Precious and semi-precious gemstones have always been the perfect accompaniment to jewellery and watchmaking.
Precious stones such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires are classic adornments for jewellery watches. Meanwhile, other semi-precious stones, which are less prestigious but just as decorative, are also widely used in watchmaking.
Colours, textures and technology all in the service of beauty
In the 1970s, watchmaking innovation highlighted the use of coloured gemstones, particularly in dial construction. By cutting gemstones with ultra-precise accuracy to a few thousandths of a millimetre, they can be transformed into extraordinary dial backgrounds.
This technique has been greatly popularised by brands such as Piaget and Vacheron Constantin, offering a wide range of possibilities for aesthetic exploration.
Some of the most commonly used semi-precious stones in watchmaking are worth taking a look at.
Tiger’s Eye
The golden colour and subtle iridescent sheen of tiger’s eye create a mesmerising backdrop on a watch face, playing with the reflections of light.
Lapis lazuli
This stone is a deep blue colour and is often flecked with silver or gold. Thanks to the subtle variations in colour of each stone, every watch is unique.
Onyx
The deep black of the onyx dials complements the yellow gold cases perfectly. Despite their deep colour, these dials are fragile and may break during servicing.
Malachite
Malachite is one of the rarest gemstones used in watchmaking. Malachite dials are magnificent. The stone features emerald hues and concentric or spiral patterns. Like lapis lazuli, a malachite dial gives the watch it is set in a completely unique character.
Stone mosaic
This technically complex method enables multiple stones to be incorporated into a single dial. Whether the aim is to create textural effects or a three-dimensional effect, composing a mosaic of stones is a fine art that requires technical skill and aesthetic talent.
The Harry Winston watch and jewellery house, for example, showcases its remarkable expertise in this field, as demonstrated by its exceptional pieces.
