Glashütte Original is one of the few watch manufactories to produce its own elaborate, handcrafted dials entirely in-house.
In-house dialmaking - Glashütte Original
In-house dialmaking
Of artists and their canvases
Sunray Finish
The decorative sun ray finish is applied using a rotating brass brush. Set-up and operation of the device are performed manually, while regular rotation is assured by means of a small motor.
Circular Finish
The circular finish, also known as “vinyl” pattern, is applied using a lathe. A turning tool cuts a thin thread of metal out of the rotating dial blank, resulting in a pattern of fine grooves. This pattern is used in particular to decorate auxiliary dials such as those on a number of Pano models.

Mother-of-pearl
A mother-of-pearl dial is always cut in one piece from the shell and is only 0.4 mm thick. In order to protect the razor-thin material from breaking, it is mounted on a brass or German silver disc, which is also only 0.4 mm thick. Additional colour effects can be achieved by applying, for example, blue or pink lacquer between the dial and its support; the colour then filters through the mother-of-pearl, lending it a special coloured shimmer.
Moon Disc
Function and aesthetics merge in the moon phase display, which is also made in the dial manufactory. Its basic material consists of bronze or German silver. First, galvanization produces the deep blue night sky, onto which silver or gold-coloured stars are applied. The two moons are then cut out with a milling tool, which gives them their convex form. The surface of the “moons” is then finished using a special diamond milling tool, which assures a unique brilliance.

Panorama Date
The Panorama Date’s tiny display discs are also made in-house. Subsequently mounted concentrically, these discs either match precisely the colour of the dial or are intentionally given a contrasting colour.