44
The secrets of the craft
Today, nothing escapes the notice of web surfers. The quiet splendour of hand-finished details in this Philippe Dufour movement can be
admired, thanks to Julian Peh’s pictures, on www.goldarths.com
44
]XBUDIBSPVOEOPBVUVNO
*OSFDFOUNPOUITXBUDINBLFSTIBWFCFFOIFBSE
UP NVUUFS JO UIF QMVTI BOE TFDSFUJWF CBDLSPPNT
PG FYQFOTJWF XBUDINBLJOH UIBU QSFTUJHJPVT
CSBOET BSF UBLJOH BEWBOUBHF PG UIF DSB[F GPS
àOF NPWFNFOUT UP QBTT PGG JOEVTUSJBMMZ QSPEVDFE
XBUDIFT BT IJHIQSJDFE IBOENBEF JUFNT 4P
XIFOBSFDPHOJTFEFYQFSUJOUIFàFMETBZTJUTUSVF
UIFSVNPVSCFDPNFTOFXT(JVMJP1BQJGPVOEFSPG
UIF3FOBVE1BQJXPSLTIPQTJO-F-PDMFXIJDI
NBOVGBDUVSFTUIFàOFTUNPWFNFOUTGPS"VEFNBST
1JHVFUBOETVDIPUIFSCSBOETBT3JDIBSE.JMMFIBT
KVTUDPNFPVUXJUIBGBTDJOBUJOHCPPLUIBUEJTTFDUT
UIFUSVMZIBOENBEFNPWFNFOU*OJUIFFYQMBJOT
EFUBJM CZ EFUBJM IPX BO FOMJHIUFOFE BNBUFVS DBO
UFMMBHFOVJOFDSBGUFENPWFNFOU)FXSJUFTJOUIF
QSFGBDF i*U JT PVS DMFBS JOUFOUJPO JO UIJT CPPL UP
NBLF QFPQMF BXBSF PG JOEVTUSJBM àOJTIFT TPME BT
UIFXPSLPGDSBGUTNFOu
Committed but cross. 1BQJ NJHIU XFMM CF UIF
CPTT PG B àSN FNQMPZJOH BSPVOE B IVOESFE
QFPQMF CVU IF SFNBJOT B DSBGUTNBO XFEEFE UP
IJT TLJMMT )F EPFTOU IBWF B NBOBHFST PGàDF
CVUXPSLTJOTUFBEJOUIF3%EFQBSUNFOUXJUIUIF
SFTFBSDIFST EFTJHOFST ESBGUTNFO BOE QSPUPUZQF
DPOTUSVDUPST #FIJOE IJT TNJMFT ZPV DBO TFOTF
UIBU IFT BOHSZ i4FMMJOH B XBUDI GPS B IVOESFE
UIPVTBOEGSBODTEPFTOUNBLFJUQSPQFSMZàOJTIFEu
IF EFDMBSFT )F TBZT OP NPSF OPS DBO IF OBNF
OBNFTCVUIFBDUT)JTCPPLDMFBSMZTIPXTXJUI
QIPUPHSBQITIPXBDVTUPNFSDBOJEFOUJGZUIFUJOZ
EFUBJMTUIBUNBLFUIFEJGGFSFODFCFUXFFOBNFSFMZ
FYQFOTJWFXBUDIBOEPOFUIBUJTUSVMZNBHOJàDFOU
JNCVFE XJUI UIF TQJSJU PG EFEJDBUFE DSBGUTNFO
1BQJ FYQMBJOT i5PEBZ POMZ UIF IVNBO IBOE JT
DBQBCMFPGTVQFSMBUJWFàOJTIFT5IFJEFBJTOPUUP
EP FWFSZUIJOH CZ IBOE CVU UP EP JU XFMM :PV DBO
BMXBZTTFUUIFàOJTIJOHUPVDIUPBKPCTUBSUFECZB
NBDIJOFu-JLFNBOZXBUDINBLJOHDSBGUTNFO1BQJ
JTPCTFTTFECZUIFCFBVUZPGQFSGFDUJPO)FDBOU
TUBOE BOZUIJOH TMJQTIPE ‡ IF NBLFT UIF XPSE
TPVOEMJLFBOJOTVMU"OEIJTGBDFMJHIUTVQXIFOIF
EFDMBSFTi8FMPWFPVSXBUDIFTXIFOUIFZSFNBEF
CZDMFWFSBOEDPNNJUUFEXBUDINBLFSTXIPDSFBUF
TPNFUIJOHUIBUJTTVCUMFZFUMPBEFEXJUIFNPUJPOu
'PS 1BQJ B DPNQMJDBUFE XBUDI UIBU JT JOOPWBUJWF
NFDIBOJDBMMZQFSGFDUBOEBXPSLPGBSUDBOPOMZCF
