The Silent Art Beneath the Surface
Vallée de Joux Poster, Circa 1930
The History and Technique of High-end Watch Finishing
True craftsmanship in watchmaking is found not only in how a watch measures time, but in how it honours it.
Finishing is the collection of intricate, hand-applied techniques that shape, polish and refine a movement. It is where engineering yields to artistry. While many of these methods trace their roots to the decorative traditions of France, England and Germany, it was in Switzerland, in the workshops of Geneva and the ateliers of the Vallée de Joux, that they were perfected, codified and passed from one generation to the next.
Today these techniques live on in the hands of independent watchmakers across the world. From the Alps to the Isle of Man they form a shared language of care, discipline and quiet beauty.
This is a world rarely seen yet deeply felt. Beneath the dial and beyond the hands lies a hidden landscape of texture and light. Every stripe, bevel and glint is a gesture of respect for the craft.
What follows is both a journey and a glossary. An exploration of how these techniques began, how they evolved and what they continue to mean in the finest corners of horology.
Beginnings: Beauty from the Bench
The origins of watch finishing lie in the quiet spaces between necessity and pride.
By the mid-18th century, mechanical timekeeping had begun to mature across Europe. Horology was thriving not only in Switzerland but also in France, England and Germany. Each region contributed distinct decorative and technical practices that would, over time, shape what we now recognise as high-end finishing.
In England, watchmakers such as Thomas Mudge and John Arnold used frosted plates and polished screws in their pocket watches. These choices blended practical durability with a quiet sense of refinement. In France, the influence of the decorative arts ran deep. Abraham-Louis Breguet introduced guilloché engine turning to dials and brought heat-blued screws and polished steel components into broader use. In Germany, the traditions of Glashütte combined precision mechanics with recognisably meticulous hand-finishing.
Switzerland, still emerging as a centre of horological excellence, gathered these practices and refined them into a unified craft language. In the Jura Mountains, particularly the Vallée de Joux, harsh winters turned farmers into part-time watchmakers. Working by lamplight, they produced components that were later assembled by master houses in Geneva. This decentralised production system, known as établissage, encouraged deep specialisation. Entire villages became expert in wheels, bridges or screws.
At first, finishing was subtle. Yet as Geneva’s maisons sought to distinguish their work, decoration began to signal quality. Parts not visible to the wearer — such as base plates, interior bridges and the underside of screws — were polished and patterned with care. Not for display, but for completeness. Finishing was not embellishment. It was a mark of respect for the object.
Gradually, these elements became a language in their own right. Geneva stripes, perlage, chamfered edges and mirror-polished steel began to communicate something deeper than function. A dial might show the hour. The movement, finished by hand, revealed the watchmaker’s soul.
The Techniques: Craft in Detail
Bluing of Steel
Approximate Origin: 17th century, France and England
Alternate Names: Heat bluing, tempered bluing
Method: Steel components such as screws, hands or springs are placed on a brass or iron plate and gradually heated over an open flame or in a specialised oven. The metal begins to oxidise as the temperature rises, cycling through a spectrum of colours. At around 290°C, it develops a deep, even blue. Timing is critical, and the part must be removed at the exact moment the colour is achieved. The result is fixed by rapid cooling.
Effect: A vivid blue hue that adds a flash of colour to screws, hands and regulator parts. It also offers protection against corrosion. The result is functional and expressive, a touch of elegance within the movement.
Derek Pratt engine turning a dial, by Peter Baumberger in Derek Pratt: Watchmaker (BHI)
Guilloché (Engine Turning)
Approximate Origin: Late 18th century, France
Alternate Names: Rose engine turning, hand-turned engraving
Method: Using a manually operated rose engine lathe, the craftsperson guides a cutting tool across a metal surface in precise, repeating patterns. The tool is mounted on a fixed arm, and the workpiece rotates rhythmically to form detailed geometric designs. Each pass of the tool must be perfectly aligned, and the depth of cut must be carefully adjusted by hand. The process is entirely mechanical but demands a highly trained eye and hand.
Effect: Hypnotic, deeply textured surfaces that shift under light. Guilloché adds depth and complexity, especially on dials and casebacks. Though created with mechanical tools, the result feels soulful and human.
