Imbuing horology with a jewellery-like aesthetic, stone dial watches are something to behold. A relatively new addition to the watch world, stone dial watches are held in high esteem for not only their use of semi-precious materials but for the craftsmanship that goes into them. That, and the fact that colourful rocks are pretty. Using stones with intriguing patterns like malachite, tiger’s eye, and agate as well as monolithic varieties like opal, onyx, and mother-of-pearl, many manufactures crafting stone dial watches tend to eschew indices, numerals, and extraneous complications in favour of creating a smooth, uninterrupted canvas which lets the natural beauty of the gemstones take centre stage.
History of stone dial watches
Watches have always been representative of the zeitgeist, whether it’s the gold timepieces that marked the excess and indulgence of the 1980s or the more understated dress watches in the decade that followed Black Monday. In the same vein, stone dial watches were also products of their time. One of the most vibrant and divisive decades in history, the 1960s were marked by Beatlemania, psychedelia, freedom of expression, and anti-establishment sentiment. In the art world, Pop Art and minimalism — the latter a departure from the Abstract Expressionism of previous generations — coexisted in harmony. The aforementioned freedom of expression translated into aesthetic liberation , with the decade giving rise to vibrant colours and flower power.
In the horological realm, this translated to the advent of watches with stone dials. As an industry that’s been around since the 17th century, it’s rare for something new to happen in the watch world, with most new inventions actually evolutions of pre-existing innovation and technology. While some watchmakers had dabbled in mother-of-pearl dials, the incorporation of a stone dial would have called for a much thicker case, resulting in an overly clunky watch. However, in 1957 Piaget introduced the hand-wound calibre 9P which measured just 2mm thick.
This ultra-thin movement allowed for horological experimentation that had not been seen before, with Piaget reserving these movements for its precious metal watches. Translating the vibrance of the time into horological form, Piaget debuted a colourful collection of watches with stone dials in 1963, with timepieces featuring lapis lazuli, jade, opal, tiger’s eye, and malachite. Cut to under one millimetre, the stones were incredibly fragile and finicky to work with, however using natural stone rather than colourful paint or lacquer ensured that each dial was unique which added a sense of exclusivity and elevated the offering as a whole.
While its collection of stone dial watches proved popular amongst Piaget’s niche clientele, it remained a small, almost bespoke, operation, with the likes of Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sporting the style. Tapping into the market for stone dial watches, Rolex introduced its own take on the style in the 1970s, with gold Datejusts and Day-Dates available with stones like agate, onyx, lapis lazuli, jade, and obsidian. Where the Piaget creations of the 1960s found elegance with a more minimalist approach — devoid of any markers or functions on the dial — the gold-rimmed date windows combined with the gold cases of the stone dial Rolexes encapsulated the intemperance—and often hedonism—of the 1970s and ‘80s. That same decade, Cartier introduced stone dials into some of its quartz-powered watches, like the Must de Cartier and Panthère de Cartier.
Today, stone dial watches are not reserved for the upper echelons of society, with affordable options continuing to enter the market. Alongside the likes of Piaget, Rolex, Bulgari, Audemars Piguet, Omega, and Dior, mid-range watch brands and manufactures like Mido and Tag Heuer are offering their own takes on the style.
The best stone dial watches in 2024
From striking jade to cool lapis lazuli, these are the best luxury watches with stone dials.
1. Rolex Day-Date 36
Rolex has long had stone dials in its stable, however for Watches & Wonders 2023, the manufacture leaned into the style with a trio of vibrant Day-Date 36 watches. The striking green aventurine, carnelian, and turquoise dials come clad in a platinum, everose, or yellow gold case and feature diamond hour markers and Roman numerals and either a fluted or diamond-set bezel.
Price: from $65,100AUD
Model: Day-Date 36
Movement: automatic
Stone: aventurine/carnelian/turquoise
Water Resistance: 10ATM
Case Size: 36mm
2. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Turquoise
Audemars Piguet gives its eminently popular sporty Royal Oak the midas touch. Clad in yellow gold and fitted with a natural turquoise dial, the dial of each Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Turquoise is unique, boasting its own idiosyncratic patterns and marks. The dial plays host to yellow gold applied indices and luminescent stick hands.
Price: $51,000CHF (approx. $87,000AUD)
Model: Royal Oak Turquoise
Movement: automatic
Stone: turquoise
Water Resistance: 5ATM
Case Size: 37mm
3. H. Moser & Cie. Endeavour Tourbillon Concept Ox Eye
H. Moser & Cie.’s signature minimalist style is well suited to the stone dial treatment. Here, an ox eye (also known as a red tiger’s eye) stone dial is left untouched, save for rose gold leaf-shaped hands and a double hairspring flying tourbillon at 6 o’clock. The timepiece is housed in a rose gold case, which complements the multifaceted tones of the quartz.
Price: $69,000CHF (approx. $118,000AUD)
Model: Endeavour Cylindrical Tourbillon
Movement: automatic
Stone: ox/tiger’s eye
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 40mm
4. Dior La Mini D de Dior Satine
A malachite dial proves the perfect accompaniment to the dainty La D de Dior timepiece, which sees a whisper thin Milanese mesh bracelet evoke the supple luminosity of a fine silk ribbon. Hour markers are omitted in favour of putting the wavy lines and layered tones of the green stone on full display, while a yellow gold diamond-set bezel and crown add to the opulent feel.
Price: $14,500AUD
Model: La Mini D de Dior Satine
Movement: quartz
Stone: malachite
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 19mm
5. Bulgari Diva’s Dream Lapis Lazuli
Bulgari has never shied away from the whimsical and wonderful, with its Diva’s Dream collection crafted from rose gold and featuring intricate fan-shaped links that evoke the mosaics of Rome’s Caracalla Baths. An homage to the allure of the Eternal City and glamorous divas everywhere, the lapis lazuli dial contributes to the unbridled opulence of the timepiece, with the shimmering blue dial accented by brilliant-cut diamond indices.
Price: $POA
Model: Diva’s Dream Lapis Lazuli
Movement: quartz
Stone: lapis lazuli
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 33mm
6. De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Aérolite
The De Bethune DB25 Starry Varius Aérolite features an alluring dial crafted from an actual meteorite and decorated with hand-fitted white gold pins which recall the stars in the sky. The case is crafted from titanium while the exhibition caseback shows off the titanium-and-gold movement, complete with a tourbillon.
Price: $258,000USD (approx. $377,800AUD)
Model: DB25 Starry Varius Aérolite
Movement: manual winding
Stone: meteorite
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 42mm
7. Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra Onyx
Van Cleef & Arpels translate its signature four-leaf clover motif into watch form with this dressy timepiece. Complete with a black onyx dial, it’s refined and pared-back (well, as pared-back as a diamond-set bezel can get) yet striking.
Price: $28,800AUD
Model: Alhambra
Movement: quartz
Stone: onyx
Water Resistance: 3ATM
Case Size: 30mm
8. Piaget Limelight High Jewellery
Can’t have a list of the best stone dial watches without including the manufacture responsible for their creation. The Piaget Limelight High Jewellery combines haute horology and high jewellery design codes, with a turquoise dial (and a quarter of a sapphire-set bezel) set within a textured gold cuff.
Price: $POA
Model: Limelight High Jewellery
Movement: quartz
Stone: turquoise
Water Resistance: 30ATM
Case Size: 27mm x 22 mm
Words by Henry Blake
