The Best Meteorite Dial Watches - Rolex, Omega and More Affordable Options
There are a lot of unique watch dials available in the market. Watch collectors will recognize the “tapisserie” dial of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak or the horizontal grooved dial pattern of the Patek Philippe Nautilus. Additionally, many watch brands across the price spectrum will use popular dials like sunburst dials or ombre dials. While all of these dials are interesting and merit discussion in their own right, we wanted to point out some of my favorite dials made from another material that has recently gained prominence in the watch industry: meteorite. So let’s first unpack meteorite and why it’s so popular in watchmaking.
What is a Meteorite Dial?
Meteorites are debris from a meteor that originated in outer space… These space rocks have been flying throughout the universe and our solar system for billions of years before crashing into Earth. Then what happens? Well, some of these “space rocks” are collected, cut into slices of meteorites and repurposed as “out of this world” watch dials. Sometimes just parts of the dial are meteorite. Other times the entire dial is a piece of meteorite. Because of a meteorite’s unique texture, every dial is unique, and the use in dial adds a lot of visual interest to an otherwise ordinary timepiece.
Why are meteorite dials so popular?
First, and probably the most obvious, is that a lot of watch enthusiasts love space. So being able to wear a piece of space rock on your wrist is not only really cool, it’s a massive feat of technology and watchmaking. Making meteorite watch dials can often be an incredibly tedious task riddled with complexities and fragilities that are unique to the material.
What Meteorites do meteorite dials come from?
A lot of enthusiasts seem to think that most meteorite dials come from lunar material (from the moon). When the reality is that, while Lunar material is used in a few watch dials (or subdials), most meteorite is sourced from other meteorites discovered after crashing to earth. One of the things that has happened over the years, is during moon landings, “moon dust” is collected and sold. A lot of brands in the earlier days of Meteorite gaining popularity, bought these particles and utilized them with a resin composite to create the appearance of meteorite - Which is technically accurate, though commonly come to be known as “Lunar Material”. Meteorite, for all intents and purposes, isn’t necessarily a rare material. Most watch dials are made of the Muonionalusta meteorite from Sweden, while a number of them come from the Gibeon meteorite (For instance, Rolex).
This is mostly because the Gibeon and Muonionalusta meteorites are composed of the highest nickel and iron composition that create what’s known as the Widmanstätten patterns you see on most dials. So decoratively, these meteorites are the most striking. Obviously, there are more meteorites out there, but these are the two major sources.
How are Meteorite Dials made?
With most brands, the acquired piece of meteorite is shaved down into incredibly thin discs that are then treated - Typically with an acid wash to remove any potential debris from the dial - and fastened to either the dial plate or the movement depending on how the watch is constructed. Many of the more affordable brands fasten the meteorite disc over a more sturdy dial plate. This allows for the dial to be sturdy without any pricey mounting components, but still give the overall aesthetic of a shaved piece of meteorite.
Which watch brands use meteorite dials?
Many brands from independents to major watch manufacturers are utilizing meteorite dials. Rolex, Omega, and Jaeger-LeCoultre have all utilized meteorites in certain models of their lineup. While more obscure brands like De Bethune and J.N. Shapiro have been using meteorites for years. On the more affordable range of watches, Bulova, Awake, and Zelos all offer fantastic meteorite options that won’t necessarily break the bank.
What are the best meteorite dials?
We’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite meteorite watches below. We have included a number of unique options in every price range. Want an uber-expensive timepiece that you can be sure nobody else in the room has? Looking for an affordable piece of wrist candy that includes meteorite in the dial? Those are also on here. Check out our comprehensive list of our favorite meteorite dials below.
Rolex Day-Date 40 with Meteorite Dial Ref. 228239
When one thinks of bold and different watches one does not normally think of Rolex. The powerhouse Swiss watchmaker notoriously sticks to their traditional underpinnings (and rightfully so). But Rolex has indeed taken some chances with pieces like the rainbow Daytona. So it isn’t that much of a surprise that they released the Rolex Day-Date 40 with meteorite dial, white gold case and factory baguette diamond indices (hour markers). This piece just oozes class and there really isn’t anything to dislike about it. If you can find this Rolex at retail it will set you back $49,550 USD.
