Meteorite Dial Watches: A Collector’s Guide
Meteoroids are pieces of asteroids or comets in space. When a meteoroid enters the earth’s atmosphere and starts burning up, that’s a meteor. If you find a piece of that meteor on the ground, that’s a meteorite. And if you cut through the middle of that meteorite, you’ll probably see a super cool geometric pattern inside. In the early 2000’s, Rolex was the first brand to start putting meteorite dials in their watches. Since then, many other brands have started offering meteorite dials, even some sub-$1,000 brands like Invicta. Here’s our guide to all the meteorite dial luxury watches you should know about.
Most meteorite dials have Widmanstätten patterns and come from the famous Gibeon meteorite, but other types are beginning to appear, too. It’s worth noting that the individually unique and captivating crystalline patterns found in meteorites aren’t super visible in their natural state. To prepare a meteorite dial to really “pop” visually, there is typically some acid soaking, careful polishing, and coating involved (often using ruthenium or palladium). So, you can certainly see a difference between the meteorite-dial watches of top luxury brands and value brands. Let’s go over all the luxury watch brands with the best meteorite dials.
Rolex Day-Date Meteorite
The world’s first meteorite dials may have been made by Corum, a perpetually underrated watch brand, in the 1990’s. The first meteorite Rolex dials appeared on Day-Date 36 models in the year 2000. For some reason, the dials featured pear-shaped diamonds at 6 and 9, and no other diamonds. They also had bizarrely large applied numerals at the five-minute markings. Those OG meteorite dials are cool but…pretty dated looking. After a few years Rolex began making more “normal” meteorite dials, with diamonds at each hour. No more pear-cut diamonds or oversized minute marker numerals.
Rolex offered meteorite dials in all four metals of Day-Date 36 from about 2000-2018: rose gold, white gold, yellow gold, and platinum. Various Rolex stone dials were offered in those years, and meteorite isn’t even one of the rarest kinds. When the current generation of Day-Date 36 debuted in 2019, meteorite dials were no longer an option.
Since 2015, however, meteorite dials have been available on both white gold and platinum versions of the Day-Date 40. The hour markers are all baguette diamonds, which steps it up a notch. All Rolex meteorite dials are made from the Gibeon meteorite, and are a light shade of grey.
Rolex Day-Date Meteorite Specs
| Model | Day-Date 36 | Day-Date 40 |
| Reference | White Gold: 118209, 118239, 118139, 118349, 118389 Yellow Gold: 118208, 118238, 118138, 118348, 118388 Rose Gold: 118205, 118235, 118135 Platinum: 118206, 118296, 118346 | White Gold: 228239, 228349RBR Platinum: 228206, 228236, 228346RBR |
| Year Introduced | 2000 | 2015 |
| Case Material | 18k rose gold, white gold, yellow gold, or platinum | 18k white gold or platinum |
| Case Size | 36mm | 40mm |
| Water Resistance | 100m | 100m |
| Movement | Rolex Caliber 3155 (8 beats per second, automatic) | Rolex Caliber 3255 (8 beats per second, automatic) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, day |
| Power Reserve | 48 hours | 70 |
| Bracelet/Strap | Leather strap, Oyster bracelet or President bracelet | President bracelet |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $31,000-$52,000 (Depending on metal and diamonds) | $58,000-$125,000 (Depending on metal and diamonds) |
Meteorite dials were also made for the Datejust 31, Pearlmaster 34, and Masterpiece Day-Date. Plus the Cellini Moonphase has a little disc of meteorite for its “moon.” But now let’s talk about the Rolex meteorite dials that get the most love from collectors: the ones on sports models.
Rolex Daytona Meteorite
In 2008, when a meteorite dial option appeared on the white gold Daytona 116519 (leather strap) and 116509 (bracelet) models, it was the first precious metal six-digit Daytona to widely be considered a “grail.” There was no platinum Daytona, Rainbow Daytona, or green John Mayer Daytona back then, and Daytona Beach models weren’t yet properly appreciated. Compared to standard versions, meteorite Daytonas sold for a premium–but not a huge one.
