Vitreous, or grand feu, enamel is the art of fusing glass to metal. Enamel dials first appeared around the end of the 17th century but declined at the beginning of the 20th century, when they were generally replaced by painted metal ones. They are now made by only a handful of artisans scattered across the world. No other medium compares to the colour and depth of finish of a well made enamel dial, and the art has survived at the very high end for this reason.

Rising to the challenge of mastering one of the great crafts of watchmaking, our enamellers have, in almost a decade, become experts in the field. Guided by the research of our first resident jeweller Adam Henderson, conducted in anOrdain’s infancy, our three expert enamellers – Morna, Nicky and Sally – have spent years refining the practice of enamel dial making. The enamelling team has since expanded and with it our knowledge of specialisms including hand engraving and glasswork.

Enamel is ground from lump form into a powder and applied by paintbrush, layer by layer, to the metal base. The kiln is heated to more than 830°C and the powdered dial is fired. The exact time in the kiln varies depending on the chemical make-up of the enamel.

Once removed from the kiln and cooled, the dial is checked for inclusions or bubbles, which are removed and refilled between each firing. The process is repeated until the correct depth of colour and height are achieved. The final firing gives the dial a smooth sheen.

Two points of enamel are removed from the reverse of the dial, and dial feet are soldered to the exposed copper. These help secure the dial to the watch movement. The dials are printed using traditional pad-printing equipment. The printed dials are inspected through a loupe and, if satisfactory, the ink is then cured. You can learn more about our dial printing here. 

The completed dials are passed on to our watchmakers, who can begin assembly. The watches are regulated and tested in six positions for 48 hours before they are ready to package and dispatch.

Our fumé dials follow the same enamelling principles as our traditional vitreous dials, with a few unique steps.

While experimenting with enamel on a silver blank, enamellers found the metal tended to warp and dome. This would normally render the dial useless; however, when sanded flat, the enamel’s interplay with the metal formed an attractive gradient.

This sparked an idea. After months of experimentation, they were able to replicate the irregularity consistently. With the fumé dial, we follow our existing enamel method, but using a domed silver base.

We start by stamping a dial from a sheet of fine silver using a hydraulic press and a custom-made die at our Glasgow studio. The dial is stamped with a grained texture and then finished to a high polish. This produces a dimpled appearance, which gives a stunning, reflective quality.

Transparent enamel is then applied to the stamped dial and the underside is counter-enamelled to prevent the dial from bending when in the kiln. Enamel typically consists of silica, red lead and soda ash; transparent tends to have a higher proportion of silica than opaque. Changing the balance of elements affects the reaction with silver, producing varying outcomes, from crystalline to smooth and pebble-like.

The challenge is preventing cracking as the dial rapidly heats and cools – silver and enamel expand and contract at different rates. This is especially pronounced with the fumés, as the enamel is only a tenth of a millimetre thick in places.

After enamelling, the dials are fired, printed and cured, then passed on to our watchmakers for assembly.