The dial is the face of a watch: the surface that carries and shows the information a watch gives. It sits on one side of the movement, just below the crystal. Hours, minutes and other readings appear here. It is the part that tells the wearer the time.
What is on a watch dial?
Marks for the hours and minutes are printed or applied on the dial. They often take the form of numerals or indices. A dial may also carry sub-dials, which are smaller dials set inside the main one. Logos and decorative patterns can appear too. Dials are made from many materials, including metal, enamel and mother-of-pearl. Together, the markings and the material make up the face the wearer reads.
How did dials change over time?
Dials are older than mechanical timekeeping. Sundials already used them. The first clock dials turned on their own axis. The time was read as the dial moved past a fixed marker. Later dials stayed still, and hands moved over them instead. Since the 1970s, digital and electronic screens have competed with the dial. Watchmakers still prefer the dial as a way of showing the time.
Does every watch have a dial?
No. A watch can work without a dial. Skeleton watches do not have one. Where a dial is fitted, it is mounted on one side of the movement and sits just below the crystal. Its job is to carry and show the information the watch gives. A skeleton watch has no such surface, yet it still works.
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