Handmade Guilloche Dials: Craftsmanship & Collection

jlux · 2024-04-14T12:56:45Z

Explore the artistry of handmade guilloché dials with jlux, featuring Breguet, A&S, Jochen Benzinger, and more. Discover the difference between hand-made and stamped patterns.

jlux

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

50 replies14564 views7 photos

In this insightful article, jlux shares his profound appreciation for the intricate art of handmade guilloché, distinguishing it from mass-produced alternatives. He showcases exceptional examples from his personal collection, highlighting the rarity and skill involved in creating these exquisite dials. jlux's passion illuminates why this traditional craft remains a pinnacle of horological artistry.

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One of the crafts associated with dial decoration is the handmade guilloche on rose engines which I appreciate a lot.

Not to be confused with stamped or laser engraved guilloche with is only decoration and no art.

The work is mostly done on century old machines by incredibly skilled people.

It takes many years to learn the art of creating guilloche and in today's world there are not too many of these artists still at work.

Add to this that it can take 1-2 days of intensive work to create just one complex dial and you get a good sense of the rarity of these dials.

Not to mention that one little mistake ...and the whole work is lost !

I have been lucky to accumulate a few of these watches in my collection.

There is of course Breguet being famous for its guilloche dials although latety (probably because of capacity limitation) some of their work has become a bit more simple.

Not sure if A&S does its guilloche work in-house : the result is however striking.

The one big name in the world of guilloche is of course Jochen Benzinger.

Here we see a couple of his watches.

From a pure artistic point of view,the work on the GAP 1 is probably the most sophisticatic that I have seen sofar.

Torsti Laine is relying on a Swiss manufacture to create the beautiful guilloche patterns.

And this superb moirée pattern on the GOS is again the work of Jochen Benzinger.

Thanks for looking,

Gerard

Key Points from the Discussion

Many brands use CNC for guilloché dials to offer more accessible price points, but some companies are not transparent about this, leading to consumer confusion, especially for watches in higher price segments.
The distinction between rose-engine guilloché and stamped or CNC methods is crucial, with rose-engine work often exhibiting a finer, more intricate pattern that is discernible upon close inspection.
Even handmade guilloché involves a machine (the rose engine), but the 'hand-made' aspect refers to the master's manual control over speed, pressure, and starting/ending points, requiring decades of practice to achieve perfection.
Achieving uniformity and mastering complex, multi-layered guilloché patterns requires immense dedication, with experts like Jochen Benzinger needing 20 years to truly perfect their craft.
The lighting used for photography can dramatically enhance the three-dimensional effect and intricate details of a guilloché dial, revealing its depth and artistry.
Collectors often share personal examples of their watches featuring traditional guilloché dials, showcasing the variety of patterns and the enduring appeal of this decorative technique.

The Discussion

blau

Apr 14, 2024

Here's my latest addition in that realm: Question for you: have you closely considered the highly traditional guilloche that's now coming out of Los Angeles?

Spangles - Dr. Tabby

Apr 14, 2024

RGM does great work and they are a joy to work with

jlux

Apr 14, 2024

The guys from LA do a top job ,...but I feel that their watches are too ambitiously priced.

jlux

Apr 14, 2024

The make really good looking watches!

gary_g

Apr 14, 2024

But I think many ppl don’t understand that even hand-made guilloche is made by a machine - with the master turning the wheel to make the dial. As opposed to being stamped. Shapiro from LA is also doing amazing things. I love the guilloche on my CS.

cazalea

Apr 14, 2024

My (former) watch, with very traditional dial Cazalea

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Handmade Guilloche Dials: Craftsmanship & Collection

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