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Illustrated Dictionary of Watch finishing & decorations

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Glaude

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In my reviews, I always talk with some weird words about how this or that part is finished, those words sound like an intellectual diarrhoea most of the time. For the most part they are in French, so one could argue ... but they do relate to some very interesting technique and produce the nice results on our watch, that we have come to love and sought after.

The purpose of this post is to take an easier approach of them, without going into deep history, but only a show and tell about them.

The content of this dictionary will be following the English language since we are in an English speaker forum and that most of the online resources are using the original language for reference, reversing it is in the best interest of this community, in my opinion, but do note that a lot of those terms are mainly used in their original language around the world, so it's best to know both.
Some time there will be no translation of the finish because the same word is used.

The dictionary will be composed as follows : The name of the finish or decoration in English - Name of the finish or decoration used by the watch industry [Language of origin] {pronunciation for English speakers in phonetic} - Link to hear it via Google translate in the native language (direct link to the audio file, should play inside the browser, if an error 404 is shown, just hit enter or the equivalent to reload the address of the link, refresh won't work)
It will be followed by a picture or two of the finish (as usual a click on them will open a higher resolution picture). Then you'll find a quick explanation of the technique used to realise it and hidden in a box you'll find a video of how it's done, you'll only have to click the box to reveal the content.

Last words of this introduction, most of those finishes were invented at a time when power tools were rare if not non-existent in the watch industry, if a lot of them can me made with power tools and CNC machine, it's not always the case and I'll mention it in the description each time it's worth it. Some techniques can be found in other domains than the watch making, with a different way of doing it, this dictionary only focuses on watchmaking.

This topic is locked, with the help of our beloved staff, to keep it clean, but will be updated in the future, upon requests in the specific topic open for discussions.
Each post can be linked in a review or a topic to explain something, that's why each definition is in an independent post, so that every member has the possibility to link directly to a definition.
Big thanks to Col & the staff for allowing me to do that this way.

Discussion thread : 

 

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Glaude

Black polishing - Poli noir [French] {pɔli nwaʁ} - Listen French pronunciation

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Also called flat polishing, mirror polishing or specular polishing, all those terms references to the same technique, making the surface perfectly flat and highly reflective.
Black polishing diffuse the light in only one direction, producing this black effect when the light strike the surface perpendicular.
A black polished piece can only have three colours, it's either a uniform black, uniform white or uniform grey.
Black polishing is the highest polishing state achievable and it's considered as unavoidable for certain parts like the minute repeater hammers or the tourbillon cages and bridges.
To achieve a black polishing power tools (CNC or not) can be used to reduce the amount of work but the final passes are always done by hand using various types of woods as a tool and a product called diamantine (a very fine abrasive paste mixed with oil)

Spoiler

Quick explanation of black polishing

A more modern approach of black polishing

 

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Glaude

Blasted - Sablé [French] {sable} - Listen French pronunciation

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Blasted is the generic term and appropriate one. However you will mostly hear about sand-blasting or bead-blasting.
This finish is done by spraying with force, various materials called a "media" on the surface you want to finish that way. Those blasting material can be sand, glass beads or any other abrasive material depending on the wanted finish.
A sand-blasted finish is distinctive because it's roughness and its mate appearance.

Spoiler

Simple video showing a regular blasting cabinet in action :

How a blasting cabinet works : 

 

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Blued steel - Acier bleui [French] {asje blœi} - Listen French pronunciation

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It's a controlled form of tempering the steel, heat is applied to the part until the surface oxidise and become a more or less dark shade of blue. If needed the part will be blued in two steps, the first step being to achieve the desired temper and the second one being only cosmetic. After the part is blued, it can be finished to the desired state of polishing.
This can be done either by the traditional way by applying heat or by using alternate methods with chemicals or faking it with paint (this last technique often leaves some part un-blued and remove the mirror finish of the part)
Usually done by hand, this process can easily be automated, it requires extreme precision as the thinner the part is, the quicker the bluing appear and disappear.

