Tom Austin
When it comes to dial finishing, few treatments have the same visual impact as the Fumé dial. The French word for “smoke” sounds as elegant as it looks, and describes the rich, gradient finish that darkens towards the edges like a summer evening sunset. If you feel literally, call it a dégradé, gradient, or tone fade. But the ideas are the same. It’s a smoky transition of colours that adds drama, depth and sometimes vintage talent. It’s grumpy, charismatic, and I’m spending a bit of a moment now. Below are some outstanding examples of how good the smoky Fumé dial is.
Christopher Word 120 (TI)
Unless you’ve lived under the clock rocks of the past few years, you’ll be familiar with Christopher Ward’s meteor rise in the British watchmaking scene. Watches like Bel Canto and its latest C12 Loco helped the brand to firmly assert its advantage, and in 2023 another model was introduced that gave Christopher Ward a foothold for The Twelve, an integrated bracelet game.
The 12 40mm titanium variations offer two dials that stand out from the rest of the range. It is a gradient astral blue or nebula purple, both disappearing at the edge of the dial to a black finish of charcoal. The 12 dials themselves are short-pairs, featuring distinctive pyramid motifs on the surface of the dial, adding depth and texture. However, these two exclusive options on the Titanium model offer a more luxurious look perfectly, without a price tag to crush your wallet. Price: USD 1,895, Time+Tide Discovery Studios stores only
Rado Anatom Automatic
The Rado’s Anatom is a watch that incorporates the Fumé dial into its core design more than most. Many of the anatomical range watch cases are located in deep black high-tech ceramics, with a convex sapphire crystal covering the entire front of the case. The dark edges of the Fumé dial blend into the black case, allowing a vibrant colour burst in the center to float seamlessly in the middle of the watch.
There are six different variations in anatomy, which currently features a graduated Fumé dial. The standard range has slightly subtle tones such as blue, brown and green. Still, our trash recommendation is definitely the recently released summer collection, featuring a vibrant set of grapefruit red, lemon yellow and lime green dials in a fumé finish. Price: USD 3,550
Anorden Model 1
Outside of Swiss and Japanese brands, there are not many who specialize in in-house enamel dial finishes as beautiful as the Scottish brand Anordain. That Model 1 is a classically elegant thyme-only dress watch suitable for everyday wear, and recently they have released a variety of enamel fume dials that look incredible. Available in green, gray, blue or dark red “plums,” the unique texture of the Fumé dial is the result of a chemical reaction between the enamel and the silver surface of the dial, resulting in a distinctive subtle texture with a bright sparkle.
With a diameter of 38mm and thickness of just 11mm, the Model 1 is a dense, casual watch with subtle dressiness hints about it, thanks to its gorgeous dial. Anordain also offers custom-made sculptures and movement choices. You can further customize it after securing build reservations with either the Sellita SW210 or the A La Joux-Perret G101. Price: 4,003 US$ + tax
Omega Seamaster Rail Master
Omega’s sailor Aqua Terrarange has acquired a new stable in the form of a revived railway master a few weeks ago. There has always been a significant debate about Railway Master’s dialing over the years, but the latest incarnation does a great job of nodding to its roots, while feeling fresh by offering modern options. At 38mm, the new model is clearly vintage inspired, bringing the modern rail master up from the outliers of the niche to a lover’s choice.
The Rail Master comes in two dial variations. The first is a modern gray with a black gradient effect and a white Super Luminova, while the second is beige to black to black with a pumpkin-colored room. The second option is a more vintage inspired look. Especially because it discards the middle seconds in favor of a small number of dials at 6 o’clock. Both have very different aesthetics, but both slope dials offer a much more unique look than the other ranges of the Aqua Terra. Price: USD 5,800 (Grey), USD 6,000 (Beige)
Glashütte original 60’s chronograph
Glashütte’s original vintage collection is where German brands offer watches back to their heritage. The 60s chronograph illustrates this, bringing quirky classic details and a classy dial finish to the forefront. This watch comes with three dial options, all with a Fume Gradient Style. One gray, one green, one blue, everything fades nicely to the outer black, with the dial tilting downwards.