USVMZFYRVJTJUFJGJUJTXFMMàOJTIFEi'JOJTIFTBSPVTF
FNPUJPOCFDBVTFUIFZBSFCFBVUJGVMCVUUIFZBMTP
IBWFBUFDIOJDBMQVSQPTFu)FXBYFTMZSJDBMi&WFO
àOJTIFT UIBU BSF OPU EJSFDUMZ WJTJCMF DBO HMPXw B
TBUJOàOJTITPNFXIFSFFWFOUIPVHIOPUBQQBSFOU
SFáFDUT MJHIU " àOF NPWFNFOU JT B QMBZ PG MJHIU
B IJEEFO XIFFM QSPEVDFT B ZFMMPX BVSB :PV HFU
BLBMFJEPTDPQJDFGGFDU5IJTJTXIZXBUDIFTUPEBZ
IBWF CFDPNF JODSFBTJOHMZ USBOTQBSFOU 5IF JEFB
JT UP PQFO VQ UIF EJBM UP UIF FYUFOU UIBU JU BMNPTU
EJTBQQFBSTJOPSEFSUPEJTQMBZUIFNFDIBOJTNTUP
UIFJS CFTU BEWBOUBHF 8IFO ZPV DIPPTF B IJHI
HSBEF XBUDI ZPV IBWF UP MPPL BU UIF NPWFNFOU
àSTU XJUI UIF OBLFE FZF GSPN B EJTUBODF PG DFOUJNFUSFT UIFO XJUI B MFOT NBHOJGZJOH GPVS
UJNFTu
45
XBUDIBSPVOEOPBVUVNO]
Francis Gradoux
A sharp inside corner can only be done by hand; rounded corners generally reveal a machine finish.
Here are some of the telltale signs that Papi has
compiled.
The inside angle.5IFàSTUEFUBJMUPMPPLBUJTUIF
CFWFMMJOH5IJTJOWPMWFTCSFBLJOHUIFFEHFCFUXFFO
UIF UPQ BOE UIF TJEF PG UIF QBSU 0SJHJOBMMZ JU XBT
TJNQMZ B NBUUFS PG USJNNJOH PGG UIF CVSST BMPOH
UIF FEHF i5IFO XBUDINBLFST SFDLPOFE UIBU JG
UIFZ IBE UP VTF UIF àMF UIFZ NJHIU BT XFMM NBLF
UIF SFTVMU BT BUUSBDUJWF BT QPTTJCMFu 5IVT JO àOF
XBUDIFTUSJNNJOHCFDBNFBOBSU5IFTIBSQFEHF
XBT SFQMBDFE CZ B QPMJTIFE DIBNGFS UIBU DBVHIU
UIF MJHIU CVU UIF TMJHIUFTU JNQFSGFDUJPO XPVME CF
JNNFEJBUFMZ PCWJPVT 1BQJ SFWFBMT B TNBMM EFUBJM
UIFJOTJEFBOHMF*GUIFDPSOFSJTSPVOEFEJUNFBOT
UIF DIBNGFS IBT CFFO EPOF NFDIBOJDBMMZ CZ B
SPUBUJOHUPPM#VUJGUIFDPSOFSJTTIBSQJUTUIFUSVF
TJHOUIBUUIFàOJTIIBTCFFOEPOFCZIBOEGPSB
NBDIJOF DBOOPU BDIJFWF UIF TBNF SFTVMU 5IJT JT
UIFàSTUJOEJDBUJPOUIBUQFSGFDUJPOJTCFJOHTPVHIU
A good example of inside angles in this movement by
Romain Gauthier.
46
]XBUDIBSPVOEOPBVUVNO
The mirror polish. 1BQJ SFWFBMT PUIFS EFUBJMT UP
MPPL PVU GPS "NPOH UIFN JT POF UIBU FWPLFT UIF
NZTUFSJPVT NJOVUJBF PG B XFMMNBEF NPWFNFOU
i#MBDL QPMJTIJOH PS NJSSPS QPMJTIJOH JT EPOF PO
TVSGBDFTUIBUBSFFBTJMZWJTJCMF*UDBOPOMZCFEPOF
CZ IBOE CFDBVTF UIF TVSGBDF IBT UP CF QFSGFDUMZ
TNPPUI *UT DBMMFE CMBDL QPMJTIJOH CFDBVTF UIF
Black polishing, which is only done by craftsmen, turns the metal into a mirror, but at a certain angle the surface no
longer reflects and goes black.