Spoiler

Traditional way of heat blueing clock hands with some extra and usefull explanations

 

 

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Brushed - Brossé [French] {bʁɔse} - Listen French pronunciation

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A brushed finish refers to a surface, mostly metal, that has been scuffed by an abrasive material in a specific direction.
Depending on the wanted result the choice of the abrasive material will be the key factor. The finer the abrasive particles are, the less scratch lines you will see on the surface.
To achieve a good brushed finish, the watchmaker has to make sure he's scratching the surface in one direction without any deviation.
As long as the material can be scratched, it can have a brushed finish, there's no limitation to only the metallic surfaces.
This finish can be easily automated but is still done by hand on very high end products or on tiny movement parts.

Spoiler

Examples of an effective DIY method to achieve a brushed finish on a bracelet or on any flat surface, using a red scotch-brite pad :

 

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Cabochon [French] {kabɔʃɔ̃} - Listen French pronunciation

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A cabochon is a precious or fine stone, cut and polished into the form of a dome.
It can't be faceted, the term is often wrongfully used to point at any stone put inside the crown.
As long as the stone is polished and domed without any facets, it can be placed anywhere on the dial and be called a cabochon.

Spoiler

Setting of cabochon on a piece of jewellery, the technique is the same for a watch

 

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Chamfer - Anglage [French] {ɑ̃ɡlaʒ} - Listen French pronunciation

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Its purpose is to break the sharp edge between the surface and the edge of a part and give a more refine look to a movement (you can also use that term for any part of the watch).
It can be done flat (generally at a 45° angle) or rounded. Chamfering a part can produce rounded corners, sharp inside corner or sharp outside corner, depending on the appearance wanted by the watchmaker.
Behind the aesthetical goal, this technique also prevents burs resulting from the machining process, to impede the work of the movement.
It can be done by using power tools (CNC or not) and by hand using various files and tools, often with the help of various abrasive pastes.
Chamfering will often be associated with black polish finish.

Spoiler

Manual chamfering at A.Lange & Söhne using a power tool that requires extreme skills (remove a lot of material quickly and thus can ruin a part) - you can stop the video at 1:35min

Chamfering at Piaget, using only manual hand tools, more forgiving because the progress on the finishing is slower

Chamfering by using a combination of power tools and hand tools

 

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Chaton [French] {ʃatɔ̃} - Listen French pronunciation

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Chaton is a French word that can be translated as Kitten in English, but shouldn't be, this is what's called a homonym (see its real dictionary, with words and all !)
A chaton is a component of the movement, it's used to seat a jewel in place.
Nowadays this rare component isn't used in a lot of movement and is mainly a decoration when it's made of gold

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Côtes de Genève [French] {kot də ʒənɛv} - Listen French pronunciation

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It's another iconic pattern, one of the most used patterns to decorate a watch (especially the movement). It's done by scratching the metal surface with an abrasive in a circular motion, the scratching pattern is repeated with an offset all over the surface, the meeting offsets create an edge giving the impression of a wave, Côtes de Genève (Geneva stripes) is also known as Vague de Genève (Geneva waves) for that reason.
Done by using a wide range of abrasive method (from simple sandpaper to wood & abrasive compound) the tool is slightly angled to give a more light catching effect on the part.
The pattern can be done in various ways, from being very visible (like in the first pic) to a very fine grain (second pic).
This decoration can be done by hand, with power tools or fully automated.

Spoiler

CNC method of making a Côte de Genève decoration

Less automated way of production Côtes de Genève

Another less automated way

Circular Côte de Genève done with a lathe

 

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Enamel - Émail [French] {emaj} - Listen French pronunciation

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Enamelling is the deposition of a coloured oxides and silica powder on a surface (most of the time the dial) that will be later cured by heat in a furnace or by direct and indirect exposure to heat.
At around 800°C (1472°F), the liquid will evaporate leaving only the pigments and oxide layer on the dial, making for a very robust surface.
Enamelling produce a "milked" or "liquid" result on the colour when there is only one, and otherwise glossy appearance for multiple colours that you couldn't achieve otherwise on a metal surface.
There are various ways of enamelling, depending on the result you want to achieve and the tradition you are following, but they all rely on the previously enunciated principle.
It's a complicated process, not often used in the traditional form, by hand. You can find ready to use enamel paints that won't require any heat and you can automate to process to an extent.