The grey and green options feature irregular textured surface finishes produced using vintage tools and machines made with Go itself. The texture adds to its unique smoky look and contrasts with the alternative blue option. The 42mm 60s chronograph is a beautifully finished watch that is more remarkable, especially at this price range. Price: Starting from USD 9,300
Jaeger-LecoultrePolaris
It’s easy to overlook Jaeger Lekul’s sportier lineup, as it’s underrated, underrated and slightly overshadowed by its Reverso cousin. However, looking deeper, it is clear that JLC’s rigorous attention to detail extends to other collections. For Polaris, three color variations are available with standard time and date clocks, travel timers and permanent calendar models.
Each Polaris dial features a Sunburst Central Medallion. This is overlaid on a sparkling smoke finish under the gorgeous 35 layers of lacquer, and is completed with applied markers and an inner rotating timing bezel. The Polaris collection features naturally stunning internal movements for JLC, albeit a slightly more expensive aspect. Price: Starting from USD 11,100
Leica ZM 1 & 2 Green Fame
Leica, the German company most famous for its excellent cameras, is currently on a new journey in the world of watchmaking. And like the impact on the photography industry over the past few decades, Leica is causing a stir with its attention-grabbing watch line. The two models that stand out in this lineup are the impressive ZM1 and ZM2. Both were upgraded with gorgeous Fumé dial products a few weeks ago.
Both beautiful green mume dials are treated to a brushed finish, with the hue fading to black towards the edges, and green is chosen to “provide a statement about nature’s elegance and function,” as nature is of course a popular theme in photography. Both Zm1 and 2 feature mechanical hand-winding movements created by Lehmann. These have interesting complications that nod to the camera’s function. This is a unique touch. Price: USD 12,500 (Zm1), USD 16,850 (Zm2)
Rolex Day Date 40 “Ombre”
Rolex date dialing has been a hot topic for decades, and over the years, several variations have been significantly collectable and have become highly desirable. Whether it’s a Stella dial from the 70s and 80s, or a classy carnelian or turquoise stone dial, there’s something for everyone. More recently, Rolex has quietly reintroduced what is called the “Slate Ombre” dial at the 40mm date. Of course, it’s gorgeous.
The dial features a multi-layer black lacquer finish, treated with a sunburst effect, fading gradually from slate grey to black on the edge. As a result, when paired with the Everrose Gold on the case and bracelet, this contrasts with the gradient finish, especially with rose gold application time markers. The biggest advantage of this particular date is that this dial configuration never deprecates styles. Price: 47,500 US$
H. Moser & Cie. Streamliner
Without a doubt, the King of Hume dial, Moser really knows how to rock the gradient. With its huge dial aperture and minimalist look, the streamliner makes it the perfect canvas to showcase the stunning dial finish. Not only can you combine complex, persistent calendar complications with highly minimalist layouts, but the dial finish is one of those things you can’t see.
The smoked salmon glyph dial features a gorgeous, subtle pinky beige tint, and the glyph finish refers to hand-washed stripes that give its subtle texture effect. Glyph literally means “tightened nails” or “scratched” in French, but the effect on the streaminer here is much more refined, and combined with the unique steel case shape makes it a stunning example of quiet luxury. Price: 62,650 US$
Ardmars Piguet Royal Oak “Jumbo” Extras Inn
There are several AP Royal Oaks with enchanting dials. For many, that is the main attraction of watches and is part of the place where Royal Oaks have grown in interest. We love seeing what the AP has for us next. One of the best examples of releases for a long time is the “pearl tapisari” dial in smoked yellow gold tones up to the yellow gold royal oak “jumbo” extra. The dial features one of the most difficult transitional gradients on this list, ranging from bright, vibrant yellow gold to deep, harsh black at the edge of the textured dial.
Perhaps one of the most desirable watches here, the Jumbo Extra Sin comes in 18 carats of yellow gold, featuring a refined brush and just blend of brush surfaces with its iconic, gentleman-designed integrated bracelet case. Inside, it hits the company’s automatic caliber 7121, undoubtedly 39mm in diameter and only 8.1mm thick, making it one of the most suitable royal oaks. Price: 89,100 US$
