Seven Superb Watches with Meteorite Dials
The sky has enthralled man since the dawn of time. From the starts to the moon and sun, it is a never-ending source of mystery and inspiration. Some watch brands have found a way, though, to bring the sky to the wrist, unveiling watches with rare meteorite dials on them.
While we are seeing about a dozen brands that turn to meteorite for certain timepieces, make no mistake: this is a rare material. The fact that meteorites come from outer space makes them not only unique but also mystifying. As such, some of the world’s top gemologists and rock hounds often go in pursuit of these unusual celestial materials.
Essentially, when a meteor shower occurs in space, the chances that an offshoot will hit Earth is rare; the chances that it will hit earth and remain intact without disintegrating is even rarer. However, in certain instances, this has happened and when a meteorite is discovered, documented and cataloged, sometimes portions of it can be bought.
Generally meteorites are made of metals and have inclusions of iron or nickel in them, as well as other substances, and most are millions of years old. They offer striations and crystallizations throughout and so slicing one shows a view of centuries of pressure, heating and cooling. Each is unique and therefore intriguing and desirable – making them a unique choice for a watch dia.
Still, turning to them for use as a watch dial is a relatively recent phenomenon. Back in the late 1980’s, for instance, Corum introduced its first meteorite dial watch. Since then, the brand has continued to unveil dials made from meteorites intermittently.
Also nearly two decades ago, in 1999, Rolex released a Day-Date watch with a meteorite dial. Again, Rolex continues to produce a few watches each year with meteorite dials.
These dials are very difficult to work with, mostly because the material is rigid and brittle, and the dials often break in production. Most dials are secured via a baseplate beneath the meteorite slab to offers stability. Here we bring you a look at seven brands that offer superbly inviting meteorite dials.
