The word “aventurine” comes from the Italian word “avventura,” which means “chance,” referring to the accidental way that aventurine glass was discovered in the 1800s. The aventurine used in watchmaking, however, is a form of quartz that has inclusions of fuchsite, which adds a shimmering and sparkling effect to the stone.
Today, several companies are using aventurine on watch dials (and on rotors) to evoke the celestial bodies.
“We decided to work with aventurine because it reminds us of a starry sky. Louis Moinet invented the first chronograph, which was at first an astronomical instrument to time the passage of stars and planets,” says Jean-Marie Schaller, CEO of Louis Moinet. “Furthermore, in our collections we pioneered the use of rare materials in our dials, such as meteorites. Using aventurine reinforces Louis Moinet’s universe.”
Aventurine is beautiful, but it’s not the easiest material to work with. “It is very delicate and difficult to work with aventurine,” says Christian Lattmann, vice president at Jaquet Droz. “The aventurine is cut into slices 1.5mm thick and then slowly polished to be as thin as 0.8mm. Following this process, we have to cut it delicately into the shape of the dial. The operation is difficult and sensitive and there is always the risk of breakage. The difficulty also lies in selecting the best section of the aventurine that displays many sparkles, offering a magical aspect to the dial.
“Minerals are a symbol of uniqueness and they are part of the eight codes of Jaquet Droz,” he continues. “The aventurine dial gives the watch a profound elegance by creating the perfect illusion of the ocean’s abysses or a sky full of stars. The idea is to play with the light and depth of the aventurine to decorate a very unique dial.”
Jacob & Co. uses aventurine as the backdrop to its spinning and turning Astronomia Triple Axis Gravitational Tourbillon. “Aventurine, from the quartz family, is a precious mineral that has some inclusions which create a blue-ish shine and glitter, offering a very celestial aesthetic touch to the watches,” says Xavier Mettaz, research and development manager at Jacob & Co. “The Astronomia’s aventurine layer, for instance, clearly reminds us of a night sky studded with many stars. The aventurine gives a fabulous midnight color to the timepiece and highlights the meticulous work of the stone cutter.
“The cut has to be very accurate and we need to find the perfect thickness,” he continues. “The stone has to be alive, bright and blue-ish enough. We have to be careful not to use a stone that’s too dark, which would look less alive. It is a sweet mix between the blue and the black colors.”
Aventurine certainly offers something different when it comes to dials. “The success of aventurine comes from its unique beauty, its brilliance and its profound elegance,” says Jaquet Droz’s Lattmann. “Aventurine paints the picture of a night sky sparkling with stars, which makes it very unique and delicate. We can find it today in different Jaquet Droz models such as the Grande Seconde, Lady 8 and Petite Heure Minute.”
With any luck, more watch companies will include this beautiful substance in their future offerings. —Keith W. Strandberg
