Scottish Watches Podcast #804 – Artistically Bringing a Smile to the Dial
The episode features Chris Alexander, known as The Dial Artist, discussing his extensive collaboration with Christopher Ward on the Xander collection, where he hand‑painted roughly 1,300 components across 150 watches in just 50 days, leading to an immediate sell‑out. Listeners learn about the challenges of painting individual skeleton movement parts, maintaining consistency, and enduring intense 18‑hour workdays, as well as the technical hurdles involved in luminous dials, colour‑changing paints, forced copper patination, and ceramic‑based lacquers. The conversation also explores Chris’s other partnerships with brands such as Spinnaker and Sartory Billard, his experimental failures, and the creative inspiration behind his work. Additional topics include his experiences at major watch events like Chicago Windup, the importance of community interactions for fostering collaborations, and a preview of upcoming projects and collaborations within the watch‑making scene.
Buying Time Analysis: This episode highlights the groundbreaking artistic collaboration behind the Christopher Ward Xander, showcasing how meticulous hand‑painting of watch components pushes the boundaries of horological craftsmanship and inspires innovation within the watch community.