Girard-Perregaux Free Bridge Meteorite
Price: $25,700 USD; Case Size: 44mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Girard-Perregaux’s famous Bridges collection has been making a mark amongst horology since the 1860s when it was first introduced. Since then, the collection has evolved and taken numerous designs, finishes, and materials in execution of the bridges. Their latest addition is the Free Bridge Meteorite, which was released in February. This piece is full of dimension. The free bridge on the main plate supports the balance and a flange on the outside of the dial holds the indices that appear to be floating over the dial, but the main focus is the two meteorite plates. The Gibeon meteorite was discovered in Namibia. It is composed of an iron-nickel alloy, incorporating small amounts of cobalt and phosphorous. A Widmanstätten pattern is created from the natural flowing lines across the meteorite. Meteorite is a delicate material to work with and care needs to be taken during production in order to not erode it. GP accomplishes this well and delivers a beautiful piece with these meteorite plates making it a fun addition to the Bridges collection. The piece is available for $25,700 USD.
Cartier Rotonde de Cartier Earth and Moon
Cartier really hit it out of the park (out of the world?) with the Rotonde De Cartier Earth and Moon. This watch, released in 2017, was pretty much identical to a 2014 variation in platinum with lapis lazuli dial. This piece swaps out the platinum for pink gold, the lapis lazuli for meteorite, and features an openworked, or skeleton, dial. This special watch was limited to just 15 pieces and had a retail price of $231,000 USD. .
Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Meteorite
If you were to ask me what what watch makes the most sense having a meteorite dial, I would say the Omega Speedmaster 10 out of 10 times. I mean this watch was the first watch on the moon! If a Speedmaster model doesn’t have this otherworldly material incorporated into the watch no watch should have it. The Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Co-Axial Chronometer Chronograph has a beautiful grey meteorite dial. The bezel is a matching grey with gold accents. This watch incorporates meteorite in the dial while still leaving it recognizable as a Speedmaster. On the expensive side for a Speedmaster, the Omega Speedmaster Meteorite dial Ref. 311.63.44.51.99.001 retails for $15,600 USD.
The Omega Speedmaster Moonwatch 321 Platinum
Price: $65,200 USD USD; Case Size: 42mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Hand Wind; Crystal: Sapphire.
When it comes to space watches, the Speedmaster is king. And one of the coolest ones on the market is the Speedmaster 321 Platinum. At first glance, the watch seems like a standard Omega Speedmaster, however the more you look at it, and the more you understand a bit about the watch, it becomes much more exciting. First, the watch features the original 321 movement from the 50's. Up until the mid 60's when the Cal 861 was produced, the Calibre 321 was the tried and true, NASA tested movement in the Speedmaster - Visible through the caseback. Further, the dial is a black Onyx "Step dial" with Lunar Material in the subdials. These meteorite subdials are the real star of the show. They're a subtle nod to the watch's heritage and provide a welcomed "Nerdy" excitement. Further, the watches case is in Platinum - Which adds a bit of luxury to the more know steel chronograph tool watch of the Speedmaster. Price for this really unique Speedy is $65,200 USD.
