Enamelling is a tedious course of, to place it mildly. The uncooked materials should first be floor right into a wonderful powder, after which combined with an acceptable medium (oils or water are each used) to type a paint-like emulsion. This liquid is then utilized like paint, earlier than being fired in a kiln to vitrify it – the medium evaporates, whereas the powder melts and fuses into glass. There are variations to those steps, in fact. Some manufactures, for instance, select to sieve the facility straight onto a base of both brass or gold, and hearth this “layer” of powder straight. Regardless of the course of, each step is fraught with hazard. The product might crack throughout the firing course of. Unseen impurities might floor as imperfections. Colors might react in surprising methods. There are quite a few dangers to endure. Why, then, does this method proceed for use?
Regardless of all its drawbacks, enamel nonetheless has a depth and nuance that can not be replicated wherever else. It is usually everlasting – vitrified enamel is basically inert and, like noble metals, will stay unchanged a century from now. The totally different strategies utilized in enamelling are able to creating a large spectrum of merchandise as nicely, from a single giant floor freed from blemishes, to microscopic ranges of element in an enamel portray. Maybe the romantic facet of this metiers d’artwork accounts for a part of its attraction too; the time and contact of the enamellist is the proper counterpoint to the watchmaker, with artwork on one aspect and science on the opposite.
Variations on Theme
Enamels are fired at numerous temperatures – or under no circumstances – relying on their varieties. Grand feu (actually “nice hearth”) enamel is fired at round 820 levels Celsius, though intermediate firings to “set” it could be at round 100 levels Celsius, to boil the solvent off with out fusing the powder. Enamels basically, together with these utilized in miniature portray, can also be fired at round 100 levels Celsius as a substitute. Lastly, there’s chilly enamel, an epoxy resin that cures and hardens at room temperature.
What distinction does it make? For a begin, greater temperatures are positively harder to work with, for the reason that enamel might crack throughout firing, or the following cooling down course of. The spectrum of colors utilized in grand feu enamelling can also be extra restricted, as there are much less compounds that may face up to the temperature. The selection of method boils all the way down to the specified product – for all its drawbacks, grand feu enamel has an inimitable look. A terrific monochromatic instance is the Breguet reference 5177. Enamels, porcelains, and lacquers all share widespread properties of hardness, sturdiness, and the power to tackle each matte and polished finishes. The three aren’t interchangeable although. Lacquer is an natural end that’s utilized in layers, with every successive coat curing at room temperature earlier than the subsequent is added. Porcelain is a ceramic that’s produced by firing supplies in a kiln to vitrify them. Though enamel can also be fired, it solely comprises glass and colouring compounds, and lacks porcelain’s clay content material.
Raised Feilds
In champlevé enamelling, a thick dial base is engraved to create hole cells, earlier than these cavities are stuffed with enamel and fired. As a result of the engraving step produces tough surfaces on the backside of every cell, the champlevé method sometimes makes use of solely opaque enamels. The tactic permits areas on the dial to be selectively excavated, and for enamels to be combined freely inside every dial. That is executed to nice impact within the Van Cleef & Arpel Brise d’Été (above and reverse), which demonstrates the model’s ornamental chops with not solely champlevé enamelling but additionally valloné and plique-à-jour (mentioned later); valloné is a kind of champlevé, with extra depth and nuance because of hill-like reliefs.
Champlevé enamelling’s use isn’t restricted to creating ornamental artwork. In Parmigiani Fleurier’s Tecnica Ombre Blanche, as an illustration, it was merely essentially the most applicable method. Though the timepiece has a easy white enamel dial, its floor is interrupted by three sub-dials and an aperture for the tourbillon. This watch was new in 2016 and never solely has Parmigiani Fleurier not revisited it, what with the model’s renaissance, however no different model has explored it both. As famous in our earlier story, the choice right here
could be to make a whole enamel dial, earlier than chopping out the suitable sections within the center. One can, nonetheless, think about the dangers of doing that.
Is there a restrict to the extent of particulars that may be achieved with champlevé enamel? Patek Philippe might have the reply with the Ref. 6002 Solar Moon Tourbillon (proper). Aside from the centre portion, which is produced utilizing the cloisonné method (mentioned later), the timepiece’s dial is a piece of champlevé enamel – even the railway observe chapter ring was milled out in aid, earlier than the recesses are stuffed with enamel and fired.