Rolex replaced the Daytona’s leather straps with Oysterflex bracelets in 2017. Oysterflex models have ceramic bezel inserts rather than solid gold. By the time the Oysterflex era was underway, the original Daytona meteorite dials had been discontinued. But from 2021-2023, beautiful meteorite panda dials were offered for Daytonas in all three hues of gold. Unlike most Rolex stone dials, they have lume. These newer meteorite Daytonas feature black subdials, and sticks instead of Roman numerals. The market favors the newer style, with Oysterflex versions selling around $75,000 and bracelet versions selling around $100,000 as of 2024.
Rolex Daytona Meteorite Specs
| Model | Daytona |
| Reference | White Gold: 116509, 116519, 116519LN Yellow Gold: 116508, 116518, 116518LN Everose Gold: 116505, 116515, 116515LN |
| Year Introduced | Roman Numeral Meteorite: 2008 Meteorite Panda: 2021 |
| Case Material | 18k gold |
| Case Size | 40mm |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Movement | Rolex Caliber 4130 (8 beats per second, automatic) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph |
| Power Reserve | 72 hours |
| Bracelet/Strap | Leather strap (second-to-last digit is 1) Gold bracelet (second-to-last digit is 0) Oysterflex bracelet (ends in LN) |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $55,000 (Leather strap) $75,000 (Oysterflex) $80,000 (Bracelet, old style) $105,000 (Bracelet, new style) |
Rolex Meteorite GMT
When the white gold Rolex Pepsi GMT ref. 126719 debuted in 2014, it was a slow seller. Even though it was the first-ever Pepsi with a ceramic bezel insert, few people were compelled to pay solid gold Rolex prices for it. The steel Pepsi that debuted in 2018, however, was an immediate raging success. That same year, the white gold Pepsi got a new movement and a meteorite dial option–and finally it got some hype too. The meteorite Rolex GMT-Master II has been selling secondhand for well above list prices ever since it came out.
Rolex GMT-Master II Meteorite Specs
| Model | GMT-Master II |
| Reference | 126719BLRO |
| Year Introduced | 2018 |
| Case Material | 18k white gold |
| Case Size | 40mm |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Movement | Rolex Caliber 3285 (8 beats per second, automatic) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT |
| Power Reserve | 70 hours |
| Bracelet/Strap | White gold bracelet |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | $42,900 |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $60,000 |
Rolex Sky-Dweller Meteorite
Before we move on to show you meteorite dials from ten other brands, let’s go over the rarest meteorite Rolexes of all: the off-catalog diamond-covered Sky-Dweller models from 2021. Two versions were made: one on Oysterflex (326259TBR) and one with a gluttonously iced-out white gold bracelet (326959TBR). Oysterflex versions are worth about a quarter-million dollars, while the bracelet versions are worth almost a full million. One found its way into Richard Heart’s watch collection.
Rolex Sky-Dweller Meteorite Specs
| Model | Sky-Dweller |
| Reference | 326259TBR (Oysterflex) 326959TBR (Bracelet) |
| Year Introduced | 2021 |
| Case Material | 18k white gold |
| Case Size | 42mm |
| Water Resistance | 100m |
| Movement | Rolex Caliber 9001 (8 beats per second, automatic) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, GMT, annual calendar with month indicator |
| Power Reserve | 70 hours |
| Bracelet/Strap | White gold bracelet |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $260,000 (Oysterflex) $930,000 (Bracelet) |
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Omega Speedmaster Meteorite Watches
While Rolex is arguably the king of meteorite dials (and many other categories), Omega is no slouch in that department. They make a full lineup of Constellation models with various colors of meteorite dials. But first let’s go over all three of the meteorite Speedmaster models Omega has released over the years.
