Perlage
Perlage consists of the small swirls or circles seen on the flat surfaces of plates and bridges. Of course it is decorative as there is great artistry in the placing of swirls, but perlage is also functional as it does help to prevent any corrosion. Indeed, it is Breguet’s practice to apply perlage not only to areas which are visible through a clear case back, but as well to surfaces that the owner will never see such as the dial side of the main plate or the recessed areas of the plate which are covered by other parts, such as the barrel. Great fineness and artistic talent are required to produce a perlage finish.
Each swirl must be precisely placed so that the pattern is harmonious with the surface. A small rotating stem treated with a fine abrasive is manually placed over each location for the swirl. Enormous skill and a practiced eye are required to get each placement just right for the pattern to fit the surface.
Close examination of fine perlage decoration shows that not only is placement critical, so is the size of the swirl. Certain components or areas call for extremely fine swirls, others for larger diameters.
