Watch Buyers Guide – Dial

Protected under the crystal of a watch is the dial. First to choose is the shape that you prefer: round, rectangular or oval.

Then there are the markers used to measure the passage of time. They are usually either: arabic numbers, roman numerals, indices or a mixture of them.

Solid Gold: Yellow, Rose and White – Nothing says success quite like a solid gold watch on your wrist, and are frequently gifted to employees as a long service award. Gold is a metal that draws greater attention to the wealth and status of the wearer than just an ordinary stainless steel watch. The lustrous metal polishes especially well due to it’s relative softness, helping make it a popular choice for dress watches where durability is less of a priority.
Luminor GMT sitting in supplied presentation box with strap adjustment tools in the background. The dial is made from both Arabic numerals and Indices for a high level of legibility
Arabic numerals on Longines Master Collection

Underneath the main-dial, ‘compilations’ will reveal sub-dials to tell the wearer anything from: the date, day of the week, 24 hour time, a second time zone, or the progression of a timer.

Rolex Cosmograph Daytona Stainless Steel 116520 (Black)
Chronograph + Date function on Oris Chronograph Automatic
GMT + Date function on Panerai Luminor GMT

Another thing to consider are the dial’s decorations. Lots of women’s watches will use a mother of pearl dial to increase the lustre and shimmer of the watch when telling the time.

Rolex adds value to their watches like the Submariner by using 18k white gold on the dials hour markers and hands. Setting themselves apart from there similarly priced competitors.