Selten’s Métiers d’Art Collection showcases artisanal enamelled dials that won’t break the bank
Tom AustinIn 2017, a young Leonardo Tsai from Hong Kong set about launching a new microbrand, reigniting his family’s tradition of dial making. Selten was born, a word taken from the German word for “rare”, and a perfect fit for the brand, tying in with Leonardo’s admiration for German watchmaking. Up until now, three models filled the Selten catalogue: the Series 00, the Salvage Bronze, and the M1 Moonphase, and now there’s a new variation in the Selten lineup: the Métiers d’Art Collection – Grand Feu Enamel Series. The collection embraces Tsai’s passion for artisanal dial creations and showcases enamel artistry that takes decades to master.
The case
Continuing on from the brand’s M1 Moonphase model, the Grand Feu Enamel series shares the same case design: a svelte 39mm wide, 316L stainless steel case sits at 10.5mm thick, slightly thinner this time around than the M1. The watch is classically proportioned, with softly curved tapering lugs that are 20mm wide. The lugs do appear to be widely spaced on the case, giving the watch a stocky appearance, but it balances the 39mm diameter well. A polished bezel extends to the outer edge of the case, framing everything nicely. The finishing is great for a watch at this price point, with clean bevelled edges contrasting against brushed surfaces.
The large crown and domed sapphire crystal grant the watch 50 metres of water resistance, which, while not massive, is adequate at the very least. This is no dive watch, but it should easily handle day-to-day use with little issue. A sapphire exhibition case back finishes things off – more on that in a second.
The dial
As I mentioned in my introduction, Leonardo Tsai comes from a family of artisan dial makers, which inspired the brand initially, so the desire to create a watch for the brand with an exquisite dial was always there. It wasn’t until Leonardo met Qin, a self-taught enamelist, jeweller, and engraver in 2021, that the idea would become a reality. The Grand Feu Enamel collection features dials that have been meticulously engraved in a sunburst pattern, then painstakingly enamelled, each taking around 4-5 hours to complete.
I love subtle variation, and the Grand Feu Enamel collection makes you stop and do a double-take, where you say, “Wait, oh yes, they’re different!” – it’s one of those aspects in watches that excites me. It may not appear so at first, but out of the five different colours there are, in fact, two different styles of dial in use with the Grand Feu Enamel. The first is the “Flare”, with a pattern of approximately 700 lines all emanating from the centre in a sunburst pattern, and the second is the “Spiral”, again with around 700 engraved lines, but this time with a subtle spiral effect radiating from the centre.
The dial layout is classic, with a printed minute track and a combination of slim applied hour markers and slender Roman numerals at 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock. The hands are finely polished, with the hour hand in a vintage-inspired, observatory-style, although it doesn’t reveal anything, so it’s just a stylistic choice. I would have liked to see the Selten logo be a little more subtle, perhaps smaller or even completely absent, like on the M1 Moonphase, but it’s not a deal breaker.
The strap
Each Grand Feu Enamel watch is equipped with a handcrafted Leather Strap by HasNoBounds, and each one is carefully chosen to pair with a specific colour on the dial. The “Moonstone” comes with a grey leather, “Golden Fall” is paired with a light beige, “Rustique” is matched to a rusty brown, “Prism Violet” comes with a lavender-coloured leather, and “Sunbird Blue” is matched with a dark brown, grained leather strap. All of the leather straps come equipped with a steel pin buckle, but there is an optional stainless steel bracelet with a folding clasp, and for an extra $70, it can be equipped with a micro-adjuster for on-the-fly adjustments.
The movement
Japanese Miyota movements have powered Selten’s previous watches, but for this model, Selten has opted for a Swiss calibre, namely the Soprod M100 automatic movement. It’s a movement that is shared across many microbrands and is based on the original Soprod calibre A10. For the Grand Feu, it has been adjusted to 5 positions to offer an improved accuracy of +-6sec/day, and sports a 42-hour power reserve at 28,800vph. At 3.6mm thick, it’s a nice, thin time-only movement, so it’s interesting to see that the watch couldn’t afford to be slightly thinner overall.
Something which is a little different is that Selten offers the option of a hand-engraved automatic rotor for this movement for an extra US$100. Many microbrands commission custom rotor designs for off-the-shelf movements, but this is a cut above other offerings. Even without the rotor, the movement is pleasantly (if industrially) finished – but c’mon, you’d be silly not to go for the engraved rotor here.
Selten Métiers d’Art Collection – Grand Feu Enamel Series pricing & availability
The Selten Métiers d’Art Collection – Grand Feu Enamel Series is available for pre-order, with deliveries beginning in April 2025. Price: from US$1,899 (Flare designs, pre-order price), from US$2,199 (Spiral designs, pre-order price), US$2,599 (Flare, full price), US$2,899 (Spiral, full price)
| Brand | Selten |
| Model | Métiers d’Art Collection – Grand Feu Enamel Series |
| Case Dimensions | 39mm (D) x 10.9mm (T) |
| Case Material | 316L Stainless steel |
| Water Resistance | 50 meters |
| Crystal(s) | Sapphire crystal front and back |
| Dial | Engraved silver dial with five enamel sunburst colour options, in”Flare” or “Spiral” patterns |
| Lug Width | 20mm |
| Strap | Colour-matched leather strap from HasNoBounds Optional steel bracelet with butterfly clasp (US$80) Optional micro-adjuster (US$150) |
| Movement | Soprod M100, automatic Optional hand-engraved rotor (US$100) |
| Power Reserve | 42 hours |
| Functions | Hours, minutes, seconds |
| Availability | Pre-orders open |
| Price | Pre-order price: US$1,899 (Flare), US$2,199 (Spiral) Regular price: US$2,599 (Flare), US$2,899 (Spiral) |
Made in partnership with Selten. However, the opinions expressed in this article are our own in accordance with our Editorial Policy.