Starry Skies: How Aventurine Dials are Reshaping the Blue Dial

<p>Also known as goldstone, aventurine has had a resurgence as a dial material in the watch industry over the last two decades. Its unique composition evokes a starry sky, with a texture and depth one could spend hours studying.</p>
<h2>How Aventurine Used In Watches</h2>
<p>Aventurine is a glass made with silica, copper oxide, and other metal oxides. When heated in a low oxygen environment and allowed to cool, the material acquires a flecked, sparkling appearance. These flecks are offset against a deep blue, which—when paired with the right case material, like rose gold or tantalum—creates a stunning visual effect, like a portal into space itself.</p>
<h3>A. Lange & Söhne</h3>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163993" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/A-Lange-Saxonia-Thin-Aventurine-dial.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="A Lange Saxonia Thin Aventurine dial" width="1200" height="800" /></p>
<p>An exceptional example of the material employed on a dial is the <a href="https://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/a--lange-sohne/">A. Lange & Söhne</a> Saxonia Thin. At 39mm, the watch is suitable for all wearers and is, as the name suggests, stunningly thin. Framed in white gold, the color of the dial pops and gives the flecked aventurine the feel of the semi-precious, lapis lazuli.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163992" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/A-Lange-Little-Lange-1-Moonphase-Aventurine.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="A Lange Little Lange 1 Moonphase Aventurine" width="1200" height="800" /></p>
<p>The A. Lange & Söhne Little Lange 1 Moonphase is another exceptional example of how aventurine can push the context of a moonphase display even further. It includes the brand’s signature big date aperture at 1 o’clock, power reserve indication at 3 o’clock and a stunning moonphase with a 122.6 year accuracy at 5 o’clock. The celestial theme is carried through on the hour and minute subdial, with star-shaped hour indicators. If that wasn’t enough, A. Lange & Söhne amplified the starry sky effect in another iteration, featuring a diamond bezel.</p>
<h3>H. Moser & Cie</h3>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163991" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/H-Moser-Adventurine-Dial.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="" width="1200" height="800" /></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Compared to the relative light color of the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia, the <a href="https://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/h--moser-cie/">H. Moser & Cie</a>. Endeavour Perpetual Moon is like looking at a star-filled sky in a deeply remote area. In this example, the effect is punctuated by a moonphase aperture at 6 o’clock. The perpetual moonphase complication accurately depicts the phases of the moon with one day’s deviation every 1,027 years. The timepiece is available in red gold and stainless steel.</p>
<h3>Omega</h3>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163990" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Omega-Adventurine-Dial-Speedmaster.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="Omega Adventurine Dial Speedmaster" width="1200" height="800" /></p>
<p>Another watch that has a tie to the cosmos is the <a href="https://www.thewatchbox.com/watches/omega/">Omega</a> Speedmaster Blue Side of the Moon, Moonphase Aventurine Dial. Worn by Apollo 11 astronauts during the first moon landing, aventurine was a natural choice to integrate into this timepiece’s design. Omega took the theme further, using a patented red gold alloy—Sedna gold—for the hands and indicators. The material is a fitting juxtaposition against the aventurine dial and blue ceramic case, evoking a feeling of the sun providing a backlight to the dial itself.</p>
<h3>Hermés</h3>
<p><img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1163989" src="https://watchbox-blog.imgix.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Hermes-Aventurine-Dial.jpg?max-w=1024&q=50&auto=format,compress&usm=10&usmrad=3" alt="Hermes Aventurine Dial" width="1200" height="800" /></p>
<p>Hermés created a unique take on aventurine as well in the Arceau L’Heure De La Lune. The watch features time and date subdials, allowing the north and south hemisphere moonphase complication to take center stage. This clever complication was developed by Jean-Francois Mojon and the team at Chronode. The time and date dials are presented on a carousel and make a complete revolution every 59 days, while always rotating to remain in the proper, legible direction.</p>
<p>Whatever the execution, aventurine has taken the ever-popular blue dial and elevated it through a lens focused on depth and texture. Looking to the future, the trend of the material has gained momentum within some of the most renowned Swiss maisons and has many of us contemplating making room in our collection for something with a little more sparkle.</p>

A Lange & Sohne Hermes Omega

Written By

Todd Searle

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