IVORY. IVORY. IVORY. IVORY. IVORY
IN WATCHMAKING. IN WATCHMAKING. IN WATCHMAKING. IN WATCHMAKING
16 July 2025
IVORY IN WATCHMAKING
Before enamel, lacquer, or ceramic became the go-to for warm, off-white dials, there was ivory.
Once considered the height of refinement, it was used in everything from dress watch dials to ornate desk clocks and pendants.
Brands like Omega, Cartier, Vacheron Constantin, AP, and even unsigned ateliers crafted timepieces with ivory details—mostly dials, sometimes even hands.
A natural material with subtle grain, unique warmth, and that soft, mellow tone collectors still chase today.
But ivory’s charm came with controversy.
As conservation awareness grew and trade restrictions tightened, the industry pivoted—sometimes quietly—toward imitation materials.
Faux-ivory lacquer, enamel, stone, and synthetic resins began to appear, mimicking the real thing with impressive fidelity.
You’d need a loupe (and maybe a microscope) to tell some apart.
That’s the curious part: today, you’ll find watches that look 100% ivory… but aren’t.
Some were intentionally deceptive; others were just playing with the aesthetic. And then there’s the grey zone: mid-century pieces where no one’s quite sure what material was used. Real or fake? Elegant either way.
