023, Louis Moinet earned a Guinness World Record for the Cosmopolis, which incorporates elements from no less than 12 different meteorites.
The company has been collecting meteorites for the past 20 years," says CEO Jean-Marie Schaller. "Among this year's production of about 350 watches, he showcases two new creations featuring meteorites. The first, the Louis Moinet Black Moon, has a movement that incorporates a moon phase display on a central, domed disc with two lunar meteorites embedded on it. One was sourced from Libya and the other from Oman.
The typical lunar meteorites are all black, but the Libyan meteorite features a marbled greyish coloration.
The second is the Louis Moinet Fuego Nuevo, which features a unique meteorite dial with laser engraving on a thin slice from the Muonionalusta meteorite, the same one used for the Omega Constellation. "We initially tried a Gibeon meteorite, but our first attempt failed - the intricate details on the dial, depicting the Piedra del Sol, an iconic Aztec artwork, couldn't be fully brought out," says Schaller. "Ultimately, a timepiece has to tell a captivating story."
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This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post, the leading news source reporting on China and Asia.
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