Most Impressive Watch Dials For the Money

So when I'm looking to buy a watch, one of the first aspects of it that will be sometimes a deal breaker in determining whether I wanna move forward with the piece is going to come down to the dial. You could have all the great specs on paper, you could have all the right wearing dimensions, but if the dial isn't right and it's not something that speaks to you, it's not going to be a watch that is ultimately going to be for you. And today what we're going to be looking at is watches that are very impressive for the money. You could probably make a video five-part series talking about watch dials, but what I wanted to do is just look at some of my favorites recently, but also some at different price ranges, some watches that I personally own, get some reasoning behind them, and then going through more of this entry point all the way going up to $20,000. So what's gonna qualify a watch to be on this list? It can be a dial that has a lot of manufacturing steps in the process, and there's maybe more than meets the eye. It could just be a dial that is visually striking from a texture standpoint, or a dial that just has a unique color and has been able to own that whole genre of a color within watchmaking, or at least be very impactful in maybe making it more popular. All right, so let's kick things off. And if I had to pick one brand that have the best dials, the range of dials that are the best for their price segment, Seiko has the most variety at under $1,000, even maybe under $2,000. There are so many Seiko watches that are fantastic. Now here we're going to look at the new Prisaj Cocktail Time family. So this is a series that we've talked about a lot. It offers some of the most stunning dials available at their attainable price points. Now they were introduced first in 2010 as a series. They were started as JDM models only, and then Seiko eventually rolled out the Cocktail Time collection into the Prisaj lineup more broadly in years to follow. So they have these brass dials that are heavily stamped using a specialized mold in different patterns to recall cocktail glasses. The colorways are meant to evoke famous cocktails. You saw models in the past like the Mojito and the Negroni, very striking. There's different case sizes to choose from. You have the 40 millimeter range, you have the 38 millimeter range. There's also smaller ladies variants underneath 34 millimeters. The dials are often colored using a gradient technique that takes a darker edge, and then will be coated with a layered clear gloss. You have those beautiful faceted hands and polished indices that are manually applied, and then available in a range of different case sizes, as we mentioned, getting the 4R series of movements and 50 meters of water resistance in the process. But these are staples. And if you're trying to demonstrate value for money in a watch dial at a price, these look spectacular. And something I'll also throw out there for these, many people overlook that the Hardlex crystal has a great view of a dial. It's not going to have the same ability to show reflection as Sapphire will, especially a cheap Sapphire. And that's another reason why I think these cocktail times really sing, especially under closer inspection. Now for our next watch on the list, it is a model that we haven't really talked about that often from another Japanese brand. And here we have Citizen with the Zenshin collection. So Citizen's integrated Zenshin lineup boasts some of the brand's most richly textured dials. And texture is the main reason why these watches are here, especially at this price point. So you have these brass discs that are then precision stamped to create this dimensional element. With these patterns that include intricate brush strokes, you have vertical textures that look like tree bark, and they punch way above their weight in terms of visual refinement. The dials are finished in a vibrant color technique with a metallic sheen and then are pad printed before the application of a clear coat. They're available in three hand and chronograph eco-drive versions, as well as the popular mechanical series featuring the 8,000 series movements with small seconds display. All the models are made from super titanium and Citizen's Duratec technology, making it about five times harder than that of untreated stainless steel to reduce nicks and scratches. Another reason why the Zenshin I think deserves some mention here is, yes, you're getting that beautiful dial, but you're getting a lot of everyday wearability in the process, getting 100 meters of water resistance and a sapphire crystal. So this is one of my favorite dive watches around this $1,000 price range, especially when you're speaking about a dial with a lot of dimension to it. This is the Mido Ocean Star 39. So the Mido Ocean Star 39, it has this very distinctive version that I wanna highlight the most. This is this black and blue gradient dial with perhaps the most striking of this entire model family because of this wave texture and how it's all brought together. So the pronounced highly textured pattern is created through a deep embossing technique pressed into the dial blank. It's characteristic wave motif recalls some other watches out there on the market as well, but they were able to do it in their own way. And it has this layout that remains distinctive to Mido. The specialized gradient painting technique fades seamlessly from deep black to a vivid navy blue. You also have a sapphire crystal with anti-reflective coating on both sides for a clearer view of that dial. And this is the second time I'm referencing where a crystal plays a big role into the dial. I think we overlook this frequently when trying to give flowers to watches and their dials. A crystal and its visibility is going to be a huge