Why meteorite dials are taking off: from Rolex and Omega to microbrands, luxury watchmakers are tapping into the love for space rocks … even Louis Vuitton is on board
2024 was a particularly difficult year for various watch manufacturers, yet Omega remained undeterred in its pursuit of incorporating meteorite dials into its designs, a pairing perfectly suited for a brand closely associated with space exploration. This affinity is evident from the fact that Omega was the first watch brand to be worn by astronauts on the moon, back in 1969.
"A meteorite dial is truly one-of-a-kind, greatly enhancing the timepiece's value," says Raynald Aeschlimann, president and CEO of Omega, which has been incorporating meteorite dials in its watches since 2016. This year, the brand is taking it to the next level by offering varied shades of meteorite dialing.
He notes that the colours make meteorites appear more stylish and fashionable. "The beautiful Widmanstätten cross pattern, a natural structure, is highlighted by the colours," he says, pointing out that the coloration also makes the overall appearance less technical in its appearance. "It's an intriguing effect, particularly when combined with the contrast of a polished Constellation case."
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The colors - applied either by galvanization or physical vapor deposition (PVD) - add a unique touch to the original mineral crisscross pattern found in iron-rich meteorites. Omega also coordinated the collection to coincide with the prominent color trend of autumn/winter 2024 - burgundy. The additional shades - grey, blue, green, gold, white, brown, and black - also match the season's color palette.
The meteorite dials are distinguished from one another not only by their colours, but also by the inherent characteristics of the material itself. According to Aeschlimann, working with meteorite poses a significant challenge, as it is difficult to achieve the ideal size and quality, and it must also align with the watch's overall design.
The dials from this release are crafted from the Muonionalusta meteorite, which crashed in northern Sweden about a million years ago. The iron-based meteorite itself is estimated to be around 4.5 billion years old, making it the oldest meteorite to have landed on Earth, and has been used by several brands in the past.
The use of meteorite in the watch industry has a brief history. Corum was among the first to introduce meteorite dials in a limited line of watches in the 1990s, and Rolex utilized Gibeon meteorite, which is iron-based, for a series of dials back in 2002. The Gibeon meteorite, a four-billion-year-old find from Namibia, discovered in 1838, is currently the most popular choice among watch manufacturers. Several brands have undergone the labor-intensive process of cutting thin slices of the material, with Omega incorporating it into its 2016 Grey Side of the Moon model.
To create a dial, a 0.1-millimeter slice is commonly employed. Once cut, it is finely polished to smooth its surface. Subsequent acid etching reveals a more defined pattern by highlighting contrasting materials and minerals.
In 2019, Rolex incorporated the interstellar material into the GMT-Master II, introducing a new level of sophistication to the Pepsi-colored design. The inclusion of this material was a clear success, as Rolex has continued to feature a silver-grey, raw look on its meteorite dials to this day, as seen on a Daytona model worn by 2023 and 2024 Wimbledon winner Carlos Alcaraz at his award ceremony.
In contrast, the green tone employed by independent brand Czapek on its 40.5mm stainless steel Antarctique Green Meteor features a touch of blue for added depth. Since the Gibeon meteorite dial has been coloured in 14 layers by lacquering and polishing, according to CEO Xavier de Roquemarel. "Using colour on the meteorite is a logical development of the material. The natural grey hue is used extensively. Now that we finally found the time to create a watch with a Gibeon meteorite dial, we wanted to demonstrate that we can go beyond it," de Roquemarel said of the model, 100 of which will be produced.
Could a meteorite actually increase its allure to collectors for Girard-Perregaux? In 2022, Patrick Pruniaux privatised the brand, which was founded as far back as 1791, through its acquisition from the Kering Group, granting it newfound independence. On the Free Bridge Meteorite released in February 2024, two bridges were showcased with Gibeon meteorite plates to create a sharp redesign.
There's another connection between fashion and meteorites seen in a new type of the Louis Vuitton Escale watch model introduced this summer, showing the luxury brand's ongoing trend towards high-end watchmaking. On the Escale watch, a dial made of meteorite is secured through rivets, evoking those used on the classic luggage made by the brand, adding to the watch's historical story.
It's worth noting that not every brand using meteorite is high-end: microbrand Selten, at the opposite end of the price spectrum, also uses slices of Gibeon but retails for under $1,000.
A lesser-known yet highly regarded brand among watch enthusiasts is Louis Moinet. This inventive Swiss label, named after the inventor of the chronograph, focuses on crafting exceptional timepieces based on two key principles: mechanical mastery and celestial artistry. The latter is influenced by meteorites and materials that have traveled through space. In October 2023, Louis Moinet achieved a Guinness World Record for the Cosmopolis, which boasts inserts from a stunning 12 distinct meteorites.
"I have been collecting meteorites for 20 years," notes CEO Jean-Marie Schaller. In the upcoming 2024 production, which comprises approximately 350 timepieces, he showcases two brand new meteorite watches. The first, the Louis Moinet Black Moon, boasts a movement incorporating a moon phase indicator situated on a revolving, dome-shaped central disk inlaid with two lunar meteorites. One of the meteorites originated in Libya, while the other was discovered in Oman.
The lunar meteorites are typically black, but the one discovered in Libya has a mixture of greyish hues.
A second unique model is the Louis Moinet Fuego Nuevo, which features a novel meteorite dial with laser engraving on a thin slab cut from the Muonionalusta meteorite, the same meteorite used for the Omega Constellation. "We initially attempted to use Gibeon, but the results were unsuccessful as it wouldn't allow fine details to be fully realized," says Schaller of the dial showcasing the Piedra del Sol, the Sun Stone, considered one of the most iconic works of Aztec art. "Ultimately, a timepiece must convey a beautiful narrative."
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