NO.306

Originally conceived as a distinctive luxury sports watch, this timepiece was defined by its massive bezel and articulated rubber strap lugs. It offered a strong architectural foundation. Alter revisits it with an illustrated dial and a deep black case, reinforcing its presence with a graphic identity while preserving its original structure.

The Owner’s Vision

The owner wanted to reinterpret his watch with a design reflecting something personal. Based on his description of a place that holds particular meaning for him, our designers helped him design the pattern of the moon and leaf for the dial. As a frequent traveler, he saw the GMT complication as the ideal foundation for a project expressing both movement and attachment. The watch became a way for him to carry that place with him wherever he goes.

Preparation and Restoration

The transformation begins with a full disassembly of the watch. Each component is inspected, serviced, and restored. The surfaces are then refined to preserve the original brushed finishes before the customization process continues.

Dial Composition

The dial design was developed through a series of sketches by our design team. Several compositional options were explored, refining the balance between the moon and the leaf pattern before defining the final motif. The illustration was then simplified and adapted to preserve legibility. The textured matte black base establishes depth, while the yellow moon draws the eye against the dark background.

This customization balances graphic expression with technical structure. It integrates narrative elements while preserving the functional clarity expected of a GMT sports watch.

Dial Painting

The work of the dial maker is at the heart of this project. The base was first machined to create its fine grained texture before the black background was applied in layered spray coats. The motif and indexes were constructed through sequential decal applications, beginning with the yellow moon, followed by the gray green leaves, and finally the white indexes and logo, each carefully aligned. The hands were then individually painted using pigments mixed in house.

Black DLC Coating

All yellow gold components were treated with a black diamond like carbon coating, including the case, bezel, crown, pushers and articulated lugs. This amorphous carbon based layer is applied as a micrometric coating, offering high resistance to wear. The white numerals on the 24 hour bezel were painted by hand to reinforce legibility against the dark surface. The black rubber strap remains unchanged, maintaining the architectural character of the watch.

All modifications performed by Alter are fully reversible, including the diamond like carbon coating, allowing the watch to be returned to its original configuration at any time.

MATERIALYELLOW GOLD
FINISH BRUSHED
CASE BLACK DLC COATING
BEZELBLACK DLC WITH HAND-PAINTED NUMERALS
DIAL MATTE BLACK TEXTURED
DIAL DESIGNCUSTOMER’S DESIGN
HANDS HAND-PAINTED
STRAPORIGINAL BLACK RUBBER

The project combined high resolution photography and digital renders to offer a detailed view of the final result. All restoration, finishing and decorative work was carried out in our Swiss workshops with rigorous attention to detail and respect for traditional watchmaking practice.

Alter Geneva carries out each creation on a client’s personal watch. These independent works are not produced, approved, or guaranteed by the original manufacturers. As modifications may affect the brand warranty, Alter Geneva provides its own warranty. All creations are intended for private use only.