Awake Concept Mission to Earth: Time Travelers
Awake Concept is a relatively young French brand that is focusing on some really interesting things. Not only are they using sustainable and regenerative materials in their watches, they are using technology in a way not really employed by any other watch brands. All Mission to Earth models have an NFC tag built into the sapphire crystal which the wearer can scan with their phone stamp their ownership to the blockchain and access an app called the Awake Earth Observatory. Beyond these cool features, the Mission to Earth: Time Travelers is probably our favorite watch from the brand. The watch features a simple dial that let’s the meteorite speak for itself. The watch is available with both a raw titanium colored case and gray meteorite dial or a purple titanium case and black meteorite. While we are fans of both models, the purple dial adds a little bit of funkiness that we really enjoy. Like all Mission to Earth models, these are a limited edition. Awake Concept made 500 of each meteorite model and they retail for €1,325 ($1,428 USD)
Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” with Meteorite Dial Ref. 126719BLRO
Did you know that that Rolex made a white gold GMT “Pepsi” that also has meteorite dial? Well now you do, and it takes the Pepsi to the next level. I always consider white gold as an understated way of wearing gold because it is hard to distinguish from stainless steel. But Rolex doesn’t offer the steel Pepsi with meteorite dial, so anyone that knows watches will know exactly what you’re wearing. This beauty currently retails for Rolex GMT-Master II “Pepsi” Meteorite Dial currently has a retail price of $41,600 USD.
Zenith Chronomaster Sport Gemset
Price: $98,600 USD; Case Size: 41mm; Water Resistance: 100m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Zenith has been creating successful sport chronographs since before their popular El Primero, and now they’ve added the newest sport chronograph to their collection, the Chronomaster Sport Gemset. There are multiple factors that sets this apart from their other sport watches and it’s the gemset bezel (their first), as well as the gorgeous meteorite dial. All of the details and finishes on this piece work fluidly and elevate it to a sport watch that you’ll want to wear on a night out. The bezel is set with sapphires, diamonds, and spinels creating a nice gradient that sits wonderfully with the 18k rose gold case and bracelet. The dial is the showstopper on this piece. Created from a slab of meteorite that is hand finished with a rose golden color ehancing the Widmanstätten pattern. It isn’t just the meteorite that makes this dial stand out. The three-color variation on the subdials and the baguette diamond indices embolden the overall look and finish of the watch. The watch was released in January and is currently sold out.
It was priced at $98,600 USD
.
Zelos Mako 500M Diver Meteorite
Zelos makes a solid line of affordable tool watches. Among them is a formidable dive watch with a uniquely meteorite dial. The Zelos 500M Meteorite utilizes the brand's larger stainless steel case size to achieve 500 meters of watcher resistance. Further, Zelos included a really slick meteorite dial with some really cool fauxtina indices. What's resulted is a a space-y diver with some vinta flare and an attainable meteorite dial. Price for the Zelo 500M Meteorite is $949 USD.
Rolex Daytona Meteorite Dial in Gold
You didn’t think we were done with Rolex did you? Rolex actually has quite a few meteorite dial offerings. They offer the Daytona in rose gold (or everose), white gold (with ceramic bezel) and yellow gold with meteorite dial. I’m not sure which of the variations is my favorite, but I love they subtlety of the white gold Daytona with meteorite dial. All three variations are offered either on a gold bracelet or rubber band. On bracelet the Rolex Daytona meteorite retails for $41,900 USD in yellow gold and $44,800 USD in white gold or rose gold. On rubber band the watch retails for $33,500 USD in yellow gold and $34,850 USD in white gold and rose gold.
Tsao Baltimore Torsk-Diver Meteorite DLC
Another affordable meteorite dial watch comes from one of our favorite microbrand watch companies, the Maryland-based Tsao Baltimore. While this very limited release of 100 watches is already sold out, the piece retailed for an affordable $750 USD. While this watch does not run on a Swiss movement, it is powered by the extremely reliable Miyota 9015 Automatic Movement. Maybe we can convince Tsao to release another variation of this watch with meteorite dial (maybe with a ceramic or steel case). You can check out Tsao’s current offerings at their website.
Zodiac x Watches.com Super Sea Wolf SS Automatic Meteorite Edition
Through it's efforts along with watches.com, Zodiac has produced a really unique take on their Super Sea Wold SS model - A Meteorite version of it. The story goes, that in 2019 Zodiac approached them to create a truly unique dive watch utilizing a meteorite dial. The meteorite used was a genuine Muonionalusta Meteorite that had landed in the Norrbotten region of Sweden. The brand's cut down the dial to reveal the iron and nickel pattern you see in the texture.
