DIALCRAFTSTUDIO

How can we
help you build?

Complete technical guidance, feature guides and practical resources for designing timepieces with precision.

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Getting started

From blank canvas to production file.

Follow these six steps to take a new project from an empty case through to a clear production-review package.

01

Choose your starting point

Open the studio and either select a professionally configured template or begin from a blank canvas. Templates give you a complete, production-minded design you can adapt; a blank project gives you full creative control from the first millimetre.

02

Set case and dial dimensions

Define your case diameter, thickness and the dial size in millimetres. DialCraft works in true physical units, so every measurement you set reflects the real object. The default 28.50 mm dial suits a 40 mm case, but every value remains editable later.

03

Build the dial in layers

In Dial Atelier, compose the dial from independent layers — base finish, printing, indices, lume, chapter ring and complications. Each surface stays separately editable, so you can refine one element without disturbing the others.

04

Engineer the hands

Design the hour, minute and seconds hands with independent geometry, finish, lume and counterweight. Live clearance checking shows how the hands stack and sweep across the dial in real time.

05

Preview in 3D with materials

Switch to 3D View to see your design rendered as a physical object. Apply realistic metals, ceramics, sapphire and lume under adjustable studio lighting, then orbit the camera to inspect proportion and finish from every angle.

06

Prepare a production review

When the design is ready, open Export to create presentation PNGs, SVG artwork, real-size proofs and a specification package. Confirm final tolerances and manufacturing requirements with your chosen supplier.

Feature guides

Documentation for every tool.

Expand any area of the studio to see what it does and how to get the most from it.

  • Choose base finishes — sunburst, matte, enamel, guilloché and more
  • Apply printed scale rings: tachymeter, telemeter, pulsometer or decimal
  • Import a transparent PNG or SVG logo and control scale, position and colour
  • Add curated colorways or generate a harmonious palette automatically
  • Layer indices, lume, chapter ring and minute track with full control

Frequently asked questions

Choose Open Studio or Start Designing, sign in with Google, name the project, select a starting case size and configure the dial. Your work autosaves to your Firebase Cloud account as you design.

Troubleshooting

Common issues, quick fixes.

Most questions resolve in a moment. Here are the ones we hear most often.

3D preview looks slow or stutters

Close other GPU-intensive tabs, disable heavy material effects while editing, and switch back to 2D Design mode for detailed layer work. The 3D view is best used to review, not to author.

My project did not sync

Confirm you are signed in with the expected Google account and have an internet connection. Open the Project Library to check Firebase Cloud projects. If cloud access is temporarily unavailable, DialCraft may show the browser recovery cache until sync returns.

Export looks different from the editor

Guides and helper overlays are excluded from exports by design. Toggle guides off in the editor to preview the true output, and use the presentation variant for a WYSIWYG render.

My logo appears with a background box

Upload a transparent PNG or an SVG. A logo saved with a solid background will carry that background onto the dial. Re-export the asset with transparency and re-import it.

Proportions look wrong at real size

Confirm your display DPI and the case and dial dimensions. DialCraft renders in true millimetres, so an incorrect DPI setting is the usual cause of a size mismatch.

Hands overlap or clip the dial

Open Hand Architecture and check the live clearance preview. Reduce hand length or adjust the centre-cap and counterweight until the stack sweeps cleanly.

Glossary

The language of the dial.

A short reference for the watchmaking terms you will meet throughout the studio.

Chapter ring
The ring carrying the minute or seconds track, usually set just inside the dial edge.
Guilloché
A repeating engraved pattern applied to the dial surface for texture and light play.
Lume
Luminescent material applied to indices and hands so they glow in low light.
Sunburst
A radial brushed finish that reflects light in a sweeping band as the dial turns.
Applied indices
Physical hour markers fixed to the dial rather than printed onto it.
Tachymeter
A scale, often on the bezel or chapter ring, used to measure speed over a known distance.
Lug-to-lug
The distance across the case between the tips of opposing lugs — a key fit measurement.
PBR
Physically-based rendering, which simulates how real materials respond to light.

Still need a hand?

Explore the full feature set, browse ready-made templates, or reach out and our team will help you bring your design to life.

Explore features
CommunityShare work and get feedback
DocumentationIn-depth guides and references
Production helpManufacturer handoff advice

Open Studio

Your workspace is ready.

Open studio

Browse Templates

Begin from a professionally configured design.

Browse templates