Frosting
Approximate Origin: 18th century, England
Alternate Names: Matt finishing, silvering
Method: Frosting is achieved by either chemical or mechanical means. Historically, it involved brushing a solution of acid and mercury across brass or steel to produce a fine, crystalline texture. Today, safer and more precise methods include bead blasting, where tiny glass or ceramic beads are fired at the surface to create uniform roughness. The watchmaker masks certain areas to create contrast and controls the intensity to maintain a soft, velvety appearance.
Effect: A soft, matte finish with a slight sparkle that diffuses light rather than reflecting it. Frosted surfaces give a quiet richness to the movement and draw the eye inward rather than outward.
Black Polishing (Poli Noir)
Approximate Origin: Late 18th to early 19th century, France and Switzerland
Alternate Names: Specular polishing, mirror polishing
Method: A flat steel surface is placed on a tin or zinc plate and polished by hand using progressively finer abrasive pastes, such as diamond dust suspended in oil. The piece is moved in figure-eight motions or tight spirals under consistent pressure to ensure uniform abrasion. The process is complete only when the surface is perfectly flat and smooth, reflecting light at only one angle. The piece is then cleaned and examined under magnification for any irregularity.
Effect: A deep, still surface that absorbs light and creates the illusion of absence. Often applied to screws and regulators, it transforms utilitarian components into miniature sculptures.
Perlage application to a watch mainplate
Perlage
Approximate Origin: Mid to late 19th century, Switzerland
Alternate names: Spotting, stippling
Method: Using a small rubber or wooden peg tipped with abrasive paste, the craftsperson applies a series of overlapping circular marks by lowering the tool repeatedly onto the surface of the metal. Each contact creates a pearled imprint. The movement must be repositioned with precision after each circle to maintain the rhythmic, cloud-like pattern. This is typically performed on base plates and case interiors using a vertical polishing spindle.
Effect: A mist-like, clouded texture that softly scatters light. Perlage is typically hidden on the base plate beneath the bridges, offering beauty where it is rarely seen. It is one of the earliest expressions of finishing as a gesture of integrity.
Geneva Stripes (Côtes de Genève)
Approximate Origin: Early to mid-19th century, Geneva, Switzerland
Alternate Names: Geneva waves
Method: Flat components such as bridges and rotors are brushed under a rotating abrasive wheel or polishing head, creating long, parallel wave-like patterns. The movement must be aligned with precision so that each stripe overlaps the previous one just enough to form a seamless, flowing texture. The wheel must also be lifted and repositioned carefully to maintain consistency throughout the surface.
Effect: A flowing, rhythmic texture that catches light in motion. Geneva stripes add order and movement to bridges and rotors, and became a symbol of refined watchmaking rooted in Geneva tradition.
Anglage (Bevelling)
Approximate Origin: Late 19th to early 20th century, Switzerland and France
Alternate Names: Chamfering, bevelled edges
Method: The sharp edges of components such as bridges, plates and levers are manually filed into angled chamfers using a series of fine-cut files. These bevels are then polished by hand using a stick of soft wood or pegwood loaded with abrasive paste. Achieving clean, polished inward and outward angles requires immense control, especially since inner corners cannot be accessed by machine. The process is repeated until the edges glow with a mirrored finish.
Effect: Reflects light in crisp lines and softens transitions between surfaces. Anglage gives a sense of fluidity and elegance, highlighting the shape of each component. It is a mark of patience and skill, evident in every detail.
A Quiet Testament to Devotion
As the twentieth century drew on, the rise of quartz technology and industrial production placed many traditional watchmaking techniques under threat. Efficiency took precedence over care. Decorative finishes, once applied as a gesture of respect, were set aside in favour of speed and scale. Yet the craft endured. In small workshops and quiet ateliers, watchmakers continued to polish, bevel and stripe. Not for visibility, and not for necessity, but because the act itself mattered. Their commitment was not to fashion, but to integrity.
Today, finishing is more than a mark of excellence. It is a quiet philosophy. It resists the disposable and affirms the enduring. It speaks to a belief that every part of a timepiece, whether seen or unseen, deserves attention. Finishing is not ornament. It is identity. Most wearers will never see it. But those who do understand what it means to care for every detail, to give even the hidden surfaces meaning. Finishing does not ask to be noticed. It asks to be respected. It reminds us that timekeeping is not only a matter of precision, but of presence.
This is where the craft speaks for itself.
