Bovet Récital 12 Stone Dials - Leave The Following To The Rest Of Them

I try to avoid writing about watch industry trends here on The Subdial.  When I think of it, I avoid trends in my personal life, too. I’ve had the same haircut for years, and my clothes are all from the same shop. Some people think I’m boring, my wife included, but I see it as holding on to my own identity. What is cool now may not fit my personality; I’m looking at you, bleached blonde eyebrows, you’re just not for me. I never want to succumb to the flow of the majority. That’s what I tell myself anyway. Maybe I’m just lazy.

Trends within the watch industry are a dime a dozen. Tiffany blue, green, and the mother of them all, integrated bracelets, are just some that have popped up over the years. 2025 is the year of stone dials. If you haven’t noticed, every man and his dog has a watch brand that makes one, and it feels like the go-to freshener for those that want to stay relevant. Watch not selling? Go out to the carpark and get a stone for the dial. Problem solved without having to flex your creative muscles and come up with something intrinsically interesting.

There are exceptions to the rule, however, and to be fair, most of the time I like the look of stone dials. As a reformed hippie, I used to collect crystals from local farmers' markets. I would walk around barefoot with beads in my hair, scouting for the right rose quartz to hang around my neck (I'm serious).  Anyway, you’ll never see photos of me back then, so let’s move on.

When paired with an interesting watch, stone dials are great and there are a select few brands that have done it really well, and with their latest release, Bovet is one of them. The new Récital 12 with Malachite and Tigers Eye dials are of the moment, but do it in a way that is very much of their brand. I wrote about the Récital 12 at length a few months ago, so go and read that to get up to speed, because essentially nothing has changed. We still have a 40mm Titanium case polished to within an inch of its life, Bovet’s first ever bracelet also in Titanium, and an upside-down high horology movement that could only be from the hands of the team at the Château. It’s a very cool watch from a brand with incredible history and a strong personality.

The Bovet Récital 12 Malachite

The first variant is Malachite, a green stone known for its distinct patterns and luminosity. The stone, a copper carbonate hydroxide mineral, forms in the oxidation zones of copper ore deposits all over the world. It’s a relatively soft material, so after carefully slicing it down, Bovet reinforces it with a metal backing before mirror polishing and installation. Every dial will be different depending on the concentration of copper. Darker greens have higher copper content, while lighter colours have a less concentrated deposition. When slicing the stone, even if there are two dials that are taken from the same specimen, they will be slightly different. Just like the grain on two thin slices of wood.

Malachite is also known, in the metaphysical/hippie world, to be a stone of transformation. It’s said to help clear away old patterns and encourage positive change. Fitting really, the stone of change on a watch that signifies so much change for the brand. Ten points to me if that’s why they chose it.

The Bovet Récital 12 Tiger’s Eye

Not to be confused with the song ‘Eye Of The Tiger’ by Rock Band Survivor, Tiger’s Eye is a pseudomorphic mineral that has replaced another material's chemical structure but kept its external shape. A bit like those zombie mushrooms in The Last of Us. I assume, I haven’t watched it, too scary.

Made up mostly of silica with a sprinkling of oxidised iron to give it its signature red-yellow colour, the stone has a unique Chatoyancy ‘œil de chat’ or ‘cat's eye’ effect. This is when the fibrous makeup of a stone reflects light in a concentrated line. It’s really beautiful to look at, especially in the sun. Even if you’re not a cat person.

The dial on this version of the Récital 12 is interesting not just because of how beautiful the stone is on its own, but because the colour of the tiger's eye contrasts so starkly with the bridges, blued screws and pink jewels, almost to the point where it looks out of place. The Malachite dial fits in; the Tiger’s Eye breaks the rules. I really like it.

The one thing I dislike about these watches is the 1 of 60 text on the dial. It’s just not necessary and really distracts the eye. Why cover up the beautiful stone with text? Engrave it on the case back if you must. Actually, don’t even do that, purity is an asset!

Am I Wrong About Stone Dials?

As I said at the beginning of this article, I find myself getting more and more desensitised to brands that follow trends like this. I think it’s much more interesting when they stick to their guns and lean into their own identity. The best art is created when the painter doesn’t care what other people think. The watch has to be good on its own before a stone dial will work, and in this case, Bovet has well and truly done it right. The dials of these Récital 12s aren’t overpowering, and they don’t rely on the stone to create personality that isn’t there. The watch is characterful as it is.

The Malachite and Tiger’s Eye dials are a garnish on what is already a well-thought-out, well-resolved watch from a brand that has its own identity. One day, when I buy a recital 12, my Bovet of choice, I hope there are some stone dials left, I’ll take a Tiger’s Eye please (I’m most definitely a cat person).

Although I’ve never met Pascal Raffy, I’m sure he is with me when it comes to trends. That is to say - Stay true to yourself, create what you love and leave the following to the rest of them.

Cya in the next one. x

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