“Speedyorite” Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary
Omega released their first meteorite dial in 2010 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the world’s first-ever international space mission. The Apollo-Soyuz mission was a cooperative endeavor between American astronauts and Russian cosmonauts in 1975. America’s Apollo capsule docked with Russia’s Soyuz capsule mid-orbit. The respective crews famously shook hands in space and carried out some experiments together. The caseback of the Speedmaster Professional Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary Edition features an image of the Apollo and Soyuz crafts docked together.
The meteorite dial of ref. 311.30.42.30.99.001, better known as the “Speedyorite” to collectors, has light subdials contrasting against a dark background. It looks pretty badass, which is why good examples can sell for close to $20,000 today. Aside from the dial, it’s pretty much a normal Omega Speedmaster Professional. It has the 42mm case with lyre lugs and manual-wind Omega 1861 movement you’d expect from a Speedy of this era. It also has a sapphire crystal. Appropriately, 1,975 examples were made.
Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite Edition
The Omega Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon Meteorite Edition released in 2016 seems like it should be a bit of a “grail” for Speedmaster collectors, but enthusiasts have never really gone wild for the two-register co-axial Speedmaster models. The 44.25 case diameter and 16.1mm case height are likely factors.
The upside to the lack of hype is that GSOTM Meteorite models can be found pretty readily for less than $13,000 (about 20% under MSRP). The 18k Sedna Gold bezel and hands complement the dark grey meteorite dial nicely.
321 Speedmaster Moonwatch Professional Platinum
Omega Speedmaster Professional models powered by the legendary Calibre 321, revived in 2019 by Omega, are very much in the “if-you-know-you-know” category. Although they look very similar to their base-model counterparts, 321-based Speedies like the Ed White Speedmaster remain popular despite their premium prices. Even the platinum version of the Speedmaster Calibre 321, with a list price of $65,200, looks pretty much like a basic Speedy Pro–except for the meteorite subdials. The subdials are a tasteful hint that the watch is something special. And it’s not run-of-the-mill Gibeon meteorite, either–the subdials are made of lunar meteorite, which has a different pattern and is much rarer.
Omega Speedmaster Meteorite Specs
| Model | Speedmaster Apollo-Soyuz 35th Anniversary (“Speedyorite”) | Speedmaster Grey Side of the Moon | Spedmaster Calibre 321 Platinum |
| Reference | 311.30.42.30.99.001 | 311.63.44.51.99.001 (Deployant clasp) 311.63.44.51.99.002 (Tang buckle) | 311.93.42.30.99.001 |
| Year Introduced | 2010 | 2016 | 2019 |
| Case Material | Stainless steel | Grey ceramic | Platinum |
| Case Size | Width: 42mm Lug-to-lug: 48.2mm Thickness: 13mm | Width: 44.25mm Lug-to-lug: 49.8mm Thickness: 16.1mm | Width: 42mm Lug-to-lug: 47.6mm Thickness: 13.4mm |
| Water Resistance | 50m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Omega 1861 (Manual-wind, 6 beats per second) | Omega 9300 (Automatic, 8 beats per second) | Omega 321 (Lemania 2310 base, manual-winding, 5 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph | Hours, minutes, seconds, date, chronograph | Hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph |
| Power Reserve | 48 hours | 60 hours | 55 hours |
| Bracelet/Strap | Stainless steel bracelet | Leather strap | Leather strap |
| Limited Edition | 1,975 pieces | No | No |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $19,000 | $12,750 | $55,000 |
Omega Constellation Meteorite 2024
In February 2024, Omega launched the widest collection of meteorite watches yet: a series of Constellation models in four sizes, with multiple metal options and meteorite dials in various colors. The steel 41mm version with a green meteorite dial is likely to be particularly popular. The three smallest sizes (25mm, 28mm, and 29mm) are squarely aimed at ladies, and are only available with diamond-set bezels.
