Moritz Grossmann Hamatic Enamel: A Different Kind of Black Dial
Featured photograph: Rose-gold Hamatic Enamel MG-004000 on the wrist beside a tweed sleeve. Photography: Moritz Grossmann.
A black-dial Hamatic is no longer a precise description. Moritz Grossmann's October 2026 Hamatic Enamel introduces fired glass to a collection that already includes the glossy black-or finish. For a collector comparing photographs, the two can seem closer than their construction suggests. The new release deserves attention because the dial material changes, alongside a different set of numerals, within a recognisable mechanical watch.
Enamel changes what the surface represents
The enamel begins with ground glass mixed with colouring ingredients. Successive applications are fired and cooled, with cracking, bubbles or flaking capable of spoiling the work. Several days can go into the process. The finished black surface therefore represents a demanding sequence of transformations before the dial can become part of a watch.
That production risk helps explain the craft appeal, but it should not be mistaken for evidence that every dark, glossy dial uses the same method. Colour is easy to describe in an advertisement; the material and process require more precise language. Here, the word Enamel is an essential part of the model's identity.
The older black-or watch is a separate proposition
Grossmann describes its earlier black-or treatment using a mirror-polished German-silver base and a black-anthracite surface treatment. Those Hamatic Vintage dials carry Roman numerals. A listing that says only 'black Hamatic' consequently leaves important information unresolved, even if the photographs look convincing at thumbnail size.
For a secondary-market comparison, establish the full reference and production version before discussing the price difference. Ask the seller to identify the dial construction in writing and supply clear photographs of the actual watch. An older black-or example can be attractive on its own terms; it should be evaluated as that watch, with its own condition and documentation.
Two metals, eight examples apiece
The new rose-gold reference is MG-004000; the white-gold version is MG-004079. Both have applied Arabic numerals, a railway minute track and small seconds. Each metal is limited to eight watches. They belong to Grossmann's 2026 commemoration of the founder's birth in 1826, with the historic M. GROSSMANN signature on the dial and 1826 engraved on the balance cock.
Rose gold pairs gold hands with brown alligator leather. White gold uses polished steel hands and black alligator. Our choice would be rose gold: the warm numerals and hands make the black field feel less severe. White gold offers a more tonal composition, where changing reflections do more of the visual work. The maker's photographs show both approaches; they do not represent handling performed by us.
The familiar mechanism remains part of the purchase
Behind the dial sits automatic calibre 106.0, whose pendulum-style hammer supplies winding rather than a conventional full rotor. It runs at 3Hz with a stated 72-hour reserve. The sapphire back makes that unusual mechanism visible. The case measures 41mm across and 11.35mm high, with a 30-metre water-resistance rating.
The enamel edition should therefore be considered as a complete Hamatic, including the size and mechanical character. Someone chiefly seeking a modestly sized enamel dress watch should try the case before becoming committed to the dial. Ask how maintenance will be handled and which service arrangements apply in the country of purchase.
What to establish before committing
Reported launch retail is €63,500 excluding taxes. That figure is a reference point for the release, rather than a current delivered quotation or evidence of a completed resale. Obtain an offer identifying the metal, reference, tax treatment, included accessories and delivery terms. An eight-piece edition does not establish present availability or a future trading price.
For the exact watch offered, request close photographs of the dial and crystal, confirmation of any work already performed and the maker's advice on future dial intervention. Documentation matters particularly when a finish is central to the buying decision. We would buy the Enamel for the particular combination of fired glass, applied Arabic numerals and the Hamatic mechanism. Its strongest distinction survives a careful comparison with the older black dial.