At Halcyon, every porcelain dial is more than a functional component; it is a testament to centuries-old artistry, the romance of fire and craftsmanship, and the relentless pursuit of perfection.

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The Secret Behind Porcelain’s Radiance

Before exploring the intricate techniques, we invite you to discover the natural wonder behind porcelain’s luminous beauty. Its signature glow comes from microscopic, irregular bubbles formed beneath a transparent glaze — a phenomenon that delicately scatters and refracts light, creating a soft, captivating sheen.

Unlike industrially produced porcelain with uniform glare, our dials are created using age-old pinewood firing methods, where pine resin and kiln dust naturally form these enchanting microstructures. This is the soul of true artistic porcelain — warm, luminous, and alive.

Shape the porcelain base starting from the clay.

Shape the porcelain base starting from the clay.

The skilled craftsman blows the porcelain glaze onto the dial using his mouth.

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A Romantic Process, A Monumental Challenge in Watchmaking

Incorporating this ancient artistry into modern watchmaking presents extraordinary challenges.

• Ultra-Precision Flatness:
  Each dial must achieve a flatness tolerance of no more than 0.02mm, critical for movement installation. The same beautiful bubbles that create porcelain’s radiance make this level of precision exceptionally difficult to achieve.

• Delicate Balance of Fire and Patience:
  Porcelain dials cannot be stamped or polished. Their final shape and perfection emerge solely through firing, with each glaze layer painstakingly applied by mouth-blowing techniques and subjected to unpredictable kiln conditions.

• A Process of Selection, Not Correction:
  Porcelain cannot be corrected after firing. Each dial must be flawless from the start. Even a single speck of dust means rejection. From thousands of firings, only a handful meet the stringent standards required for Halcyon watches.

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Pinewood Firing — Where Nature and Craft Meet

Our artisans still honor the time-tested method of pinewood firing, a demanding process that spans over 24 hours.

• Pine Resin Magic:
  As the pinewood burns, oils and resins slowly merge into the porcelain surface, creating a warm, living luster unattainable by modern electric kilns.

• Handcrafted Perfection:
  Every step—from material selection to drying times and firing temperatures—is guided by the artisan’s instinct and experience. This is craftsmanship that cannot be replicated by machines, only felt and understood through touch, patience, and time.

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Born from Fire, Uniquely Distinct

Each Halcyon porcelain dial is a singular masterpiece, forged by fire and perfected through the trials of craftsmanship. These pieces do not just mark the passage of time — they stand as a lasting symbol of resilience, rarity, and beauty.

Under sunlight, the soft shadows cast by the floating markers enhance the ethereal charm of every dial, turning each glance into a moment of quiet awe.

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True Porcelain Dials Are Rare. Owning One Is a Celebration of Art, History, and the Spirit of Perfection.