7:30 AM — Morning Light
The MarkLE comes alive slowly. Natural light floods through the north-facing windows — chosen specifically for their consistent, even illumination. Our artisans arrive, coffee in hand, and begin the quiet rituals that start every working day.
Tools are inspected. Brushes are cleaned. The kiln is checked and brought to temperature. There is no rush; this work does not reward haste.
8:00 AM — Grinding
Today, we are preparing enamel for a new Cloisonné dial. The raw material — a chunk of cobalt blue glass — is placed in a porcelain mortar. It must be ground by hand until the particles are uniform and fine enough to pass through a 200-mesh sieve.
This process takes approximately two hours. The ground powder is then washed repeatedly in distilled water to remove any impurities. Clean enamel flows better, fires more evenly, and produces deeper color.
10:30 AM — Wire Bending
While the enamel dries, our master craftsman begins the most delicate phase of Cloisonné work: bending the gold wires. Using 24-karat gold wire, just 0.3mm in diameter, he creates the intricate pattern that will define the dial's design.
Each wire is bent with precision tools, following a pattern drawn on paper at 10x magnification. The wires are then placed on the dial using tweezers and a microscope. A single dial may contain over 200 individual wire segments.
1:00 PM — Application
After a brief lunch, the enamel application begins. The dried powder is mixed with a trace of oil to create a paste, which is then applied to the cells created by the gold wires. Each cell must be filled precisely — too much enamel and it overflows; too little and the surface will be uneven after firing.
This is done entirely by hand, using a brush with just a few hairs. The artisan works under 10x magnification, filling each cell with patient, deliberate strokes.
3:00 PM — First Firing
The dial enters the kiln at 820°C for precisely 90 seconds. These are the longest 90 seconds in the workshop. Everyone watches. The enamel melts, flows into the cells, and fuses to the metal and the gold wires.
When the dial emerges, the enamel has transformed from a dull powder into a glossy, jewel-like surface. But we're far from finished — this is only the first of six or seven firings.
4:00 PM — Inspection
Under magnification, every fired dial is inspected ruthlessly. We look for:
- Bubbles: Even microscopic air pockets are unacceptable
- Cracks: Thermal stress can cause hairline fractures
- Color consistency: The shade must be uniform across the entire surface
- Surface quality: Any pitting or unevenness means rejection
Today, one of three dials fails inspection. It is set aside — it will never bear the MarkLE name.
5:30 PM — Closing
The surviving dials are placed in a climate-controlled cabinet overnight. Tomorrow, the process continues — more layers, more firings, more inspections. A single Cloisonné dial takes between three and four weeks to complete.
As the artisans leave for the evening, the MarkLE returns to silence. The tools rest in their places. The kiln cools. And in the cabinet, two small discs of gold and glass wait patiently for tomorrow's fire.
If you would like to arrange a private visit to the MarkLE, please contact us to schedule an appointment.