aspect to the entire package. Applied indices are inset within the dial's texture for unique look, especially with that wave pattern. It almost looks like they're floating on the surface. Several other dial choices in black PVD version are also available, but if I had to pick my favorite, this would be the one. You're getting great dimensions, a slim case height, 200 meters of water resistance, and an ETA base caliber with 72 hours of power reserve. So a brand I am a big champion of, one that typically is maybe not thought about for their very compelling dials. Here we have the Zinn 104. This is the S-T-S-A-I-M-G. So this is the green metallic version. This is a dial that is formed from a brass stamping, which is then cleaned, ground, and polished. You have a mixture of green lacquer and metallic pigments that are blended and layered to create a vivid shimmering surface that plays with the light in a way similar to a metal flake automotive finish. That's what this reminds me of the most. The dial is then pad printed in white and high grade superluminova is applied. And similar to some of the watches thus far, it's not just a pretty face. This is a heavy duty watch. It's a 104 after all. It boasts 200 meters of water resistance. You have low pressure resistance for that added viability as a pilot's watch. An anti-reflective sapphire crystal. You have treatment on both sides, once again. A ratcheting countdown bezel and an automatic Selita SW220 movement on the inside, visible through that sapphire case back window. And this is going to be a higher grade of that SW220 to go along with it. How about a watch dial that is made of trash? Yes, that's what we're looking at next. And this is the Oris Aquus Date Upcycle. Now first introduced in 2021, this watch coincided with Oris' initiatives when it came to sustainability. And the dial was updated with this unique upcycle dial. It emphasizes their commitment to environmental responsibility. And it's made from recycled PET plastics recovered from the ocean, which is pretty crazy. I know a lot of initiatives when it comes to sustainability feel very forced. This was one that made a lot of sense and they were able to incorporate the aspect of taking this plastic and reusing it for watch design, which I thought was really cool. I have shredded plastics that are then heated and molded onto an underlying brass plate, making every dial one of a kind, which is a give and take with a watch like this, because you might see a picture of one and you really like that version, but it is almost like a mystery box when you get a Oris Upcycle because every single one of these dials is unique. After the dial is set up, you have indices filled with superluminova that are applied. And then you have a dial that now boasts a color match date wheel at six. They are available at different case sizes. We've seen 36 and a half millimeters, 41 and a half millimeters and 43 and a half millimeter case sizes. And the upcycles features 300 meters of water resistance and a gray ceramic bezel insert and a Selita based movement on the inside. So now we get into some more boutique brands. So this was a brand that was first launched in 2019 and is a French brand. It's Awake. They're an independent watchmaker, primarily known for their striking lacquer guilloche dials. Now, perhaps our most breathtaking dial is their Son Mai Frosted Leaf in Royal Blue. This watch is incredible. It's crafted in a 15 hour long artisanal process that combines the revered Vietnamese lacquer technique with genuine 24 karat gold leaf gilding. Dial artisans apply multiple layers of natural blue pigments, gold leaf and tree sap with hand sanding between coats. The varied layers determine how light refracts through the dial, resulting in incredible depth and a variety of blue tones in the process. Given the handcrafted nature, no two dials are ever alike and the solid superluminova material is layered underneath the hands and applied indices for a backlit effect. The watch is well-sized at 38 millimeters and features the automatic G101 movement from L'Ajuperet. You get a hundred meters of water resistance and the Alcantara strap is very easy on the wrist as well as having a micro-adjustable pin buckle. I think the best thing about these watches is that they're not unbelievably unattainable too. You can get these for well under $5,000 and for all of the hand techniques that are being showcased here, pretty remarkable stuff. Now, Fears is a historic British brand that was first established back in 1846 but was revived more recently in the last decade by Nicholas Bowman Scargill. He's the sixth generation of the Fears family and wanted to get things back running. Now, one of their most popular model families is the retro-styled Brunswick and the watch that makes the most sense for having a striking dial for the price has to be their Aurora variant, which ups the ante with an incredibly gorgeous dial. It's crafted in Germany from two separate sections of mother-of-pearl selected for its spectacular iridescence and as a natural material, no two dials are gonna be the same. This is a theme that we've been talking about quite a bit as of late. Each piece is gonna be cut to a different thickness and placed on separate planes to create this depth and enhance light play. Each section is painstakingly hand-tinted a light blue and the result also shows greens and purples depending on the light. The hand-applied hour numerals are rendered in a custom typeface with the indices milled from brass, they're diamond polished and rhodium plated before application. The dial rests within a 40 millimeter stainless steel cushion case that's water resistant to 150 meters and the Aurora is powered by a Lajeux parade movement on the inside, visible through the display case back. So this is a brand that I always