Spoiler

Traditional "Grand feu" technique of enamelling a dial

Liquid form enameling of a dial at Patek Philippe

 

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Enamel champlevé - Émail champlevé [French] {emaj ʃɑ̃pləve} - Listen French pronunciation

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It's one of the multiple ways of enamelling a dial or a part of the watch. In this method, the surface of the metal is hollowed with a metal graver to form cells that will be later filled with enamel.
Often associated with the "basse taille" or low cut in English, the metal surface (can also be ceramic) is decorated with the engraver before being filled with the enamel, allowing for intricate patterns and allow for reflection inside the enamel when this one is translucent or semi-translucent.
It's considered to be a more precise and refine technique of enamelling.
The Plique à jour (Glimpse of day in English) produce a very similar result when used in watch dial without any transparent backing, but differ because only the sides material of the cells are left in place, the cavity is entirely carved out, like a skeleton and the enamel is applied by surface tension.

Spoiler

Champlevé & basse taille technique applied on a brooch, but the technique is the same for a watch

Champlevé on an Ulysse Nardin commemorative watch

 

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Enamel cloisonné - Émail cloisonné [French] {emaj klwazɔne} - Listen French pronunciation

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Another form of enamelling, very close to the champlevé technique, in this one, instead of chiselling out the desired cells where the enamel while be applied, the desired design is realised by soldering tiny precious metal ribbons on the surface of the metal.
The rest of the technique is the same as for any enamelling job.
This is very difficult to differentiate from the champlevé in the final product, cloisonné offer a price advantage since it doesn't require a thick material to start with. Since enamelling is often done with precious metal, the cloisonné technique offer an interesting perspective to produce more afordable dial.

Spoiler

Restoration job of an Omega vintage enamel cloisoné dial

Full enamel cloisonné dial making

 

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Enamel paillonné - Émail paillonné [French] {emaj pajɔne} - Listen French pronunciation

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Yet another form of enamelling work, Paillonné is done after another form of enamelling has been done and consist of putting paillon on top of the enamel to decorate it. The previous enameling is often of the champlevé type with basse taille.
Paillons are shapes cut from gold or silver leaves. Paillonné sometimes include precious gemstones alongside the paillon.

Spoiler

Reversed video of a paillonné work at Jaquet Droz : 

Different type of paillonné with thicker paillons :

 

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Enamel painted - Émail peinte [French] {emaj pɛ̃t} - Listen French pronunciation

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Again another form of enamelling, this time the metal surface is prepared with a white powder, multiple time to ensure a stable and pure background.
The enameller (name of the specialised artisan) then will paint directly on the white surface with an enamel paint prepared by mixing the desired enamel powder with an oil.
Each colour change is followed by a drying and heating process.
This technique requires extreme skills from the enameller, everything is done by hand with a paintbrush.

Spoiler

Jaquet Droz dial being painted

175th Patek Philippe painted enamel dial

 

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Engine-turning - Guilloché [French] {ɡijɔʃe} - Listen French pronunciation

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Even if Engine turning is an accepted word, you'll mostly likely encounter the word Guilloché instead.
This isn't a decoration type in itself but more a category or a way of doing decorations on a watch (any surface, not only metal).
There's as much guilloché pattern as the creativity of the watchmaker allows, some of them are well known because they are used very often or in successful watches but most of the time, each manufacturer will give a name to a guilloché pattern, rarely making it public and sometimes contradicting other names given to the same pattern by other manufacturers.
To be inside the guilloché category, the patterns have to be made by interlacing or crossing lines or curves in either the vertical axle or horizontal axle.
If the pattern is made by following the radius of a circle, then it's not called a guilloché pattern but a flinqué pattern.
In the underlying definitions, I will specify whether the pattern is a guilloché or a flinqué, but in general, calling any pattern done with those techniques, a guilloché or engine turning, is accepted.
In those sub sections will only be listed the most common ones, if you wish to know what a specific pattern is, post a response to this thread and if I can find it, I will add it to the definitions if I can find any info on it.
To make a guilloché or flinqué patterns, the traditional method is to use a complicated manually operated machine called a Rose engine. Nowadays, CNC machining allows to do the same thing more efficiently. A cheap way of producing guilloché like dial is to use a press to form the pattern into the metal, this resulting in a convincing but less precise pattern with rounder edges.

