Black mother-of-pearl is the reason to look at this one. It is not a flat black dial: the shell has a grain running through it, so the surface breaks into patches of charcoal, deep green and grey depending on the angle, and no two examples are marked the same way. \n\n Case and Wrist Presence \n A 32mm polished steel case with a very thin bezel, so almost the whole face is dial and the shell has room to show. The case is slim and the lugs short, which keeps it sitting flat on a narrow wrist. It reads as a proper dress watch rather than a decorative one. \n\n Dial and Legibility \n Silver Roman numerals at three, six and nine with applied batons at the other hours, and slim silver hands. Against dark shell the silver stands out well, better than it would on a pale dial, so this is easier to read than most watches with no minute track. The trade-off is that the shell pattern can catch the eye before the hands do. \n\n Movement and Functions \n Quartz, hours and minutes. No date and no seconds hand, so the dial is completely still when you look at it, which suits a surface meant to be looked at. The crown is a small fluted button at three. \n\n Strap, Clasp and Fit \n Black leather with a lizard emboss, held by polished steel keepers. The grain hides everyday scuffs better than smooth leather does. New leather is firm for the first week or two and then takes the shape of the wrist, after which it stops moving between holes and the fit settles. \n\n Who This Watch Suits \n Someone who wants a dark dress watch rather than another white one. Black shell reads dressier than plain black and works as well in the evening as it does at a desk. \n\n Care and Maintenance \n Keep it dry. There is no water rating on the dial and leather does not recover well from soaking. Mother-of-pearl sits under the crystal and needs nothing, but the crystal itself is worth wiping regularly, since fingerprints on the glass hide the shell pattern that you bought the watch for. \n\n About the Brand \n Emporio Armani uses mother-of-pearl across its women’s range in white, grey and black. The black version is the least common of the three and the one that changes most under different lighting. \n\n Technical Specifications \n \n Brand Emporio Armani \n Model AR1678 \n Case diameter 32mm \n Case material Polished stainless steel \n Case shape Round \n Dial Black mother-of-pearl, Roman numerals and batons \n Movement Quartz \n Functions Hours and minutes \n Strap Black lizard-embossed leather \n \n\n Buying With Confidence \n Backed by a 24-month international manufacturer warranty on the movement, excluding battery and normal wear. It arrives new and unworn in its original box with the manufacturer’s paperwork, delivered nationwide with tracking, and the Consumer Protection Act right of return applies to an unworn watch in its original packaging. The eagle logo is printed in silver at twelve, where it sits over the darkest part of the shell.