What We Know
Today, Glaswegian brand AnOrdain, known for its handcrafted grand feu enamel dials, introduces the second entry in its porcelain dial series with the Model 1 Porcelain. Counterintuitively, it follows last year’s Model 2 Porcelain, which marked the brand’s first watch with a porcelain dial. While the dials are still produced by hand in AnOrdain’s Glasgow workshop, using a traditional porcelain-making process (no zirconium ceramic sheets or injection-molded clay slurry), the firing of the clay and vitreous glaze at high heat for these porcelain dials can be done at a much larger scale.
AnOrdain provides a comparison here of production rates—50 vitreous enamel dials per month across seven enamellers, while one ceramic specialist can produce 30-40 porcelain dials. And though it may be easy to assume porcelain dials are more forgiving and capable of higher yields, the brand notes that the final dials come from an approximate total of 300 produced, meaning there’s still a mighty high rejection rate associated with porcelain dialmaking.
The Model 1 Porcelain starts with, well, the brand’s Model 1 case design in stainless steel. It is a reasonably compact watch, with a diameter of 38mm, a lug-to-lug measurement of 46mm, and a thickness of 11mm. The Model 1 silhouette features a short lug design with broad outer polished faceting, making the lugs feel even slimmer on the wrist. Polishing is also found on the smooth, rounded bezel, while the midcase and screwed-in caseback are fully brushed.
The focus of the new release, of course, is the white glazed porcelain dial. And while the Model 2 Porcelain’s distinctive typeface was designed by AnOrdain’s in-house typographer, the Model 1 Porcelain draws on external creative inspiration, with its typography by graphic and type designer Kia Tasbihgou. There is an unmistakable and intentional homage in the dial’s lettering to Breguet numerals, complemented by a unique heat-blued steel handset combining a Breguet hour hand with an angular, skeletonized syringe hand. Tying the connection between the dial and the hands is the “0” numerals on the dial, which echo the open circle of the hour hand.
You have two options when it comes to the caliber inside the Model 1 Porcelain. Both are La Joux-Perret G101 movements, but there is an option for a decorated version with an exhibition caseback, featuring a unique decoration of spiral anthracite striping and a partially skeletonized rotor. The standard G101 gets you a solid caseback. Both the standard and decorated movements feature the same specs, with a beat rate of 28,800 VpH and a power reserve of 68 hours.
Finally, the Model 1 Porcelain will feature a leather strap also produced in-house at AnOrdain. The watch will be available for purchase on the 27th of August, with existing AnOrdain customers receiving 24-hour early access. AnOrdain says that the first batch will contain 70 watches, with small monthly restocks to be expected. The Model 1 Porcelain is priced at $2,950 with the standard G101 caliber, or $3,400 with the decorated caliber and exhibition caseback.
What We Think
Ever since my coverage of the Model 2 Porcelain last year, I have been wondering when we might see the brand’s next porcelain-dialed showing. I appreciate how visually distinct this new offering is compared to the first, and though I’ve always loved seeing the gorgeous results from AnOrdain’s in-house artists, it’s quite interesting to see someone like Tasbihgou’s outside eye bring together classical elegance with a bit of art-school flair. There aren’t many brands that could pull off the combination of a Breguet-style hour hand with an angular minute hand as we see in the Model 1 Porcelain, but somehow it feels just right for an AnOrdain creation.
This was the first time I’ve been able to spend time with a Model 1, and I have to say—the case wears really well across wrist sizes. When I spend time lurking on AnOrdain’s website (let’s be honest, many of you also have), the Model 1 case never stood out to me in the way it does on the wrist. And of course, the dial is very much the focus here. At a quick glance, the porcelain exudes a beautiful glossy sheen with the slight dimensionality of the blue dial printing interacting with the light. But on closer look in certain lighting conditions, the handmade nature of the porcelain reveals itself in occasional pitting throughout the dial, just like in the Model 2 Porcelain. Those expecting a flawless dial surface should turn elsewhere—the dial here embraces the subtle imperfection of turning clay into porcelain.
AnOrdain’s watches aren’t for everyone, but the brand’s insanely long waitlist for its enamel-dialed creations (2030, last time I checked) shows just how much the collector base values the products that they are putting out in their Glasgow workshop. And in facing that demand, it naturally makes sense to find some additional ways to offer solutions to alleviate some of the overwhelming demand in the meantime. Most importantly, the Model 1 fits excellently into the brand’s unyielding creative philosophy and keeps me looking forward to the next release.
The Basics
Brand: AnOrdain
Model: Model 1 Porcelain
Diameter: 38mm
Thickness: 11mm
Case Material: Stainless steel
Dial Color: White glazed porcelain
Indexes: Printed
Lume: No
Water Resistance: 5 ATM
Strap/Bracelet: Leather strap made in-house
The Movement
Caliber: La Joux-Perret G101 (or optional decorated A1 version)
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds
Power Reserve: 68 hours
Winding: Automatic
Frequency: 28,800 VpH (4 Hz)
Jewels: 24
Chronometer Certified: No
Pricing & Availability
Price: $2,950 (G101); $3,400 (Decorated A1)
Availability: Now
Limited Edition: No
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