Omega has used a combination of PVD coatings and galvanic treatments to create meteorite dials in colors like blue, green, and burgundy. The gold-colored dials are PVD-coated with actual 18k gold. The historically popular Constellation line hasn’t been particularly hot in recent years, so maybe Omega’s choice to go all-in with meteorite dial options will pay off.
Omega Constellation Meteorite Specs
| Model | Constellation Meteorite (25mm) | Constellation Meteorite (28mm) | Constellation Meteorite (29mm) | Constellation Meteorite (41mm) |
| Reference | Steel: 131.15.25.60.99.001 Two-tone: 131.25.25.60.99.001, 131.25.25.60.99.002 YG: 131.55.25.60.99.003 RG: 131.55.25.60.99.002 | Steel: 131.15.28.60.99.001 Two-tone: 131.25.28.60.99.001, 131.25.28.60.99.002 YG: 131.55.28.60.99.006 RG: 131.55.28.60.99.005 | Steel: 131.15.29.20.99.001 Two-tone: 131.25.29.20.99.001, 131.25.29.20.99.002 YG: 131.55.29.20.99.005 RG: 131.55.29.20.99.006 | Steel: 131.30.41.21.99.001, 131.30.41.21.99.002, 131.30.41.21.99.003 YG: 131.50.41.21.99.001 RG: 131.50.41.21.99.002 |
| Year Introduced | 2024 | 2024 | 2024 | 2024 |
| Case Material | Stainless steel, two-tone, or solid gold | Stainless steel, two-tone, or solid gold | Stainless steel, two-tone, or solid gold | Stainless steel or solid gold |
| Case Size | Width: 25mm Lug-to-lug: 27.5mm Thickness: 8.1mm | Width: 28mm Lug-to-lug: 30.5mm Thickness: 8.5mm | Width: 29mm Lug-to-lug: 31.2mm Thickness: 12mm | Width: 41mm Lug-to-lug: 44mm Thickness: 13.5mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m | 30m | 50m | 50m |
| Movement | Omega 4061 (Quartz) | Omega 4061 (Quartz) | Omega 8700 (Automatic, 7 beats per second) | Omega 8901 (Automatic, 7 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds | Hours, minutes, seconds | Hours, minutes, seconds, date | Hours, minutes, seconds, date |
| Power Reserve | n/a | n/a | 50 hours | 60 hours |
| Bracelet/Strap | Integrated bracelet | Integrated bracelet | Integrated bracelet | Integrated bracelet |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | $8,400-$25,300 | $9,100-$27,600 | $13,000-$33,700 | $9,300-$42,400 |
Cartier Rotonde Earth and Moon
If you’d like a meteorite dial watch that’s a bit more exclusive than an Omega, and you have roughly 1/3 of a million dollars to spend, Cartier has a watch for you: the Rotonde Earth and Moon. With a 47mm diameter and an openworked meteorite dial with enormous stylized Roman numerals, it’s not an under-the-radar watch.
It’s not a typical moonphase watch, either. The Rotonde Earth and Moon, which debuted in 2014 and got its meteorite dial option in 2017, has a pusher at 4 o’clock that pushes the moon out to its current phase. When you release the pusher, this “moonphase on demand” retreats to its home halfway under the numeral IIII so the flying tourbillon can be seen in all its glory. Naturally, the “moon” is a piece of meteorite as well. And for convenience, the 2 o’clock pusher advances the watch’s Sky-Dweller-like second time zone ring by one hour.
Cartier Rotonde Earth and Moon Meteorite Specs
| Model | Rotonde Earth and Moon |
| Reference | WHRO0013 |
| Year Introduced | 2017 |
| Case Material | 18k rose gold |
| Case Size | Width: 47mm Thickness: 16.65mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Movement | Cartier 9440 MC (Manual-wind, 6 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, second time zone, tourbillon, moonphase on demand |
| Bracelet/Strap | Brown alligator strap with 18k rose gold deployant clasp |
| Limited Edition | 15 pieces |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | ~$330,000 |
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Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar With Meteorite Dial
Jaeger-LeCoultre made their first and only foray into the world of meteorite dials in 2015, when they added meteorite dial options to both the steel and rose gold versions of their Master Calendar. Like most JLC’s, it’s a well-balanced, conservative dress watch.
