A fellow Purist asked me about the dial on my Chronometre Bleu. I told him that the cliches are true: you really do need to see it in person, and that terms like ‘explosive’ and ‘plays with light’ may seem overused but are apt in describing its character.
But I also said one thing that I didn’t previously have an appreciation for was that it’s not 100% flat. The dial’s color and character don’t come from one layer of paint or from a blueing technique, it comes from painstakingly applying microns-thick layer after layer of lacquer. This creates a very slight rippling that can only be seen very up close or through a loupe, and I love that extra bit of nuance.
What surprised you the most when you saw one for the first time?

