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Stefan Vinogradov is a master engraver who makes piece unique watches with elaborately engraved movements and dials. His work is strictly bespoke, and results from a close collaboration with his clients. Here, we take a look at some of his creations, from a Star Wars themed watch to a dial engraved with a Medieval battle scene. A Stefan Vinogradov custom watch starts at $3,000 and goes up from there, depending on the level of detail – a very reasonable price for this level of detail and craftsmanship.

Stefan, who is  28, knew from an early age that he loved detail and wanted to work with his hands. He began his training at the jeweler’s bench at the age of fourteen, when he embarked on a five-year training course at the Carl Fabergé College of jewelry arts. Here, he fell in love with the art of engraving and when he graduated, began working for a watch company in Moscow. He spent the next seven years there, perfecting the art of decorating dials and skeletonizing movements. Since striking out on his own two years ago, Stefan has created more than 15 bespoke watches for customers, fulfilling their desire for a timepiece that is truly their own and unlike any other watch in the world. All of the watches have a personal narrative that creates an instant connection between the watch and the wearer.

Stefan works in close collaboration with customers, from the initial drawings to the final product. “During my college years, I learned all of the jewelry techniques,” says Stefan. “I can create pieces from the sketch to the final product. We learned to do everything by hand. After college, I mostly used the engraving technique, as well as stone-setting and sawing. I absolutely love engraving by hand because it is like being a combination of sculptor and painter.”

Each project begins with a concept that reflects the customer’s passion for something. One of Vinogradov’s favorite creations is based on a Medieval Knight theme, with an intricate action scene including knights in full armor on horseback, a castle, raised swords, even a drawbridge on the caseback. The indexes are made of inverted black diamonds with the pointy ends facing up, like the tips of swords.

Another client wanted a Star Wars theme, and Stefan created a dial with Darth Vader and Yoda locked in battle holding Jedi swords that double as hour and minute hands. They are surrounded by intricate Star Wars iconography including sapphires set into star-shaped indexes.

A customer who was born in the year of the Dragon wanted an elaborate Chinese dragon sculpted on the dial, and the final composition, intricately engraved, evolved from a favorite drawing the client provided.

For another project, an architect from Dubai envisioned a landscape that would include the tallest building in the world, with an overall Arabic theme. The dial depicts sand dunes, a rotating moon, and the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. The hands add a touch of traditional Arabic design, juxtaposed with the modern architecture.

“I like to create something new and unique,” says Stefan. “And I like that the customer is not just buying a watch; he is taking part in its creation. For me, watch creation is like something magical, and I love to see how the idea takes shape.”

Some customers don’t know what they want, beyond a watch that is customized and engraved in the Vinogradov style. Stefan, therefore, begins by asking the them to tell him a little bit about themselves, their passions and what they love – sports, family, a favorite film. He also asks them to send some inspiration watches from their collection to give him a sense of their style and design preferences.

Once the sketches are finalized, Stefan begins by disassembling the movement in order to decorate each componenent. Everything from the dial to the mainspring barrel are cut and engraved by hand, finished, polished, and then plated with gold (yellow or rose) or rhodium (white or black). The dial is then enameled or gem-set, if that is part of the design. The movement is then reassembled and set into the case, ready for final checking and adjusting. The whole process takes between 2 and 2.5 months, depending on the complexity of the design. “During the seven years I worked for a watch company, I think I made about 300 watches,” he says. “These weren’t as detailed as the pieces I create now.” Some of the dials are so intricately decorated that certain details can only be seen through a microscope, like the eyes or fingers on a figure, or the elements of a warrior’s armor. Every time you look at it, you will see something different.

Stefan prefers to work with hand-wound movements “because they are best suited for this kind of work, and provide a large space for creativity – a rotor would block my decoration from the back side.” He often starts with the ETA calibers 6497-1 or 6498-1, or the 6497-2 or 6498-2 which can be customized for more power reserve (adding an extra mainspring) or higher frequency. His cases are steel or gold, and big enough – 41mm to 45mm – to serve as a wide frame for his art. “I think my watches can be appreciated by any watch fan who wants a very individual, high-quality timepiece with detailed engraving – I’m one of the best in this art,” he says.

For anyone who’s ever wanted a customized, one-of-a-kind watch, here’s your chance to build the watch of your dreams for a very reasonable price – starting at $3,000 USD. Contact Stefan Vinogradov at Stefanjewels (at) gmail.com.

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