The watchmaker gives life to the movement. He assembles hundreds of components to create the “engine” of the watch. He often has to adjust the tiny gear wheels and bridges in order to ensure a perfect fit. Patience and thoroughness are indispensable qualities in such work.
Each machined component is finished and decorated by hand. The parts are then assembled. These meticulous gestures have remained identical for hundreds of years. The watchmaker carefully arranges all the elements in front of him on the workbench. He then gradually pieces the moving parts together on the mainplate forming the movement base, patiently adjusting the regulating organ and ensuring that the movement runs smoothly and accurately.
The dial is the face of the watch. It displays both its personality and its functions. It must be harmonious, readable and pay tribute to the movement beating within. That is why the role of the dial-maker is as important as that of the watchmaker. Each stage is essential and not even the slightest imperfection may be tolerated. The dial-maker cuts out the round shape of the dial from a plate of gold or copper.
He coats it with enamel powder and then fires it in the furnace at a temperature of between 800° and 1200° Celsius, resulting in a fusion between the enamel and the metal. Only immaculately white plates are selected. The numerals are then transferred and the craftsman responsible for applying the centre and the seconds subdial intervenes. Being careful not to chip the enamel, he carefully cuts out the central part of the dial and the seconds circle, and then welds discs representing tenth of a millimetre depression in order to create a depth effect.
Appraising the perfection of a timepiece involve not only taking account of the complexity and the technical reliability of its movement, but also of its degree of finishing. After machining, the parts are rough and must be reworked by hand in order to ensure an impeccable appearance. The beveller (also known as a chamferer) handles part of this delicate stage in production.
The artisan reveals each component by using his burin to accentuate its outline with a polished interior angle. He smoothes the sharp edges by removing any remaining burrs and rubbing them down. He polishes certain parts in order to better reflect the light. The result is not only luminous but also useful, in that polished and bevelled parts are more resistant over the long term and less vulnerable to corrosion.
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