Aventurine Dials and How to Use Them for Seiko Mods
Watch brands like to make their dials stand out. After all, it’s the most looked at part of the watch, so turning it to eye-candy just makes sense. From unique patterns to materials, designers go all-out to make sure the dial looks amazing.
One element that has been gaining attention recently is the aventurine dial. These captivating dials bring a touch of the night sky to your wrist, offering a mesmerizing view that you just don’t get with other dial designs.
In this article, we'll explore the world of aventurine dials and consider their application in Seiko mods, examining how these celestial-inspired components can be your next choice for your custom watch.
What are Aventurine Dials?
Source: WatchGecko
The term "aventurine" (From Italian avventura meaning “adventure” or “chance”) originally refers to a type of quartz with mineral inclusions that give it a shimmering appearance. However, in watchmaking, aventurine dials are typically made from glass rather than the natural stone.
The process of creating aventurine glass, also known as goldstone, dates back to 17th-century Venice where it started as a ‘happy accident.’ Craftsmen discovered that by adding copper filings to molten glass, they could create a material with a sparkling, starry appearance. This glass is then carefully cut and polished to form watch dials.
The defining characteristic of aventurine dials is their captivating visual effect. The tiny metallic particles suspended in the glass create a glittering appearance reminiscent of a starry night sky. This effect, often described as "spangled" or "shimmering," gives each dial a unique and dynamic appearance that changes subtly as it catches the light from different angles.
While the most common color for aventurine dials is a deep, midnight blue, they can also be found in other hues. Green aventurine dials, achieved by using chromium instead of copper in the glass-making process, offer a different but equally mesmerizing effect. Some watchmakers have even experimented with red or brown aventurine dials, expanding the palette of this intriguing material.
Which color do you prefer? Share it in the comments below!
Watches with Aventurine Dials for Inspiration
A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin Blue Gold Flux
Source: Monochrome-Watches
The A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin Gold Flux shows the potential of aventurine-like dials in high-end watchmaking. This timepiece features a unique "gold flux" dial, which, while not true aventurine, creates a similar, if not more captivating effect. The dial is crafted using a rather complex process involving a solid silver plate with an applied layer of gold flux, resulting in a mesmerizing starry night sky appearance.
At 39mm in diameter and just 6.2mm thick, the Saxonia Thin Gold Flux balances elegance with presence. Its white gold case provides a cool, sophisticated backdrop for the shimmering blue dial. The watch's minimalist design, featuring thin white gold hour markers and hands, allows the celestial dial to take center stage.
Despite being part of Lange's entry-level collection, the Saxonia Thin Gold Flux showcases the brand's commitment to exceptional finishing. The watch houses the manual-wind caliber L093.1, visible through a sapphire caseback, allowing a good view of Lange's renowned movement decoration.
Christopher Ward C63 Celest
Source: Redcurrantpuffs on Reddit
The 36mm Christopher Ward C63 Celest watch exemplifies the current trend towards smaller case sizes in entry-level luxury brands, making it an excellent unisex option with a lug-to-lug measurement of 42.87mm and a slim 10.75mm thickness. The case is balanced and unassuming, and brings more of the onlooker’s focus to where it should be.
The star of the C63 Celest is undoubtedly its aventurine glass dial. Christopher Ward's approach involves mixing deep red ruby glass with brown-red purpurin glass, then adding copper shavings instead of the traditional cobalt. This process results in a deep blue color that mimics a starry night sky, and something that truly holds one’s gaze when telling the time.
The beauty does not stop at the front though; the C63 Celest is powered by the reliable Sellita SW200-1 movement, offering a 38-hour power reserve and an elabore-finished rotor visible through the caseback. All in all, it is a versatile watch that can be dressed up to use in a reserved function, or dressed down for a casual day out.
Venezianico Nereide Avventurina
Source: A Blog to Watch
You might think that the material lends itself great to dress watches, but it can be used for dive watches too! The Venezianico Nereide Avventurina features a 42mm stainless steel case with a water resistance of 200 meters, making it suitable for most water excursions. Its 49mm lug-to-lug distance and 12mm thickness contribute to a comfortable wear, balancing presence with wearability. The Nereide Avventurina stands out with its use of two distinctive materials: a tungsten bezel insert and an aventurine dial.
The deep blue aventurine dial is the talking point of this watch, offering a sparkling, quasi-celestial display that adds a touch of elegance to the otherwise tool-like design. This synthetic aventurine, likely of Italian origin, showcases the brand's commitment to incorporating decorative elements into functional timepieces.
Powered by a Swiss-made Sellita SW200-1 automatic movement, the Nereide Avventurina provides reliable timekeeping with a date function. The watch comes standard on a blue rubber strap but can be upgraded to a matching steel "Canova" bracelet for a more refined look.
Modding your own Aventurine Watch
Aventurine stone is not exactly expensive by itself, but turning it into a watch dial can be rather costly. This does not mean you have to spend a fortune to build your celestial-inspired timepiece though, as our Galaxy dial can help turn your watch from an ordinary timekeeping tool to a glimpse of the starry night sky.
Pair it with our Explorer-style case or our GS-inspired dress case for a luxurious look. Like what Venezianico did, you can also put it on a dive style case like the Fifty-Eight case or the MM300-style case, both featuring sleek proportions that will bring out the beauty of the Galaxy dial. Dauphine or Breguet style hands would be a nice match for this intricate dial, but of course, you are welcome to try out any unique combination you can think of to create a watch that’s uniquely yours.
Wrap Up
Aventurine dials add fun and elegance to any watch without making it look tacky, making dress watches look classier and even elevating the look of traditionally minimalist tool/dive watches. We can only hope that more brands start using this unique material because we surely can’t get enough!
If this inspired you to work on your next mod, we hope you’d be able to check out our other dial options as well. Aside from the Galaxy dial reminiscent of Aventurine, we also have mother of pearl, enamel dials, waffle-patterned dials, and more! Whatever look you’d want your custom watch to have, you can achieve it with namokiMODS.
Happy modding!