Sometimes, the most recognizable part of a watch wasn't actually made by the name printed on it.

In Le Cadran, collector and historian Dr. Helmut Crott dives into one of the less visible sides of 20th-century watchmaking: the people, techniques and workshops behind the dial.

At the centre of the story is Stern Frères, the legendary Geneva dial maker whose work can be found across watches from Patek Philippe, Rolex, Audemars Piguet and many others. The connection with Patek goes particularly deep: Charles and Jean Stern owned the dial manufacture before acquiring Patek Philippe itself in 1932.

Across 392 pages and some 600 illustrations, Crott opens up an extraordinary archive of production sheets, prototype dials, applique catalogues and manufacturing techniques — before dissecting 38 emblematic dials of the 20th century.

From cloisonné enamel and stone dials to Rolex chronographs and the origins of Audemars Piguet's Tapisserie, the book reveals just how much history can hide within a few centimetres of metal.