The dials on the rose gold models are coated to be quite dark, while the steel ones look silvery-white. If you want the understated class of a Jaeger-LeCoultre with just a bit more flair than usual, a Master Calendar with a meteorite dial could do the trick.
Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Calendar Meteorite Specs
| Model | Master Calendar |
| Reference | Q1552540 (Rose gold) Q1558421 (Stainless steel) |
| Case Material | Rose gold or stainless steel |
| Case Size | Width: 39mm Lug-to-lug: 46.9mm Thickness: 10.6mm |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Movement | Jaeger-LeCoultre 866 (Automatic, 8 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds, date, day, month, moonphase |
| Bracelet/Strap | Black alligator strap with deployant clasp |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $18,500 (Rose gold) $10,700 (Stainless steel) |
Arnold & Son Luna Magna Platinum Meteorite 44mm Limited Edition
Arnold & Son is an ultra-high-end dress watch brand with a particular focus on unusual complications. Although their motto is “Swiss watchmaking with English roots,” they’ve been owned by the Japanese conglomerate Citizen since 2012. That hasn’t seemed to slow them down one bit though, and the Luna Magna Platinum that debuted in 2021 is one of their coolest releases.
The meteorite dial option looks outstanding, but the moonphase complication on this watch is the real star. A typical moonphase complication rounds the lunar cycle to 29.5 days, but the actual synodic month is 29.530589 days. This means a standard moonphase will be off by a full day after about 2.5 years. In contrast, the moonphase on the Luna Magna Platinum from Arnold & Son won’t be off that much (theoretically) for 122 years. Not only that, but the moonphase display is an actual rotating sphere–the largest 3D moonphase ever made, in fact.
Luna Magna Platinum Meteorite Specs
| Model | Luna Magna Platinum Meteorite |
| Reference | 1LMAX.Z01A.C233C |
| Case Material | Platinum |
| Case Size | Width: 44mm Lug-to-lug: 50mm Thickness: 15.9mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Movement | Caliber A&S 1021 (Manual-wind, twin barrel, 6 beats per second) |
| Power Reserve | 90 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, spherical moonphase |
| Bracelet/Strap | Alligator strap with titanium deployant clasp |
| Limited Edition | 28 pieces |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | $73,500 |
Romain Gauthier Prestige HMS Meteorite
Romain Gauthier is one of many ultra-luxe independent watch brands gaining steam in recent years. Most of their watches are made of titanium or precious metals, but in 2019, the brand released their first stainless steel watch. They went all-out and put a beautiful Henbury meteorite dial on it. The Henbury meteorite is similar to the Gibeon meteorite, but its Widmanstätten pattern is particularly bright and vivid.
The total lack of date or complication windows was a good choice; in my opinion the Romain Gauthier Prestige HMS Meteorite might have the best-looking meteorite dial in the business. Plus the movement finishing is so spectacular that we can forgive the meager 10m water resistance. Unfortunately it was limited to ten pieces.
Romain Gauthier Prestige HMS Meteorite Specs
| Model | Prestige HMS Meteorite |
| Reference | MON00027 |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Case Size | Width: 43mm Lug-to-lug: 50mm Thickness: 11.3mm |
| Water Resistance | 10m |
| Movement | Caliber 2206 HMS (Manual-wind, 8 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Bracelet/Strap | Black alligator strap |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $55,000 |
Grönefeld 1941 Principia Meteorite
Another independent luxury watch brand, Grönefeld, has gotten so hot that they had to add a popup to their website: “Sorry, for the moment we can’t take new orders until further notice. We are now processing the overwhelming amount of reservations we’ve received.” Most brands playing in the $40k+ price range are Swiss, but Grönefeld is proud to put “The Netherlands” at the bottom of each dial.