bring up when talking about dials. When you're looking at under $5,000, around $5,000 and under, where can a brand truly separate and show more of this artisanal finish? Dials are one of the best places to do that and there's probably no better brand that does it under $5,000. I mean, Awake is close but Anordain's been doing it for quite a long time. They're a Scottish boutique brand and they're known for their vitreous enamel dials and the plum colored model one is one that is intensely saturated. It's a wash in my personal collection and I'm a big fan of. It has this fume effect that darkens to near black at the perimeter. Based in Glasgow, the multi-step enameling process takes up to 15 hours. You have a blank silver dial that is then stamped using a hydraulic press and custom dye, which is then domed for added depth of color, a decision made after an accident actually. From Anordain's experience, silver dials had a tendency to warp inside the kiln, creating low spots that caused a pooling effect after sanding. So Anordain turned the problem into a feature. The dial is intentionally domed and the reverse of the dial is counter enameled to prevent warping, creating a consistent fume effect. Additional coats of ground glass enamel are sifted onto the dial and fired at more than 800 degrees Celsius between layers, melting the glass particles into a smooth finish with each layer hand-sanded and polished to a precise thickness. Finished dials are then pad printed in their custom typeface and final assembly takes place in Scotland with each dial, a one-of-one creation. Another brand that knows how to produce an amazing dial is Longines. I wanted to pick something that I haven't really talked about when speaking about a dial, but it's a sleeper. And it's actually part of the sports collection, heritage series, but a sports oriented watch. This is the Longines Avogation Big Eye, specifically in titanium with this petroleum blue dial. So first released in 2017 and based on a forgotten historic chronograph reference, the Longines Avogation Big Eye is available in both stainless steel with an instrument like black dial and a more modern grade five titanium with a unique blue dial. The petroleum blue dial features a gradient color that fades from lighter blue to nearly black at the perimeter with contrasting black sub registers. Beyond just this effect of transitioning with color, the dramatic grain texture is another reason why I want to talk about this piece. You have this press pattern, but it's balanced with circular snailing on the three sub dials and the loom gets an aged effect, which makes it all the more striking. The distinctive oversized Big Eye 30 minute register at three adds to the mystery with its three minute markings equal to 1 20th of an hour, which may have been used for performing calculations related to speed, distance and fuel consumption. The Avogation Big Eye also features the L688.5 automatic cowl mill chronograph, which is based off of the ETA 808.L01 and offers a silicon balance spring with a 66 hour power reserve. So what is the most sought after Tudor watch from the contemporary collection? If you had to pick one, it probably would be this one. It's the Tudor Black Bay Chrono Flamingo Blue. And when you first see this watch, you see the striking dial and that's one thing and that's why many people want it. But when you learn how this dial is actually made, that's where you start to appreciate it even more. And we were able to actually go into the facility where these dials are made. So we learned a little bit more about the process and you come away appreciating this dial a lot more. So Tudor's in-demand Black Bay Chrono in Flamingo Blue undergoes a multi-step process to achieve its bold turquoise dial color. Brass dial blanks are cut and then stamped before colors are then applied. They're airbrushed by a skilled painter. That was probably the biggest surprise that these dials are airbrushed by a skilled painter to achieve a flawless finish. This is not done by a machine. Where the dual sub-dials sit, the painted dial blank is CNC machined back to raw brass for a sunken register that gives the dial added dimension. The dial then undergoes a heated galvanic bath giving the sub-registers their black finish, which I thought was a really cool technique. So this is actually done through a plating technique and a chemical exposure bath. And that's how it's actually achieving this. While the turquoise is then protected by a clear varnish. Finally, the dials undergo a multi-step pad printing process where different colors are applied separately for the different parts of the dial. Ink is applied to the steel plate with laser engraved dial markings before the excess is wiped away. And a flexible pad is pressed onto the plate to pick up the remaining ink within the dial markings. An arm moves the pad into position where it's then stamped onto the dial and pressing a copy of the plate onto the painted background with the process repeated until the markings are perfect. So one of the most talked about watches at Watches and Wonders, at least from Rolex, was the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 with the Jubilee dial motif. And when people were looking at this, they just saw this very out there colorway, a lot going on, very busy dial. But if you learn how this is manufactured, you can appreciate this that much more. And if you've seen this dial in person, you know that it is pretty remarkable up close. So the Rolex Oyster Perpetual 36 Jubilee has one of the most unique multicolored dials in all of watchmaking with the patchwork motif actually composed of letters within boxes spelling out Rolex in a repeated pattern. Although the new Jubilee dial pattern has appeared in more monochromatic executions found on the Datejust and Day-Dates