TVSGBDFSPVHIOFTTJTTNBMMFSUIBOUIFXBWFMFOHUI
PG MJHIU 5IVT BU B DFSUBJO BOHMF UIF QIPUPOT BSF
SFáFDUFECBDLHJWJOHBNJSSPSFGGFDU"UBEJGGFSFOU
BOHMF UIF QPMJTIFE TVSGBDF SFáFDUT OPUIJOH BOE
BQQFBST UP CF EFFQ CMBDL 'VSUIFSNPSF CMBDL
QPMJTIJOH JT BO FYDFMMFOU QSPUFDUJPO BHBJOTU
DPSSPTJPOu
Polished sinks. 5IF CBTJD QBSUT PG B XBUDI
NPWFNFOUBSFNFUBMQMBUFTESJMMFEXJUIIPMFT&BDI
IPMFIBTUPCFQFSGFDUMZàOJTIFE‡OPUPOMZNVTU
UIFCVSSTCFSFNPWFECVUUIFIPMFBMTPIBTUPCF
DIBNGFSFE BOE QPMJTIFE 4PNFUJNFT B DPVOUFS
TJOL BMTP DIBNGFSFE BOE QPMJTIFE JT ESJMMFE UP
UBLF UIF IFBE PG UIF TDSFX 0CWJPVTMZ FBDI PG
UIFIPMFTIBTUPCFESJMMFENFDIBOJDBMMZ*OUIFPME
EBZT UIFZ VTFE B CPXESJMM UPEBZ JUT EPOF CZ B
QPXFSESJMMUIBUJTPQFSBUFECZIBOEPSCZOVNFSJDBM
DPOUSPM/FWFSUIFMFTTUIFIVNBOIBOEJTFTTFOUJBM
UP BDIJFWF B QFSGFDU àOJTI CZ PQFSBUJOH B SVCZ
QPMJTIJOHCJUBOEUIFOCZHVJEJOHBXPPEFODFOUSJOH
QFHUPPCUBJOBCMBDLQPMJTI
Unblemished screws. *O HFOFSBM UIF EJGGFSFOU
QBSUT PG B NPWFNFOU BSF TDSFXFE UPHFUIFS
" DPNQMJDBUFE XBUDI DBO DPOUBJO BSPVOE B
IVOESFE TDSFXT FBDI PG XIJDI NVTU PG DPVSTF
CF JNNBDVMBUF 5IJT NFBOT UIF IFBE PG UIF
48
]XBUDIBSPVOEOPBVUVNO
TDSFX JT DIBNGFSFE BOE NJSSPS QPMJTIFE UIF
UISFBE QPMJTIFE XJUI B XPPEFO QFH BOE QBTUF
BOEUIFTMPUQFSGFDUMZTUSBJHIUBOEVONBSLFECZB
TDSFXESJWFS8BUDINBLFSTTPNFUJNFTVTFDPQQFS
CFSZMMJVN TDSFXESJWFST XIJDI CFJOH TPGUFS UIBO
TUFFMMFBWFOPNBSLXIFOBTTFNCMJOHPSSFQBJSJOH
UIFNPWFNFOU1BQJSFDLPOTUIBUBàOFXBUDIMBTUT
GPSHFOFSBUJPOTEVSJOHXIJDIJUXJMMCFUBLFOBQBSU
BOESFBTTFNCMFETFWFSBMUJNFT5IFTDSFXTIBWF
UP FOEVSF GPS DFOUVSJFT " HMBODF BU B NPWFNFOU
TIPXTUIBUTPNFTDSFXTIBWFUISFFQBSBMMFMTMPUT
*UTBSFDPHOJ[FEJOEJDBUJPOUIBUUIFTDSFXUVSOTJO
UIFPQQPTJUFXBZUPUIFPUIFST
Reflecting wheels. 5IF HFBS XIFFMT MBSHF DPHT
PGCSBTTBOEUIFJSTNBMMFSDFOUSBMQJOJPOTJOTUFFM
BSFFTTFOUJBMUPNBLFBXBUDIHPSPVOE5IFZBMTP
IBWFUPCFQFSGFDUUPSPUBUFTNPPUIMZBOENJOJNJTF
GSJDUJPO5IFJSQJWPUTXIJDISFWPMWFJOSVCZCFBSJOHT
OFFETQFDJBMBUUFOUJPO*OIJHIHSBEFXBUDIFTUIFZ
BSF JOEJWJEVBMMZ UVSOFE BOE JOTQFDUFE 5IFSF JT
POF EFUBJM UIBU QSPDMBJNT UIF RVBMJUZ PG B XIFFM
i"QBSBCPMJDSJOHJTQPMJTIFEBSPVOEUIFQJOJPOPO
UIF IVC PG UIF XIFFM TP UIBU JU SFáFDUT UIF QJOJPO