Spoiler

Guillochage using a Rose engine (and how the machine works) :

CNC guillochage : 

 

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Engine-turning - Azuré [French] {kʁemajɛʁ} - Listen French pronunciation

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Better known in English by the name : snailing, this form of guilloché work is usually done on subdial to give them more depth and to reflect the light in a different way than the rest of the dial.
Also done using a rose engine, this is one if not the most used pattern of guilloché on a dial.
Nowadays this pattern, due to its simplicity and often occurrence, is done via a CNC machine.

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Engine-turning - Clous de Paris [French] {klu də paʁi} - Listen French pronunciation

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It's a specific pattern of guilloché that form small pyramid shapes on a surface.
It's called Clous de Paris (Nails of Paris in English) because of the resemblance of the pattern with old French metal nails.
A variation of that pattern is found under the name Pavé de Paris, the only difference being that the tip of the pyramid is flat. The name came from the pavement of the Place Vendome in Paris.
This guilloché pattern is one of the most commonly used in the watch world and can easily be automated.

Spoiler

Quick demonstrations (badly filmed but nothing else available) of the Clous de Paris guilloché technique by a Breguet employee

 

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Engine-turning - Clous triangulaire [French] {klu tʁijɑ̃ɡylɛʁ} - Listen French pronunciation

1q7IAXH.jpg 1U9unbv.jpg

A subtle variation of the Clous de Paris, Clous triangulaires (Triangular nails in English) is not a common guilloché pattern.

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Engine-turning - Crémaillère [French] {kʁemajɛʁ} - Listen French pronunciation

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Cremaillère could be translated as rack and pinion or cog in English but as most of those pattern, it's not meant to be translated.
Breguet is notorious for circling their dial with that pattern.

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Engine-turning - Cube [French] {kyb} - Listen French pronunciation

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Again, pretty unique to Breguet, Cube pattern is self explanatory.

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Engine-turning - Draperie [French] {dʁapʁi} - Listen French pronunciation

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Still something specific to Breguet, but can also be found on other watches, Roger Dubuis, for example. The reason Breguet is omnipresent in the Guilloché world it's because they are the one that brought this technique to the watch industry.
The word Draperie can be translated to drapery, because of the folded silk appearance of the pattern.

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Engine-turning - Flammé [French] {flame} - Listen French pronunciation

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Unique to Breguet and to the Réveil du Tsar (Wake up of the Tsar) model (Réf 3100). Flammé can be translated to Torched in English.

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Engine-turning - Flinqué [French] {flɛ̃ke} - Listen French pronunciation

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Not a specific pattern, but rather a category or a type of pattern. They differ from traditional guilloché by their concentric nature for once and for two because they produce distinctive lines coming from the centre, forming radius on the surface.
It's one of the most used patterns in the rep world when it comes to fantasy watch or even in general.

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Engine-turning - Flinqué soleil [French] {flɛ̃ke sɔlɛj} - Listen French pronunciation

h4wxFMy.jpg hWYb6bQ.jpg

A common variation of the flinqué, flinqué sunburst as you would call it in English, mostly found on Rolex Cellini.

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Engine-turning - Grain de riz [French] {ɡʁɛ̃ də ʁi} - Listen French pronunciation

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Grain de riz aka rice grain, is much more frequent pattern, sometime called wrongfully called diamond pattern, the name depends mainly on the execution method, when it's flinqué (see below) the name is supposed to be Diamant

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