Neither Metal Nor Wood — The Absolute Challenge of Porcelain Dial

The Secret of Porcelain’s Radiance

Before delving into the complexities of craftsmanship, we invite you to first experience the natural beauty of porcelain.

Unlike the cold, uniform reflections of industrial production, handmade porcelain carries a unique charm — an elegance that is warm, lustrous, and deeply captivating.

This radiant glow does not simply come from the surface, but from countless fine, irregular bubbles beneath the transparent glaze. Large and small, scattered and uneven, these bubbles scatter and refract light, creating a soft and vivid aura.

Under magnification of more than ten times, the indices appear to be suspended, resting above an almost transparent layer composed of countless tiny bubbles of varying sizes

Under magnification, bubbles of different sizes appear along the motif’s edge, giving porcelain its soft, captivating luster.

Such a unique microstructure could not exist without the ancient arts of handcrafting and pinewood firing. In the flames, pine resin and clay merge naturally, each piece marked by an unrepeatable trajectory of fire. It is this raw and romantic process that shapes the soul of true artistic porcelain — warm, translucent, and alive.

One of the dozens of handcrafted porcelain-making steps: the preparation of clay.

The clay bodies are being air-dried.

One of the steps in handcrafted porcelain making: the artisan blows the glaze mixture onto the clay body.

Within the earthen kiln, porcelain is fired with pinewood for more than 24 hours.

Neither Metal Nor Wood — The Absolute Challenge of Precision

To ensure the precise timekeeping of a movement, the flatness of the dial must be controlled within 0.02mm, allowing it to fit seamlessly with the movement’s baseplate.

For porcelain, however, this is nothing short of a challenge against its very nature. Unlike metal, it cannot be pressed into correction; unlike wood or stone, it cannot be ground into shape. Its final form is determined entirely by the unpredictable alchemy of the kiln.

In this romantic yet ruthless trial by fire, even a speck of ash or the rupture of a single bubble can doom the piece. Out of thousands of firings, only a precious few survive to meet Halcyon’s exacting standards. Every successfully completed porcelain dial is a triumph over the limits of craftsmanship, a miracle born of earth and fire.

Out of thousands of firings, only a precious few survive to meet exacting standards (the flatness be controlled within 0.02mm).

Born of Fire, Forever Unique

Every Halcyon porcelain dial is forged through the union of fire and artistry, destined to be one of a kind. They do not merely measure time — they stand as eternal symbols of resilience, rarity, and beauty.

Under sunlight, the floating markers cast delicate shadows upon the surface, adding an ethereal dimension to the dial. Each glance becomes a moment of quiet awe — a dialogue with fire, with art, and with time itself.