Scottish watchmaker anOrdain has announced a collaboration with Hodinkee, called the Model 3 Limited Edition. Limited to just 25 examples, the watch features what anOrdian claims to be the world’s first hand-engraved sunburst enamel dial.
Based in Glasgow, Scotland, anOrdian is a small watchmaker specialising in enamel dials that are incredibly tricky to make. These dials are made using the Grand Feu enamelling technique, where copper, silver or gold dials are covered with ground enamel powder then oven-fired several times at over 800 degrees celsius. The result is a rich and striking colour with a high-sheen finish.
AnOrdian, whose watches currently have a five-year waiting list, further explains the manufacturing process: “A single craftswoman is responsible for the entire hand-engraving process using a graver, which is physically exhausting and requires complete concentration. Each dial takes approximately 100 hours of skill and concentration to complete, resulting in thousands of individual dial engravings so no two dials are identical.”
What’s also interesting – and this is often the case with enamel dials – is how much wastage there is. The company says two out of every three dials produced never get finished, and on average three dials need to be made for each one that makes it to a completed watch.
For the Hodinkee model, anOrdian is using a grey colour palette with a silver dial that is enamelled with a transparent shade of deep grey showing off the engraved base plate beneath. There is also a set of syringe-style hands, custom art deco numerals at every hour marker, and a crown at the three o’clock position of the 39mm stainless steel case.
The watch is provided with leather and suede straps, and is powered by a Sellita SW300 automatic movement with 42 hours of power reserve. The enamel dial is protected by a sapphire crystal with a double-sided anti-reflective coating, while the case back features an engraving of New York City as seen from above, the Hodinkee name, and a unique number for each of the 25 watches to be produced.
The watch is available to order now and is priced at $6,000.