Founded in 2009, they’re a family-run operation that manufactures their watches in the heart of downtown Oldenzaal, and they’ve been flooded with demand for a reason. The finishing on Grönefeld watches is truly top-tier, so it’s exciting that they released a meteorite dial in 2022. Unfortunately only 12 examples of the 1941 Principia were made with meteorite dials, and they were sold exclusively at Cellini Jewelers. They have stainless steel cases and would likely fetch well over $50,000 on the secondhand market.
Grönefeld 1941 Special Principia Edition Specs
| Model | 1941 Special Principia Edition |
| Year Debuted | 2019 |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Case Size | Width: 39.5mm Lug-to-lug: 47mm Thickness: 10.5mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Movement | Calibre G-06 (Automatic, 6 beats per second) |
| Power Reserve | 56 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Bracelet/Strap | Various leather strap options with tang buckle |
| Limited Edition | 12 pieces (exclusive to Cellini Jewelers) |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $60,000 |
Hermès Arceau L’Heure de la Lune Meteorite Edition
Hermès has gotten into the world of exotic watches in a serious way. They released some of the best new watches for women in 2024 at Watches and Wonders, but for now let’s talk about a watch that won them the award for best “Calendar and Astronomy” watch at GPHG 2019: the Arceau L’Heure de la Lune. Not content to use the well-known Gibeon meteorite, Hermès started with three exotic meteorite dial options: lunar meteorite (36 pieces), Black Sahara meteorite (36 pieces), and Martian meteorite (only 2 pieces and an astronomical price). A New York meteorite option, with a bright Widmanstätten pattern, was added shortly thereafter.
The Arceau L’Heure de la Lune is one of the coolest interpretations of a moonphase watch I’ve ever seen. On most moonphase watches, you’ll see an “axe blade” cutout with a small disc visible through the opening. The shape of the cutout blocks the appropriate portion of the circle underneath so that the wearer sees the moon’s current phase.
Hermès took a much more novel approach: divide the watch into two big subdials (time and date), then make the entire subdials slowly rotate around the dial, blocking the appropriate amount of the static moons underneath as they go. This configuration makes for a very large moonphase display with two moons–one for the northern hemisphere and one for the southern hemisphere. Kudos to Hermès for establishing themselves as far more than just a “fashion brand” in the luxury watch world.
Hermès Arceau L’Heure de la Lune Meteorite Edition Specs
| Model | Arceau L’Heure de la Lune Meteorite Edition |
| Reference Numbers | Lunar meteorite dial: MO-AR1.890.435/MM41 Black Sahara meteorite dial: MO-AR1.890.436/MM89 Martian meteorite dial: MO-AR1.865.437/MM6H New York meteorite dial: (unknown) |
| Case Material | White gold |
| Case Size | Diameter: 43mm Lug-to-lug: 46mm Thickness: 13.3mm |
| Movement | Hermès H1837 (Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier S.A. base, automatic, 8 beats per second) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, date, dual moon phase indicators for northern and southern hemispheres |
| Power Reserve | 50 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30 meters |
| Strap | Matte alligator leather |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | Lunar meteorite: $43,000 (limited to 36 pieces) Black Sahara meteorite: $54,100 (limited to 36 pieces) New York meteorite: $69,950 (limited to 16 pieces) Martian meteorite: Price on request (limited to 2 pieces) |
De Bethune
Renowned hyperwatch brand De Bethune has made several iridescent “Starry” dials over the years, and arguably their most interesting dial yet debuted at Geneva Watch Days 2024. The dial of the De Bethune DB28xs Aérolite features what the brand calls a “random guilloche” pattern applied to its Muonionalusta meteorite dial. Small gold flakes are applied after the dial is blued via thermal oxidation. A simple two-hand time-only layout allows the wearer’s attention to focus on the dial, and rightfully so. Its in-house movement provides an impressive six-day power reserve.