dials of the late 1970s and onward, the current Jubilee dial has no fewer than 10 different colors making up the intricate design. The repeating Rolex monogram is stamped onto the surface with microscopic depth to create the multicolored mosaic pattern. The process is precise with each color applied within a clean room in a separate layer of lacquer, building up over 10 individual passes that must be perfectly aligned down to the micron. And the result is one of Rolex's most distinctive dials to date. And if 36 millimeter isn't the ideal size for you can also go for it available in 41 and 31 millimeter diameters. Okay, so this is a watch from my personal collection and one that I really like. And sure, there might not be a crazy amount going on. It might just be more about the color, but this was a watch that when I saw it for the first time, I fell in love with it because the color is so striking. So the premier family dates all the way back to the 1940s. But then in 2018, we saw this collection be revived and it was going to feature the B01 movement, the automatic chronograph caliber from Breitling. But when the manual B09 was introduced in 2021, it launched the 40 millimeter version with one of Breitling's most captivating dials, the pistachio green variant. This remains one of the brand's most attention-getting and best-selling watches to this day. And it's the product of a meticulous series of steps. You have a solid brass plate that is stamped and then formed with a pair of sub registers recessed into the metal. It's followed by the creation of the snailed sub dial texture. And then the dial is then sprayed lacquered in multiple step process to achieve the signature green hue and then followed by a glossy clear coat. The dial is then oven cured and polished to a glass-like shine, resembling the liquid depth of traditional fired enamel. Once cured, the markings are then added using a transfer of a pad printing for a precise crisp look, adding a sharp contrast to the diamond polish and rhodium plated applied indices. And beyond all of this steps in the process, just the color choice of this dial is enough to probably have it on this list alone. So if I had to pick one brand at the luxury segment that has the best showcase of dials from texture to color to just finishing, it would have to be Grand Seiko. So there are so many watches I can mention here. Why not talk about one of the newer creations that are also using a proprietary technique in the process? This is the Grand Seiko Ushio 300, specifically the green dial. So Grand Seiko's new Ushio dive watches feature a host of improvements. This was a watch that was long awaited by enthusiasts, getting a smaller mid-size dive watch from Grand Seiko and getting the high accuracy, the ultra fine accuracy, spring drive caliber 9RB1 on the inside, plus or minus 20 seconds a year. But we're not here for that. We're here for the dial. So applied over the striking wave texture of the green dial, you have this patented optical multi-layer technology utilizing a physical vapor deposition process to apply nanoscale films, which reflect light differently depending on the viewing angle, allowing the color and intensity to change in varying conditions. This is not the first time Grand Seiko has done this in the past, but to see this in a model in more of their traditional production and catalog is something to be said. The color shifts from a deep green at the edge to a near silver towards the center. And I remember picking this watch up for the first time. Joe Kirk came and revealed these watches to me, and I am someone that usually always goes for blue, and I do love the blue version of this watch, but my eyes were immediately set on the screen because it had this silver center to the dial because there was this window behind us, and it really shows off this proprietary technique for the finishing of this dial. In addition, you're also getting this Ushio wave pattern that is still remarkable in this green effect. The result is one of the most vivid and dynamic dials in Grand Seiko's entire catalog, and this optical multi-layer technology was, again, first seen in the SBGC 275 chronograph, but this time getting it in more of a straightforward, conventional color like green compared to that striking red to pink to orange, and being in a dive watch at a midsize, it really allows you to appreciate this that much more. Another brand that does dials exceptionally well is going to be Omega, and this was a tough one. There were many different watches from Omega that could be considered here, but I think there's one that rises above the rest that we've not talked about as much, at least in this context, for having a very impressive dial. That is the Omega Seamaster Aqua Terra World Timer Edition. So the Aqua Terra family has quite a wide range of dials that are spectacular for the price, but this one has the most dimension and the most going on. So the Aqua Terra World Timer, it's a spectacular timepiece for many reasons, but especially for this visually arresting central dial created through a wide variety of techniques. The finely detailed globe that portrays the Northern Hemisphere is crafted from grade five titanium with the continents being laser ablated in a 3D relief finish. The colors are not the result of painting or enameling, but a chemical reaction from the titanium to the laser ablation process itself, demanding a high level of precision to execute. The effect holds up well under magnification, showing Omega's use of 21st century manufacturing methods. And surrounding the globe itself is a Hesalite ring. So this is actually outside of the Speedmaster Professional, the only watch that has a inclusion of Hesalite into the watch itself. That's going to have that 24-hour scale divided into a day and night indication. And the 