First making waves in the 1960s, stone dials have made something of a comeback. With their stunning faces crafted from semi-precious stones such as lapis lazuli, malachite, jade and tiger’s eye these statement timepieces are exceedingly appealing to collectors. They are often unique, carved from a single block of stone and showcasing its natural variations. Their minimalist designs and bright aesthetics are other hallmarks that catch the eye.

To mark its 25th anniversary, Gerald Charles harnessed the power of stone for the first time in the dial of the Maestro 2.0 Ultra-Thin Lapis Lazuli, featuring the deep-blue metaphoric rock that was a favourite of company founder Gérald Genta. Carving the dial is an intricate process involving at least 24 hours of painstaking craftsmanship per watch. No two dials are exactly alike; each is cut by hand from raw stone down to an ultimate thickness of just 0.55mm, then polished by hand and machine to give the natural stone its ultimate sheen. Any faces exhibiting imperfections or not the desired hue are weeded out.

Mirroring the angled, asymmetric silhouette of the Maestro case – inspired by baroque motifs – presents further challenges when cutting of the dial, as does accommodating the hands and applied hour markers and drilling out the aperture for the date window. The lighter colour tones of the markers, the stainless-steel case and the brand logo embellished on the dial provide a striking contrast to the rich blue hues of the stone dial, the blue Colormix-coated bezel and the matching strap. Snug inside this 3.7mm-thick timepiece is the brand’s ultra-thin Swiss manufacture 2.0 calibre.

Ulysse Nardin’s Diver Atoll sports stone-cut dial crafted from chrysocolla housed in an 80% recycled stainless steel polished and satin-finished case. Limited to 100 pieces, uniqueness is ensured by each stone dial’s distinct and mesmerising patterns, with imagery alluring to lagoons, coral reefs and ocean vibes. Beautiful blends of blue and turquoise dotted with whisps of brown and black project an earthy elegance. A unidirectional rotating bezel set with 40 diamonds and 11 diamond indexes on the watch face add to the aesthetic appeal. Joining the brand’s Diver collection, the 39mm timepiece offers water resistance down to 300 metres and is powered by the UN-816 self-winding movement.

Three versions of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 36 watch boast dials cut from decorative stone: one of green aventurine distinguished by a crystallised surface; another made out of carnelian with its distinctive orange hue and panoply of patterned lines; and lastly a shimmering turquoise face threaded with natural veining. All three are embellished with diamond-set hour markers and Roman numerals ringed by a diamond-studded bezel. Each features the brand’s signature President bracelet with semi-circular three-piece links and the Calibre 3255 movement that activates the instantaneous day and date in apertures at 12 and three o’clock, and simultaneously the hour, minute and seconds hands.

Louis Erard’s Excellence Petite Seconde also offers connoisseurs three choices of colour-rich earthy materials – lapis lazuli, aventurine or malachite – for a stone dial pierced by a small-seconds disc at six o’clock. Limited to 99 unique pieces each, the three editions are pared down from rocks imbued with millions of years of history. The technical mastery of the stone marquetry involved in their creation is exemplified in the beautiful hues of the dials and their matching grained calf leather straps: gorgeous shades of blue lapis lazuli and aventurine, and malachite with a charming forest-green sheen.    

L’Heure du Diamant watch by Chopard combines high-end jewellery with horological precision. One version of this feminine timepiece features a fetching malachite dial with hour markers and bezel resplendent in brilliant-cut diamonds whose transparency conjures a wonderful play of light. Measuring just 26mm in diameter, the ethical 18-carat rose-gold case houses the brand’s mechanical manual-winding 10.01-C movement.

Chaumet’s skilled artisans craft a glorious range of dials for the extraordinary Les Pierres de Rêve de Chaumet watch line, which exalts the exceptional qualities of ornamental stones and their powerful presence in Asian culture and poetry. Bezel and hinges adorned with 76 brilliant-cut diamonds frame decorative faces of yellow picture jasper, red picture jasper, mookaite jasper, rhodonite, pietersite, azurite, chrysocolla, dendritic agate and dendritic opal. The imagery on the dials conjures up vivid landscapes of vast deserts, forests, the depths of the oceans and so much more, with matching alligator straps accompanying these fantastical hues. These high-end timepieces are fitted with Swiss mechanical self-winding movements.

Limited to just five pieces, the Ocean Date Moon Phase Automatic 36mm watch by Harry Winston is undoubtedly elevated by its blue crystal opal dial. Eked out from the mining fields of Australia, this rare type of precious opal captivates further with its setting of 86 brilliant-cut diamonds and an emerald-cut diamond. A white-gold case festooned by 80 baguette-cut diamonds houses the HW3205 mechanical automatic movement.  

Last year A. Lange & Söhne released Lange 1 and Little Lange 1 models limited to 300 and 150 pieces respectively in 950 platinum with a mesmerising black onyx face and matching strap. Debuting some three decades ago, the Lange 1 was noted for its distinctive off-centre dial design that represented a break from the norm. Encircled by a very slender bezel, the shimmering depth of the dark onyx gemstone in these new models perfectly highlights their sleek signature sub-dials with silver markings.

Parmigiani’s latest creation, the limited-edition Tonda PF Micro-Rotor Platinum Stone Blue, has been developed with the so-called golden ratio guiding its proportions and dimensions. While not actually made of stone, the sandblasted dial radiates a stone-blue hue and a cool mineral feel, undoubtedly adding extra degrees of elegance to this prestigious watch. The words “Swiss Made”, “Parmigiani Fleurier” and “1 of 25” are engraved on the caseback.