Time to feature salmon dials. This week, we take our pick of six from our archives, featuring this rather popular dial colour.
We did a salmon dial compilation back in 2019. And anything pre-COVID is practically ancient history, so we thought we would update the list.
The salmon files: Six watches with a beautiful salmon coloured dial
We are not sure why these dials are known as salmon dials. Wikipedia defines salmon (color) is a light orange to pink colour, named after the color of salmon flesh. The colour of salmon flesh varies from almost white to light orange, depending on their levels of the carotenoid astaxanthin, which in turn is the result of the richness of the fish’s diet of krill and shrimp. So perhaps dials which are described as salmon coloured take the hue cue from what Pantone defines as 14-1323 TCX Salmon. shown below.
And this seems a pretty good hue to us to define as salmon. But also, close enough is the 2024 Colour of the Year – Peach Fuzz. Close enough for us too. So we guess, roughly a dial whose colour is somewhat close to these two are acceptable. And we are off! In roughly ascending price order.
Czapek Genève Faubourg de Cracovie Chronograph – Salmon series
Though we said no particular order and watches post 2019, we kick off with the Czapek who released a series which not only feature salmon dials, but wholly embraces the fishy concept. The Salmon series is a special thread within their Faubourg de Cracovie Chronograph line which is named after salmon species. What a brilliant idea!
With model names like the Sockeye (pictured here), King Salmon, Coho, Chinook, the series comprised of four watches with various play between the use of salmon (colour) as the base colour of the dial, with accents of blue, silver, salmon or in reverse (Panda style) on the sub-dials. Inspiration for these models came from a unique piece created by the company for a collector who had requested a bespoke Quai des Bergues with a salmon guilloché dial and blue hands and numerals. The concept was then applied to the Faubourg de Cracovie series for this sub-collection.
Priced at CHF 24k before taxes at 2019 launch, the series is quite well positioned relative to the competition, especially as it features the proprietary Czapek SXH3 calibre. This integrated column-wheel chronograph movement was built by Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier. It delivers 65 hours of power reserve from a single barrel that drives the balance wheel at 36,000 vph.
H. Moser Streamliner Smoked Salmon Center Seconds
Coming in roughly at the same price as the Czapek, the Moser Smoked Salmon Streamliner Center Seconds clocks in at SGD 34k. It offers an slightly more offbeat reading of the salmon dial. Not only is the fishy colour referenced, but Edouard Meylan also hints at salmon as a food favourite – smoked salmon. The dial takes on the characteristic Moser fumé dial, with a salmon coloured center transitioning to a dark peripheral. The collection line in which this watch is based is the magnificent Streamliner Center Seconds, which gives us so many reasons to love it. From the case design to the bracelet, from the dial to the movement. And the excellent refinement of the watch is plainly visible.
The dial has a griffé finish found only on special editions and is available for one year only. And coming almost to the end of its production as we publish this article in March 2024. The dial constantly plays with light, moving from black to a surprising mirror effect. The hands of the watch are made from two sections and feature inserts with Globolight®, an innovative ceramic-based material containing Super-LumiNova®. The dial of the watch is a stunning vintage-inspired masterpiece.
Chopard L.U.C 1860 in Lucent Steel
Close by in pricing is the Chopard L.U.C 1860 in Lucent Steel released in 2023. Chopard had decided to go full circle by re-interpreting the first L.U.C timepiece. Re-issuing an old masterpiece can be risky business as the pressure to live up to expectations is very real. The risk is well paid off. The manufacture L.U.C 1860 remains largely unchanged. And in this model, it is presented with a salmon guilloché dial and in a Lucent steel case.
When the Calibre 1.96 was unveiled back in 1996, it was hailed as one of the finest self-winding calibres at the time capable of going toe-to-toe with fine watchmaking giants such as Patek Philippe and Vacheron Constantin. And the movement adorning the salmon Lucent steel number is now updated as the Calibre L.U.C 96.40-L, looking as beautiful as the 1996 uncle.
Bovet Amadéo Fleurier Virtuoso V in a new salmon dial
Bovet’s 2022 release continues to strengthen their Virtuoso V lineup with a new model with salmon dial. The model feature jumping hours, retrograde minutes and is double sided. Both sides feature the salmon coloured dial. On the main face, the entire dial is in salmon, and on the inverse dial, the hour/minute sub-dial is executed in the salmon. And the watch looks stunning from both sides. We think the front side, shown here is more elegant and oozing old world charm, while the reverse side is more technical, showing off the beautifully finished movement in part.
The Amadéo system’s four watches in one concept is retained in this watch. It can be worn on either side on the wrist, with a simple switch of the strap which can be executed without tools. It can also be worn as a pendant, and placed in a special cradle to be used as a table watch.
With a retail of SGD 110k (inclusive of GST), it is a stunning addition to the many beautiful timepieces from Bovet.
A. Lange & Sohne Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar
Lange insists that the colour of their dial is not salmon. They call the dial pink gold. And indeed it is made from a piece of solid 18k pink gold. But the industry, be they media or collectors, do refer to their limited edition Lange 1 Perpetual Calendar as with a salmon dial. And from eyeballing our colour calibrated (using a Datacolor 3 Spyder) monitor, the colour of the dial is perhaps closer to the Pantone Peach Fuzz than Pantone Salmon.
This is a remarkable watch. Coming in at approximately SGD 160k, it is a limited edition of only 150 pieces. Needless to say, all have been snapped up at launch in 2021. The aesthetics are spell binding. Georgeous. The play of the colours of white gold case and the pink gold dial is sublime. The movement is superb. Typical Lange style, with the ingenious placement of the perpetual calendar module around the dial to support the asymmetric aesthetics of the Lange 1 (Daymatic). And the execution. Top notch. Each element finished to haute horlogerie standards, with aplomb.
MB&F LM Perpetual now in Stainless Steel with salmon dial plate
MB&F. Always the prima donna. And this 2023 release is no exception. Based on the magnificently complicated and mechanically beautiful LM Perpetual platform, Max Büsser introduces a salmon dial plate to the collection. The LM Perpetual was released in 2015 in platinum and red gold. We covered a comprehensive review of the LM Perpetual launch reference. Three further releases provided 7 more versions. With this 2023 release with a salmon plate.
As the entire movement is kind of suspended above the salmon dial plate, the complexity of the work is visible to all by just glancing at the dial. And the sheer physical beauty of the piece, combined with the mind blowing mechanics make the LM Perpetual a rather interesting watch to add to the high end independents collection.
Concluding thoughts
So here we are…this is our updated list of salmon dialled watches. Would you covet one? What would you have chosen as your salmon dialled watch.
