Hands-On: The Dennison A.L.D. Stone Dials Collection

Over the past year, I’ve collected watches from the ’40s and ’50s. Watches with Dennison cases are impossible to avoid when focusing on this early period. The Birmingham, England-based company was a notable case maker for Omega, Longines, and more until its closure in 1967. Today, the name returns with a very different set of watches. The A.L.D. Stone Dials look like what could have been had the brand survived.

I’ll put this out there from the beginning. I was skeptical when I first saw the Dennison A.L.D. Stone Dials in photos and online. Here was a revered brand coming back under a very different guise. Dennison made watch cases in Birmingham, England until 1967 for some of the most notable Swiss and English brands when it made sense to avoid crippling duties on imported Swiss cases. My sterling silver Omega 30T2 from 1939 is a prime example of Dennison’s former glory. So, yes, I was a tad concerned when I saw the very on-trend A.L.D. watches.

The A.L.D. Stone Dials

The A.L.D. Stone Dials are part of a two-model launch for the new Dennison. Sunray Dials are the other, less expensive option, and they use the same case. Five references are included in the Stone Dials lineup. All use a 33.65mm by 37mm stainless steel case with a lugless look.

The watches have a flat sapphire crystal, a snap-on case back, and a 30m water resistance rating. All come on 20mm leather straps with an alligator-style pattern and a distinctive pin buckle.

Five choices and four stones

The A.L.D. Stone Dials collection offers five choices. The stainless steel cases are available with malachite, aventurine, or lapis lazuli. Gold PVD-coated stainless steel cases come with an aventurine or tiger eye dial. Buyers can choose from three strap colors, including a dial-color-matched option.

Quartz movements

The A.L.D. Stone Dials and all Dennison watches use a Swiss Ronda Quartz 1032-1 movement. While that may not excite vintage die-hards, the choice results in lower pricing and a nice, slim profile. In fact, the watches are just 6.05mm thick.

So, what do we think?

Before I dive into the opinion portion, let’s talk about the current Dennison brand and its ownership. Toby Sutton, the director and co-founder of Watches of Knightsbridge, owns the name. Investment has also come via Switzerland and four collectors from Dubai. These parties came together and decided to build the watches in Asia, but they also contracted a well-known designer. Emmanuel Gueit designed the original Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore and has created watches for other Swiss luxury brands. He created the A.L.D. Stone Dials as a proposal for what Dennison’s watches could have looked like had they survived past 1967. Admittedly, he also mentioned that watches like this — the Piaget Andy Warhol Clou de Paris is a good example — are currently very popular.

Convincing in person

A group of us attended the recent WatchPro Salon in London, and as I knew I had an article deadline days later for the A.L.D. Stone Dial, seeing the watches in person was high on my list of priorities. Now, the folks I attended with are vintage nuts like me and were also skeptical. We sat down with the Dennison folks, and after spending time with the watches, we were pleasantly surprised. We also heard the same from others who tried them.

The A.L.D. Stone Dials are the way to go

Dennison had all the models on hand, and it was clear from the beginning that while the Sunray references are nice, the A.L.D. Stone Dials are the better option. The richness of the dials works incredibly well with the case design, and I found the malachite, with its striping, to be my favorite. The simple handset and off-center logo placement suit the overall design. We were also fans of the countersunk crown because it doesn’t take away from the case design. In hand, the watches feel like quality and are well designed.

The A.L.D. Stone Dials on the wrist

Judging by the dimensions, it seems the case wouldn’t work for anyone with a decently sized wrist, but that’s simply not true. The large dial and lack of visible lugs make the watch appear larger than it is. Plus, the 20mm strap width helps. The construction and materials of the straps weren’t our favorites, though. They felt stiff and had sharpish edges. Overall, they seemed less expensive than the rest of the watch.

I’d recommend changing the strap to a contrasting color and a pattern like Saffiano or Epsom. The buckle, however, obtained near-universal praise. The shape follows the case form, which shows a nice level of attention to the overall package.

Conclusions

The Dennison A.L.D. Stone Dials have been met with a wide variety of responses. As mentioned, I was deeply skeptical, but in person, I liked them a lot. Plus, as someone who isn’t inclined to spend thousands on stone-dialed ornate vintage pieces, these watches are a great proposition. At €637.95 / £545 including shipping, I think they’re an attractive and highly wearable option. For those who wish for a mechanical movement, ask if paying thousands would make sense for a watch that likely qualifies for occasional wear. At this price, it looks great, is more practical, and stays thin. Of course, we’re happy to hear your thoughts below.

The A.L.D. Stone Dials are available now on the official Dennison website.

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