MFBWFT5IJTHJWFTPGGSBZTPGMJHIUXIJMFQSPWJEJOH
BTJOLUPSFUBJOUIFPJM*OGBDUNPTUPGUIFàOJTIFT
UIBUNBLFBNPWFNFOUFNPUJPOBMMZTBUJTGZJOHBMTP
IBWFBQSBDUJDBMQVSQPTFu
Spots and stripes. &WFSZ áBU TVSGBDF PG B
NPWFNFOU JT EFDPSBUFE 5IF NPTU DPNNPO
QBUUFSOJTDJSDVMBSHSBJOJOHBTFSJFTPGPWFSMBQQJOH
TQPUT PCUBJOFE CZ BQQMZJOH UIF FOE PG B TQJOOJOH
TUJDLPGJWPSZPSXPPEXJUIBCSBTJWFQBTUFBUSFHVMBS
JOUFSWBMTPOUIFTUFFM0UIFSTVSGBDFàOJTIFTJODMVEF
TOBJMJOHBOETVOCVSTUQBUUFSOT5IFNPSFWJTJCMF
TVSGBDFT BSF PGUFO EFDPSBUFE JO (FOFWB TUSJQFT
UIBUMPPLMJLFQBSBMMFMXBWFT)FSFBHBJOTLJMMBOE
EFYUFSJUZ FOTVSF B QMFBTJOH FGGFDU i8BUDINBLFST
OPUJDFEUIBU(FOFWBTUSJQFTUFOEFEUPDBQUVSFUJOZ
QBSUJDMFTXIJDIXBTWFSZVTFGVM'VSUIFSNPSFUIFZ
MPPL BUUSBDUJWF CFDBVTF UIFZ QSPEVDF B EJGGFSFOU
QMBZPGMJHIUu
Finishing off drilled holes is done with a small milling
wheel in steel, or at Audemars Piguet, in synthetic ruby.
This operation is generally done before the rhadium
plating.
Imperfect
engraving. 'JOBMMZ UIF àOFTU
NPWFNFOUT BSF EFDPSBUFE JO XIPSMT TDSPMMT
BOE TUBST UIBU HJWF FBDI B EJTUJODU QFSTPOBMJUZ
&OHSBWJOHDBOCFEPOFCZNBDIJOFCVUPOMZIBOE
FOHSBWJOHNBLFTBNPWFNFOUBCTPMVUFMZVOJRVF
GPS FBDI IBOE DSFBUFT JUT PXO JNQFSGFDUJPOT "
HPPE FOHSBWFS USBOTGPSNT B NFDIBOJTN JOUP B
XPSLPGBSU
i:PV DBO JNNFEJBUFMZ UFMM UIF EJGGFSFODF CFUXFFO
FOHSBWJOH UIBU JT EPOF CZ NBDIJOF BOE IBOE
FOHSBWJOH *O BQQMZJOH UIF FOHSBWJOH UPPM UIF
IVNBOIBOEJTOPUSJHJEFOPVHIUPDVUBQFSGFDUMZ
TNPPUI GVSSPX " MFOT SFWFBMT B TMJHIU WJCSBODZ
CVUUPUIFOBLFEFZFUIFTFJNQFSGFDUJPOTDSFBUFB
TQFDJBMFGGFDUPGMJHIUBTBMJWFBTUIFDSBGUTNBOXIP
NBEFUIFN5IBUTXIBUNBLFTJUBQQFBMJOHu
5IJT VOJRVF TQMFOEPVS CPSO PG B DSBGUTNBOT
EFEJDBUJPO JT XIZ B XBUDI XJUI TPVM JT TP NVDI
NPSF FYQFOTJWF UIBO UIF BMNPTU QFSGFDU NBTT
QSPEVDUJPOQJFDF
$BSPMJOF 4FSNJFS (JVMJP 1BQJ i)JHIFOE
IPSPMPHJDBM GJOJTIJOH BOE EFDPSBUJPOu &E
"VEFNBST1JHVFUQ$)'0SEFSTDBSPMJOF
TFSNJFS!BVEFNBSTQJHVFUDPN
After the teeth have been cut, the manual finish of
the wheels remains the prerogative of high-grade
watchmaking as practiced here by Philippe Dufour.
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XBUDIBSPVOEOPBVUVNO]