De Bethune DB28xs Aérolite Specs
| Model | DB28xs Aérolite |
| Reference | DB28xsZM |
| Case Material | Anthracite zirconium |
| Case Diameter | 38.7mm |
| Case Thickness | 7.4mm |
| Movement | DB2005 calibre (8 beats per second, manual-wind) |
| Movement Functions | Hours, minutes |
| Power Reserve | 6 days |
| Bracelet/Strap | Alligator strap |
| MSRP (Aug. 2024) | $120,000 |
Jaquet Droz
Jaquet Droz largely flies under the radar as a luxury watch brand but they make some excellent dials, including several meteorite ones. They’ve made at least five meteorite dial watches now, including a couple of Grande Seconde models with dial layouts reminiscent of a Lange 1 (meaning large non-overlapping subdials, often off-center). But in particular I’ll focus on two Jaquet Droz meteorite dial watches: their simplest, and their most impressive.
Grande Heure Minute Quantieme Meteorite
The Jaquet Droz Grande Heure Minute Quantieme Meteorite has a list price of $27,000, but you can probably find it online for half that. It’s a pretty competitive offering at its true market price. With a relatively thin bezel and a 39mm diameter, the dial offers a nice mostly-uninterrupted look at the appealing Widmanstätten pattern.
I’m not sure if I love the gold accents on the sides of the date window, but it’s a nice-looking watch regardless. It came out in 2019 and only 88 were made.
Loving Butterfly Automaton
The namesake of the brand, Pierre Jaquet-Droz, was a historically brilliant watchmaker and creator of automata in the mid-1700’s. World leaders were fascinated by his creations, and some were so complex (like 6,000 pieces) that they’re considered to be the predecessor to computers.
Now Jaquet Droz is a Swatch brand, but they’re carrying on the automata legacy with watches like the Loving Butterly. Its butterfly-pulling-a-chariot imagery is a nod to an automaton by Droz’s son from 1774–a drawing machine that sketched a similar image. The pusher in the crown causes the chariot’s wheel to spin and the butterfly’s wings to flap. The automaton has its own manual-wind power reserve, separate from that of the automatic movement driving the timekeeping. The meteorite dial is only one of the options for the Jaquet-Droz Loving Butterfly Automaton: petrified wood, aventurine, and mother-of-pearl dials are also available. Each is limited to 28 pieces.
Jaquet Droz Meteorite Watch Specs
| Model | Grande Heure Minute Quantieme Meteorite | Loving Butterfly Automaton |
| Reference | J017533270 | J032533271 |
| Case Material | 18k red gold | 18k red gold |
| Case Size | Width: 39mm Thickness: 10.85mm | Width: 43mm Thickness: 16.63mm |
| Water Resistance | 30m | 30m |
| Movement | Jaquet Droz 1150.P (Automatic, 8 beats per second) | Jaquet Droz 2653 AT1 (Automatic, 8 beats per second, automaton is manual-wind) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds, date | Hours, minutes, automaton (chariot wheel and butterfly wings move upon activation by the pusher on the crown) |
| Power Reserve | 68 hours | 68 hours |
| Bracelet/Strap | Black alligator strap with deployant clasp | Black alligator strap with deployant clasp |
| Limited Edition | 88 pieces | 28 pieces |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | $27,000 | ~$140,000 |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $13,000 | $115,000 |
Louis Monet Allente Meteorite
Louis Monet has now made dozens of different watches as part of its Cosmic Art collection, which they describe as “Out-of-this-world creations incorporating extraterrestrial fragments (meteorites), genuine space conquest-flown material and involving cooperation with legendary cosmonauts and astronauts.” For their meteorite watches, instead of a dial entirely (or even mostly) made of meteorite, each watch features a tiny piece of an exotic meteorite at 3 o’clock.