Of course, Zodiac's penchant for creating unique and exciting colorways in their Divers produced an electric orange aesthetic with a "Space Grey" DLC treatment to the case that isn't black, but isn't raw steel either. It's actually a really cool hue of grey - Very extraterrestrial. The watches are limited to 182 pieces.
De Bethune DB28XP Meteorite
De Bethune as a brand is known for its futuristic, out of this world design. So it makes sense that they would have produced a few watches with meteorite dials through the years. And the De Bethune meteorite watches are even cooler than you can imagine. The DB28XP Meteorite features a matte black zirconium case, meteorite dial with the dial opened up at 6 o’clock to prominently display the balance wheel. And did we mention that the meteorite dial isn’t a typical meteorite dial. It is a blue meteorite dial (with hints of purple) and white gold stars placed on the dial. It’s probably the most unique looking meteorite dial watch you can find on the market. The De Bethune DB28XP Meteorite retails for $138,000 USD.
Arnold & Son Luna Magna
Price: $61,100 USD; Case Size: 44mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
This piece really stands out with its bold beautiful blue meteorite dial. It’s not just the material or the color that makes this watch special. It’s the gorgeous spherical moon phase as well. This is a unique way to showcase the moon phase and we love it. Even better is the material used to produce the spherical moon phase. One half of is a Cacholong opal while the other is a blue PVD coated meteorite, the same material used on the dial. The spherical moon phase is even seen through the open caseback. Arnold & Son has long been creating coveted moon phase watches and this one might be their best yet. We love the way they’ve incorporated meteorite into this piece and what better way to bring together two pieces of outer space. The piece retails for $61,100 USD. You can read our full review here.
Xeric Trappist-1 Automatic NASA Edition Meteorite Blue Supernova
Want a cool space-themed watch with a meteorite dial for under $1,000 USD? Check out the Xeric Trappist-1 NASA Edition Meteorite. Xeric is known for its funky designs, and the Trappist-1 does not disappoint. An inner and outer planet on the dial “orbit” the dial and represent the hour and minute markers. These planets offer the wearer a unique way to tell the time. It’s an interesting piece and at $799 USD it is pretty affordable too
Hermès Arceau L'Heure De La Lune Meteorite
More and more recently Hermes has been moving from fashion watches to haute horology. And this can definitely be seen in some of their recent releases. One of our favorite pieces from Hermes is definitely the Arceau L'Heure De La Lune Meteorite (we like it so much we also featured a variation of the watch in our Best Moon Phase Watches guide). The watch features two floating discs, one displaying the date and the other displaying the time, that spin around the watch obscuring the dial including the two moons and thus show the phases of the moon (in both the northern and southern hemisphere). The dial with the moons under the discs is meteorite adding some additional otherworldly charm. The Arceau L’Heure de la Lune Meteorite is limited to 16 pieces and retails for $69,950 USD. .
Bulova Lunar Pilot Meteorite Limited Edition Archive Series
Price: $1,495 USD; Case Size: 43.5mm; Water Resistance: 50m; Movement: Quartz; Crystal: Sapphire.
The Bulova Lunar Pilot is special amongst Bulova’s collections because of its history. The piece is heavily inspired through their archives going back to the original Bulova Lunar watch. In August 1971, Bulova’s chronograph piece built around lunar exploration made its way to the moon in the Apollo 15 mission. Now, its introduced in a way that can have the wearer feel more connected to space exploration and the history the piece embraces. The dial is made from Muonionalusta meteorite discovered in Northern Scandinavia in 1906. The meteorite itself is about 4.5 billion years old! This is a great meteorite piece in an accessible price point. They’re limited to 5,000 pieces and are available for $1,495 USD.
