The war of whites

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The war of whites - Lacquer, enamel & porcelain
3 minutes read
Enamel, porcelain and lacquer are all used to create white dials. But the differences between them are significant, and irreconcilable. And the choice of material can often give a clue to each watch brand’s marketing strategy.

There’s white, and then there’s white. What’s the difference? In terms of colour, no difference at all. But in terms of materials, there are many differences – differences of a kind that split purists, who like to point up the divisions between mere watchmaking and haute horlogerie.

There’s white... and then there’s white. And they are miles apart.

Objectively speaking, there is a deep schism in the world of whites. On one side you have grand feu enamel, and on the other, lacquer. Porcelain stands somewhere in the middle. You’d be forgiven for thinking that, if there are three different procedures for achieving a similar chromatic effect, there will be some significant differences in the result. Well, the only question worth asking at this point is: can anyone tell the difference?

“Perception is everything, in the world of luxury!” responds Christian Lattmann, Vice-President of Jaquet Droz, an acknowledged master of the art of grand feu enamel. “Enamelling is a pure métier d’art, a genuine handcraft, which is by definition unique, as well as having those almost invisible irregularities that give it its character. You can only see them through a loupe, but you sense them instinctively. The same applies to hand-guillochage, such as we see with Breguet, compared with industrial guillochage. The former is an art; the latter, a technique. You can’t compare the two.”

And it’s precisely because enamel and lacquer are incomparable that some like to emphasise their differences. Lacquer offers a number of advantages that enamel can’t hope to match: a perfect surface, a homogeneous shade of white, and shock resistance. And for the more adventurous, there is the possibility of an infinite variety of hues.

Louis Moinet has made its choice. On the Tempograph 20 Seconds, it’s dazzling white that steals the show. But its latest watch-chronograph, the Memoris, is resplendent in midnight blue. The perfect finish and deep lustre of the lacquer here provides a key element to the piece’s visual harmony.

Is it just about cost?

The more cynical might also point to the difference in cost, which is indisputable. “Movement costs have been cut as far as they possibly can be, as have the costs of raw materials which, incidentally, have increased significantly in recent times. In the end, what other options are left, if a watchmaker is to retain its competitive edge? Finishing and decoration, which means lacquer,” argues one company official. Lacquer produces the same visual effect as enamel, but at a lower cost. This price gap is not one that can ever be closed: enamelling still suffers from considerable wastage, which raises the unit cost of each piece. Consequently, it will never be possible to mass-produce, and certainly not in the volumes possible for lacquer. Enamel and lacquer stand at two opposing and irreconcilable extremes which, not coincidentally, occupy two very different territories: volume and exclusivity.

The ideal compromise?

So where does porcelain fit in? It is a path that has yet to be fully explored. It nevertheless offers an interesting mid-term option: it incorporates the desirable aspects of history, expertise and craftsman input, without being prohibitively expensive. On the downside, however, it remains highly sensitive to shocks, which can cause it to crack or shatter, and it is impossible to repair and to dye in the mass.

Porcelain was far more widely used in the past, notably by Omega, Heuer, Auricoste Longines and in countless wall and table clocks, such as those made by Breguet. Closer to the present day, De Grisogono features porcelain in a steel and quartz Instrumento Uno. Then there is Frédérique Constant with its Classics Art of Porcelain in a limited edition of 188, which has just finished production.

“We produced a series in rose gold plate, which completely sold out before the end of Baselworld,” explains Pim Koeslag, director of watch development for the group. “The second edition is part of the same story: a meeting between our CEO Peter Stas and the Zsolnay manufacture in Hungary, where I went to manage the project.”

In Hungary, Pim Koeslag encountered the same problems that are common with inexpert enamelling: warped surfaces, imprecisely cut holes, etc. He therefore had to take control over some aspects of the local production, to make it compatible with the exacting standards expected in watchmaking.

Nevertheless, despite the uncertainties involved in its production, “porcelain is still far cheaper than enamelling, which means we can offer these Classics at USD 2,400,” continues Pim Koeslag, on his return from TimeCrafters in New York. Could this art, born in China twenty centuries ago, be the future of handcrafted white dials, combining as they do an enamel-like finish for the same price as lacquer?

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Frederique Constant