Pocket watch dials were manufactured using many different methods and types of materials over the years.  Some very early dials were made using precious metals such as silver and gold.  Many of these metal dials were inlaid and highly engraved with floral designs or intricate patterns.

Of special interest are railroad dials and what they were made of.  Most examples found on pocket watches are made using porcelain.  Porcelain in most cases is fired onto a copper backing.  Many of these styles are found as being either single or double sunk.  Single sunk dials will have the seconds bit lower than the rest of the dial.  Double sunk dials will have two areas that are lower than the outside chapter of the watch dial.

Porcelain dials are probably the most valuable dials on pocket watches.  They maintain their original beauty and can be cleaned and well maintained.  Some problems encountered with porcelain dials are that they can chip or crack.  Fine cracks in the porcelain dial are often referred to as hairlines.

The different sections of a porcelain dial are put together with lead solder.

Below is an image of a Hamilton Railway Special dial that is made out of porcelain.

Later on cost concerns with the production of porcelain dials and the fact that many watch factories were in financial trouble, other forms of dials were manufactured.  Hamilton used dials that looked just like the porcelain dials but were manufactured using a resin based material called melamine.

Melamine was placed over a solid metal backing.  The outside appearance of the melamine pocket watch dial looked exactly like the early porcelain dials of the same style.

Melamine dials also had the appearance of being double sunk.  Melamine dials were not as durable as porcelain dials and many are found with many age cracks.  Some melamine dials appear to have hundreds of small cracks all over the dial.  Melamine dials did not hold up well to heat and often yellowed over the years.  It is difficult to clean a melamine dial and they often scuff or scratch when touched or when the hands are removed for servicing the watch.

Below is an image of a Hamilton Railway Special dial that was made out of melamine.

Here is an image of the reverse side of the Hamilton Railway Special dial that is manufactured using melamine.

We hope this helps you to better understand the difference between porcelain pocket watch dial and melamine pocket watch dials.

We appreciate the images from Horologist.com.

Courtesy of Horologist.com and Timebuilders.com