Artisans and machines
Breguet is renowned for preserving the art of guilloché, which is sometimes referred to as ‘hand-engraving on a rose engine’. An art vibrantly brought to life on the dial of Breguet timepieces by artisans in its workshops in the Vallée de Joux. The Manufacture is moreover committed to maintaining, restoring and reviving the antique guilloché machines it has acquired from around the world.
As if this were a place one had to earn the right to visit, access to the ‘magical’ door behind which the guilloché machines are hidden as they await restoration, lies at the very end of a little-frequented corridor in the Manufacture... There are more than a dozen in the workshop, with several others lying dormant in the cellar. “I can’t tell you exactly how many we have that are currently undergoing restoration.
Sometimes we manage to acquire two or three a year, other times just one. They’re becoming increasingly rare”, explains Dominique, an enthusiastic micro-mechanic, before continuing: “We hit the jackpot once when a contact enabled us to buy 11 in one go, which is extremely unusual!” It is indeed by word of mouth that the brand manages to track them down: an employee who finds one at a boutique in Spain; a contact who approaches the brand to offer a machine found in an old factory in England... One of the oldest found so far – dating from 1820 – is currently housed in the Paris boutique and was the first to be restored by the artisan ten years ago.
Ironically, even though these manually operated machines are increasingly being replaced by automated systems in the watch industry, Breguet perpetuates this handcraft and, through this department, seeks to preserve a heritage that is embedded in its DNA as well as in watchmaking as a whole. This is also how the brand sets itself apart in its customers’ eyes: by creating timepieces that are, by definition, unique, as each is handcrafted by artisans.
To preserve the art of guilloché, the Maison has created a workshop dedicated to the restoration of guilloché machines. The goal is to restore sometimes centuries-old lathes to working order, as well as to ensure their maintenance.
Up:
Guilloché is an art perpetuated by the Maison on various components including mainplates, cases and oscillating weights, as well as dials that are the most emblematic examples of this craft.
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Guilloché is an art perpetuated by the Maison on various components including mainplates, cases and oscillating weights, as well as dials that are the most emblematic examples of this craft.
Up:
Guilloché is an art perpetuated by the Maison on various components including mainplates, cases and oscillating weights, as well as dials that are the most emblematic examples of this craft.
Intricate craftsmanship
In the atelier that is home to two employees with similar backgrounds, everything always begins in the same way when a new find joins the collection: by completely dismantling it. Each component is carefully preserved and an overall plan of the state of the machine is drawn up. There are no benchmarks, because guilloché machines – some dating back several centuries – each have their own history. The full-immersion experience notably entails comparing the lathe with others, assessing the work that needs to be done, but above all, listening to and understanding the machine.
“It's a job that requires a great deal of observation and mechanical research”, adds Dominique. “We have to work the old-fashioned way to reconstitute parts that no longer exist or are no longer made in this manner. I have immense respect for these mechanical geniuses, who achieved so much before modern technology.” This is a job that requires meticulous attention to detail, and restoration can take between three months and half a year, depending on its complexity. While each guilloché lathe is unique and designed differently, certain similarities remain, such as the materials used.
“We have some in wood and others in cast iron. The latter is more expensive to design and also emerged later. These are the materials mainly used to make guilloché machines.” Some lathes have been ingeniously devised with double-cam systems that work simultaneously to create complementary finishes. They represent treasures of ingenuity dating back to the 19th century that are still in operation today.
Recreating missing parts using period techniques and procedures requires experience, expertise and dexterity. Pictured here is an oiler cap being hand-turned and shaped using a burin.
Each time a new guilloché lathe arrives, a new story is written: “Each has its own story to tell, and you have to know how to listen to it. Sometimes they reveal their secrets easily and sometimes they remain shrouded in mystery”, explains Dominique. That's what makes this job so fascinating.
He is visibly touched by the recollection of dismantling the 1904 guilloché machine, proudly enthroned in the Manufacture’s reception area: “When I took it apart, I discovered – hidden between various links – the initials of the man who developed it back in the day. That could never have been brought to light without this step. I was very moved.”
Each guilloché lathe is entirely dismantled. All the components are cleaned, verified, restored and recreated if necessary. Then comes the meticulous reassembly process that involves adjusting and managing its operational settings.
GUILLOCHÉ
GUILLOCHÉ
At a time when guilloché work was mainly used to decorate jewellery, Breguet’s avant-garde founder Abraham-Louis Breguet, realised that in addition to embellishing a dial, guilloché work also captured both light and dust, making the dial easier to read. As a result, back in 1786, he introduced the watch industry to silver and gold dials and cases, featuring a new guilloché style...
From past to present
Once restored, most of the lathes find their place within the guilloché department. This is where the magic happens, between artisan and machine. Clous de Paris, barleycorn, wave, basketweave and other patterns adorn the dials and casebacks of Breguet watches. In all, nearly 30 machines are in operation. Not all the antique guilloché lathes are destined for this department. Some are sent to a boutique on the other side of the world for use in demonstrations. This is the best way of showing enthusiasts the meticulous touch required to perform this work.
Breguet is also one of the rare brands to manufacture modern hand-operated guilloché machines in its restoration workshop. These are made in the spirit of the techniques historically used by artisans and offer the possibility of designing ever more complex and precise decorations. While guillocheurs have their own preference for their day-to-day work, some admit that they love the magic of using these machines of yesteryear: “It's a privilege to be able to work with tools dating back several centuries”, one of them explains.
In a final phase, the guilloché machine is carefully tested and the settings are fine-tuned.