The Allende meteorite, for example, is a historically significant carbonaceous chondrite meteorite that fell in Mexico in 1969. It’s the largest known carbonaceous chondrite meteorite, weighing over two tons. It fell as a shower of stones over the village of Pueblito de Allende in Mexico in 1969. It contains calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAI’s) that are among the oldest known solids in the solar system, dating back over 4.5 billion years. Plus, Allente meteorite has a really cool galactic-looking pattern. It would be cooler if there were more of it, but it’s an interesting take on the meteorite dial watch by Louis Moinet regardless.
Louis Monet Allente Meteorite Specs
| Model | Allente Meteorite |
| Reference | LM-45.10B.M2 |
| Case Material | Stainless steel |
| Case Width | 45.4mm |
| Water Resistance | 50m |
| Movement | Automatic, 8 beats per second |
| Power Reserve | 48 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Bracelet/Strap | Brown alligator strap |
| Limited Edition | 12 pieces |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | $11,500 |
Kobold Soarway Diver Seal Ceramic
James Gandolfini’s role as New Jersey mobster Tony Soprano –and the gold Rolex Day-Date he wore in The Sopranos–is well-known among watch nerds. So much so, in fact, that any time someone posts pics of a champagne-dial Day-Date 36 online, you’ll inevitably see jokes about gabagool in the comments. Hilarious every time! What watch collectors might not know is that James Gandolfini was a true watch enthusiast himself. He helped Kobold (an American watch company that uses ETA movements) design the Seal in 2004.
It’s a pretty interesting dive watch–its aggressive lugs and huge bezel give it a genuinely distinctive aesthetic. For 2024, Kobold has released a meteorite dial and a white ceramic case for the Seal, which is part of their Soarway Diver collection. Interestingly, it has a Rolex Milgauss-like soft iron core protecting the movement from magnetism. The only things not to like are the 17mm case height and the $12,500 list price.
| Model | Soarway Diver Seal Ceramic |
| Case Material | White ceramic with titanium bezel |
| Case Size | Width: 43.5mm Lug-to-lug: Thickness: 17mm |
| Water Resistance | 1,000m |
| Movement | ETA 2824 (Automatic, 8 beats per second) |
| Power Reserve | 38 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Bracelet/Strap | White rubber strap |
| Limited Edition | 51 pieces |
| MSRP (Apr. 2024) | $12,500 |
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition
Parmigiani Fleurier is a mainstay of the high-end independent watch world. Founded in 1996, they were one of the first brands named after an individual watchmaker (founder Michael Parmigiani). Although the resale value of their watches can be subpar, PF is particularly known for crafting world-class hands and dials. So, it’s no surprise that they’ve dabbled with meteorite dial watches.
Parmigiani Fleurier released the Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition in 2015 in two dial colors: black and “Abyss Blue.” Galvanic treatments are used to create the desired color. A white meteorite dial option was added soon after. Nothing too crazy here, just classy time-only watches with appealing conservative design elements. You should be able to find them pre-owned for far less than their $19,500 list price.
Parmigiani Fleurier Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition Specs
| Model | Tonda 1950 Météorite Special Edition |
| Year Debuted | 2015 |
| Reference Numbers | White meteorite: PFC267-3002400-HA1441 Black meteorite: PFC267-3001400-HA1441 Blue meteorite: PFC267-3000600-HA3141 Blue meteorite (RG): PFC267-1000600-HA3141 |
| Case Material | Titanium (Blue dial also available in rose gold) |
| Case Size | Diameter: 39mm Thickness: 7.8mm |
| Movement | PF 702 (Automatic, 6 beats per second, ultra-thin) |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, small seconds |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Water Resistance | 30m |
| Strap | Alligator strap |
| Final MSRP | $19,500 |
| Market Price (Apr. 2024) | $11,750 |
We hope you’ve enjoyed this meteorite dial watch guide. If we left out any of your favorite meteorite dial watches, let us know in the comments!
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