Frederique Constant Manufacture Tourbillon Classic Meteorite
Price: $46,856 USD; Case Size: 39mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
Frederique Constant celebrated their 35th anniversary with a new addition to their Manufacture Tourbillon Classic collection. This new model also celebrated 15 years of their tourbillon calibre. What’s really cool about this piece is of course the meteorite dial but also the fact that it is the first time in the Maison’s history that the pieces are completely finished by hand by two skilled watchmakers specializing in Manufacture and complication movements. A great point of pride for the brand. As they have never before produced a movement where all components were finished by hand. The meteorite on the dial is sourced from Gibeon, Namibia. Using meteorite on dials is a complicated process that takes a lot of care. The meteorites can easily deteriorate or crumble when being worked on and might already have some damage to them as they land on earth. Due to the 35th anniversary only 35 limited pieces were created and have since all sold out. The watch was priced at $46,856 USD. .
Louis Moinet Cosmopolis
Price: Price Upon Request; Case Size: 40.7mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
Louis Monet incorporates meteorite in a cool and unique way into their Cosmopolis collection. The meteorite pieces are used as the indices and each index is a different piece of meteorite. The indices are raised rounded meteorite pieces with a larger piece of meteorite at the center of the dial showcasing an array of textures and colors. Louis Monet was awarded a Guinness World Records title for having the most meteorites inserts in a watch. Jean-Marie Schaller, owner and founder of Louis Monet, has been collecting meteorite pieces for over 20 years, which can be seen across the various collections for the brand that all contain meteorite. For him, each meteorite tells a story beyond our world as they make their journey across the universe before finding themselves on our planet and finally on our arms. The Cosmopolis collection offers a variety of options, some sold out, and all limited pieces. A cool feature on their website allows you to select each meteorite index and learn more about the origin of that meteorite. Prices for the pieces are available upon request.
J.N. Shapiro Infinity Series P.01 for Collective
Price: $21,500 USD; Case Size: 40m; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Manual; Crystal: Sapphire.
Joshua Shapiro is the CEO and founder of J.N. Shapiro watches where he takes watchmaking out of Switzerland to the U.S. He started working on watches in 2018 making engine turned dials for other watchmakers before delving into his own brand. His introduction collection is the Infinity Series, made up of engine turned dials using both traditional and exotic materials. J.N. Shapiro partnered with Collective in creating the Infinity Series P.01 with a meteorite dial. Collective is a horology company based out of Southern California that is a certified retailer for independent watch brands such as Fears, Formex, Czapek, and more. They also work with many of these brands to create special edition collaborative projects. The Infinity Series P.01 with meteorite dial is one of these collaborative productions. What makes this piece unique and stand out against many other meteorite watches is Shapiro’s skill in engine turned dials. The meteorite on this dial has been engine turned to create a neat “infinity weave” pattern. Each dial was produced in L.A. and took about 150 hours. The 10-piece limited edition project is now sold out. The stainless-steel version retailed for $21,500 USD and the rose gold version retailed for $30,750 USD at the time of its release in May 2020.
Piaget Altiplano Origin Watch Limited Series
Price: $28,300 USD; Case Size: 40mm; Water Resistance: 30m; Movement: Automatic; Crystal: Sapphire.
In 1957 Valentin Piaget set a goal in accomplishing an ultra-thin watch and introduced the successful timepiece at Basel. By 1960 the brand was producing the thinnest automatic movements using an ingenious micro-rotor. Since then, the Piaget has been known to make some of the best ultra-thin watches with movements as slim as 2mm. A few years ago, Piaget incorporated a meteorite dial version to their famous Altiplano collection. The thin piece of meteorite sits in an 18k rose gold case and is adorned with thin rose gold indices. The minimal style of the Altiplano collection allows for the dial to take center stage. The meteorite here adds a nice mix to the usually more minimal look of the Altiplanos, with its unique coloring and texture. The watch was a limited-edition collection of only 300 pieces and retailed at $28,300 USD. For more meteorite dial options you can visit Piaget’s website and see the variety they offer.