Six Aventurine Watches That Bring Starry Skies To The Wrist

The exact date of origin, and who discovered or developed the process of Aventurine glass remains unknown. It’s believed to be discovered by chance and first seen in Murano, Venice, at the beginning of the 17th century. Aventurine glass is made by adding metallic parts to heated crushed glass causing the particles to crystallise as it cools down. The result is a fascinating spectacle that resembles a star-studded night sky. The most common colours are black and dark blue, but as today’s Buying Guide will reveal, other colours are also possible. Whichever colour it comes in though, it’s almost certain to spark emotions!

Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Flying Tourbillon

Early on in 2023, Audemars Piguet massively impressed us with an array of incredible and often complex new releases in the Code 11.59 collection. The Flying Tourbillon you see here, is perhaps the most evocative one, with its rose gold and black ceramic case and exquisite automatic flying tourbillon movement. The main attraction though is the luscious smokey green enamelled Aventurine dial. The shimmering dial looks absolutely mesmerizing and shows remarkable transparency and depth. The applied markers almost seem to float above the dial. It comes on a black textured rubber-coated strap and will be available during the summer. The price is upon request.

For more information, please visit AudemarsPiguet.com

Quick Facts – 41mm x 11.8mm – 18k pink gold and black ceramic case – double-curved sapphire crystal – sapphire caseback – fumé green enamelled aventurine dial – applied pink gold indices and hands – black lacquered inner bezel – AP Calibre 2950, in-house – automatic winding – 21,600vph – 65h power reserve – flying tourbillon escapement – black textured rubber-coated strap with pink gold folding clasp – available globally from August 2023 – price upon request

Czapek Faubourg de Cracovie Aventurine

As we’ve already established, Aventurine is a very fine and delicate material to work with. Using it for a full dial is hard enough, but Czapek decided to up the game by constructing a three-part multi-level Aventurine dial for a 50-piece limited edition of its Faubourg de Cracovie chronograph. Despite the starry spectacle, it remains fairly well-legible, although the markings on the subdial can be a bit challenging to read. The neatly integrated pushers and the exquisite integrated column-wheel chronograph movement only add to the massive appeal of the watch. Worn on a black alligator leather strap, its priced at EUR 38,000.

For more information, please visit Czapek.com

Quick Facts – 41.5mm diameter – stainless steel case – box sapphire crystal – sapphire crystal caseback – 50m water-resistant – 3-part dark Aventurine dial – applied indices and hands with Super-LumiNova – Calibre SXH3 integrated automatic chronograph – 5Hz frequency – 65h power reserve – hours, minutes, seconds, chronograph h/m/s – black alligator leather strap with folding buckle – limited to 50 pieces – EUR 38,000

Omega Speedmaster Chrono Chime

This time around, we’re not going into detail about the insanely complex Calibre 1932 found in the Speedmaster Chrono Chime and the 1932 Olympic Chrono Chime. By now, most are well aware of the repeater complication for the chronograph minutes and seconds. Instead, we’re focussing on the amazing dial the Speedmaster Chrono Chime comes with. Exclusive to the model is the blue “Grand Feu” enamel Aventurine dial and bezel insert, perfectly befitting the space-bound legacy of the Speedmaster. Cutouts reveal the hammers for the repeater functionality, with guilloché Sedna gold subdials “interrupting” the Aventurine as well. Priced at CHF 450,000 it is the most expensive watch on the list.

For more information, please visit OmegaWatches.com

Quick Facts – 45mm x 17.2mm – Sedna Gold case, brushed and polished – fixed bezel with aventurine enamel tachymeter insert – sapphire crystal front and back – crown with integrated chronograph monopusher with rattrapante pusher and chrono chime pusher – blue aventurine enamel dial – guilloché sub-dials – exposed chiming hammers – gold hands – calibre 1932, hand-wound – 575 parts – 36,000vph – 60h power reserve – certified Master Chronometer – co-axial escapement – hours, minutes, small seconds, chronograph seconds, chronograph 15-minutes, elapsed time chiming mechanism – CHF 450,000

Christiaan van der Klaauw Planetarium Dunes of Mars

We’re used to seeing black or dark blue Aventurine dials, but the Christiaan van der Klaauw Planetarium Dunes of Mars takes things into a whole new direction. Still fitted with the smallest mechanical planetarium in the world, the Dunes of Mars draws inspiration from the red sandy grounds of the neighbouring planet. It provides a rather unique backdrop to the rotation of the plants and the calendar display of the Planetarium. The orrery at 6 o’clock shows the position of six planets in relation to the sun, in real-time rotations! Available in steel, white gold or rose gold, it’s priced between EUR 49,500 and EUR 75,300.

For more information, please visit Klaauw.com

Quick Facts – 40mm diameter – steel, white gold or rose gold case, polished – straight lugs, onion crown – sapphire crystal front and back – reddish-brown Aventurine dial – miniature mechanical planetarium – central hour and minute hands – calendar display with date and month – Calibre CVDK7836, automatic – twin-barrels – 96h power reserve – brown leather strap with folding clasp in steel or white/rose gold pin buckles – EUR 49,500 (steel), EUR 70,000 (rose gold), EUR 75,300 (white gold)

Louis Moinet Space Revolution

Aventurine is often used to represent starry skies at night, or the vast emptiness of space, and the Louis Moinet Space Revolution might be the ‘spaciest’ watch on the list. This very expressive piece is a sign of the creativity portrayed by Atelier Louis Moinet, and features twin planetary flying tourbillons with space-ship counterweights. The regulators rotate in opposite directions, so the two ships will engage in battle multiple times throughout the day. All this is set under a tall box-shaped sapphire crystal with a black Aventurine backdrop. It is limited to just 8 pieces in total, all worn on an alligator strap and costing CHF 360,000.

For more information, please visit LouisMoinet.com

Quick Facts – 43.5mm diameter – 18k pink gold case – 41.5mm sapphire box crystal – sapphire crystal caseback – black Aventurine background – Calibre LM104, proprietary movement by Concepto – hand-wound – 21,600vph – 48h power reserve – movement setting selector – twin flying satellites with tourbillon regulators – hours and minutes – alligator leather strap with pink gold folding buckle – limited to 8 pieces – CHF 360,000

A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin Gold Flux

Finishing off today’s Buying Guide is the A. Lange & Söhne Saxonia Thin Gold Flux. This very classy dress watch, showing hours and minutes only, comes with a dramatic full Aventurine dial, in which the metallic particles give it a wonderfully refined sparkle. Set in a very slender 6.2mm thin white gold case, this iteration of the Saxonia Thin is a perfect black-tie companion. The movement is hand-wound and made of German Silver bridges and plates. The shiny black lather strap might be a bit much for some, to be honest. Limited to 50 pieces, this special boutique edition is priced at EUR 24,500.

For more information, please visit ALange-Soehne.com

Quick Facts – 40mm x 6.2mm – 18k white gold case, polished and brushed – sapphire crystal front and back – full “Gold Flux” Aventurine dial – applied white gold baton indices – white gold rhodium-plated hands – Lange manufacture calibre L093.1, manual winding – 167 parts – lever escapement – in-house made balance spring – 21,600vph – 72h power reserve – shiny black leather strap with white gold pin buckle – limited to 50 pieces, boutique exclusive – EUR 24,500