24-hour scale rotates by way of the crown when adjusting to meet the desired location of the cities at the outskirts of the sloping chapter ring. The main dial is engraved with the signature Aqua Terra teak stripes, finished in a sunbrush blue, and trapezoidal applied indices are going to punctuate the hours. Moving along to the next watch on this list, this is one that after spending some time with it, living with this piece, I do think it's a pretty underappreciated dial for its segment. This is the IWC Ingenieur, specifically the Aqua dial version, but you could probably put any of them in here, but I really do like the darker versions of the dial just because of what is visually taking place and seeing it at different angles. So when IWC revamped the Ingenieur, it really did create a lot of conversation in 2023. And it was one of the most talked about watches when it was released at Watches & Wonders. This is a re-imagining of the Gerald Genta iconic design of the 1976 SL model. And a big reason why this watch is on this list is the checkerboard dial variant and just how it's creating this visual interesting contrast at different angles. And one thing I've learned about when wearing this watch is just when you are putting the watch on your wrist and you're looking at it more from like a 45 degree angle, maybe not so straight down angle, but it still looks great at every angle, but 45, you really see this pattern and it creates a lot of dimension to the visual presentation. Now the dial's base starts as a soft iron rather than a brass blank, adding some magnetic resistance in the process. I mean, this is an engineer's watch after all. And the process calls back to the Ingenieur's heritage in that regard. The checkerboard grid pattern consists of tiny lines and squares that are stamped under immense hydraulic pressure, creating those deep sharp textures, which is really the thing I was calling out when you're looking at this watch from different angles. It creates this tapestry type looking dial. The color is then added using a physical vapor deposition process with the chemically bonded vapor layer, allowing tonal shifts in the color depending on lighting conditions. And I find this to be even more the case with the Aqua dial. The dial's color matching date wheel in the snailed outer minute track brings great continuity and the rhodium plated hands and applied indices filled with superluminova offering nice touch of contrast. So Glashutte Reganau is renowned for their dial making prowess. They actually have a dial manufacturer that was originally in Pforzheim, but now they've moved it into Glashutte so they have more in-house capability in the region beyond just what they had just a few years ago. And you see that firsthand with this precision engineering and their ability to pull off some spectacular dials for the money. That is best demonstrated with watches like this. This is the 70s edition. This is the green version, the green dial. And manufacturers with their own dial facilities are fairly uncommon. Most dials are going to be produced by a third party supplier. And Gio really shines as stewards of traditional German dial making. And you can see it here. And this TV case 70s chronograph panorama date is going to be in what they call a fab green. And it presents one of their most compelling dials with this funky colorway achieved through multiple highly precise steps. The brass dial blank is stamped into the rounded square shape of the TV dial with the recessed snailed vinyl sub-dial patterns created with a small lathe. The dial is then sprayed in multiple layers of matte green with black lacquer at the outer edge to create this fume effect. The dial markings are then pad printed in bright white with hands and indices finished in contrasting black. And the clever design also includes three apertures, including a power reserve in the sub-register at nine. You have a 12 hour numerical counter below 12 tied to the chronograph. And then you have the signature panorama date at six with both numeral discs on a single plane. But all right, guys, that's our video here today looking at some of the most impressive watch dials on the market. We could probably do a part two, a part three. We did this subject years ago and I just felt like now three, four years later, it made sense to revisit. And we could do a part two if you guys want us to do more of these and you enjoy these style of looking at how watch dials are maybe produced a little bit more, getting into more of the details. And then some of the reasons why I think they're impressive. But if you guys enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe, hit the bell icon. Really do appreciate that as well. Definitely check out teddyballshare.com, full authorized dealer for over 35 brands. Every purchase from our website comes with quick and fast fulfillment, dedicated customer support, a full factory warranty for all the products that we offer. In addition, if you're ever in the Cleveland, Ohio area, want to check out our new boutique. We just did a big expansion this year, four times the space, over four times the brands in store. We have around 20 or so brands in store now that you can view at any given moment. If you're ever coming in for a specific appointment, just reach out to us with ample time beforehand so we can make sure that we can get as many of the watches that you want to see in the store as possible. We have a lot of watches that are not in the store that we sell online in our warehouse, but we can bring them over for you to check them out. Whether online, in store, love to be able to help you out with your next watch purchase because it allows us to keep doing what we're doing here. We love what we do. Guys, thank you again so much for watching. Be well, and I will see you all very soon.