Engraving isn’t essentially the one technique to produce the cells utilized in champlevé enamel although. Hublot put a contemporary twist on issues with the Basic Fusion Enamel Britto, by stamping the white gold dial base to create the raised borders between the cells. This not solely reduces the time wanted for every dial but additionally ensures uniformity between them. Subsequent steps, nonetheless, stay unchanged: the cells have been sequentially stuffed with totally different colors of enamel and fired a number of occasions earlier than all the dial floor was polished to type a uniformly easy floor.
Wire Work
Cloisonné enamelling is sort of like the other of the champlevé method – as a substitute of eradicating materials from a dial clean, issues are added on it as a substitute. The cloisons (actually “partitions”) right here consult with the wires, every no thicker than a human hair, that the enamellist bends into form and attaches onto a base to create enclosed cells. These cells are then stuffed with enamel of various colors, earlier than the dial is fired to fuse the powder. The wires stay seen within the ultimate product, and appear to be outlines of a drawing, with a metallic sheen that contrasts with the glassy surfaces of the infilled enamel.
Plique-à-jour (“letting in daylight) enamel will be thought-about a variation of cloisonné enamel, however the method is loads rarer owing to its complexity and fragility. Like its cloisonné sibling, plique-à-jour enamelling entails creating enclosed cells utilizing wires, earlier than filling them with enamel. On this case, nonetheless, there isn’t a base. The dearth of a backing will be achieved in numerous methods, however often entails engaged on a base layer a la cloisonné enamelling, earlier than submitting it away to go away simply the wires holding onto vitrified enamel. Since there isn’t a base, plique-à-jour enamelling nearly at all times entails clear or translucent enamel that permits gentle by, which basically creates tiny stained glass home windows.
Van Cleef & Arpels has used the above method to nice impact. Within the Woman Arpels Nuit Enchantee watch (seen right here throughout each pages), a grisaille enamelled decrease part provides nightime context to an higher part with components executed in plique-à-jour (the fairy’s wings) and façonné enamel (to cradle the yellow sapphires) types the foreground. Even the surfeit of sapphires, diamonds and rock crystal can not overwhelm the artistry right here.
Hybrid Concept
There are a number of “hybrid” strategies that mix enamelling with different ornamental arts, and flinqué enamelling is arguably the perfect recognized given its lengthy historical past of use. The method combines guillochage with enamelling – a brass or gold dial is first adorned with guilloché, earlier than layers of enamel are successively utilized and fired. When this enamel coating is sufficiently thick, it’s polished to create a easy floor; the ultimate result’s a translucent lens by which the guilloché is admired. Relying on the specified impact, the enamel used could also be colourless to impart a refined sheen, or colored for extra visible oomph, just like the trio of restricted version Rotonde de Cartier excessive problems unveiled at Watches & Wonders 2015. Vacheron Constantin has even tailored the method through the use of guilloché patterns to imitate woven materials within the Métiers d’Artwork Elégance Sartoriale.
Developed by the husband-and-wife staff of Olivier and Dominique Vaucher, shaded enamel (e mail ombrant) additionally entails the applying of translucent enamel over an engraved dial. As an alternative of an everyday sample a la guilloché, nonetheless, shaded enamel entails the creation of a picture in aid. This method was final used within the Hermès Arceau Tigre, however the watchmaker does utilise different hybrid strategies, seen prominently on the distinctive Arceau pocket cheval punk.
The ultimate method right here is Cartier’s enamel granulation, which mixes enamelling with Etruscan granulation initially utilized by goldsmiths. The craft requires a number of steps and is extraordinarily tedious, to say the least. Enamel is first labored into threads of various diameters, earlier than these threads are chipped off little by little to type beads of varied sizes. The beads are then sorted by color and utilized to the dial successively to assemble a picture, with intermediate firings to set and fuse the enamel. As totally different colors of enamel fuse at totally different temperatures, there’s a clearly-defined order for the meeting course of; as much as 30 firings are mandatory, and every dial requires practically a month to finish. Like shaded enamel, enamel granulation is a really latest growth, and Cartier is reviving it in its Maison des Métiers d’Artwork in La Chaux-de-Fonds.
Metallic Content material
Paillonné is among the many rarest enamelling strategies at this time, and virtually synonymous with Jaquet Droz, which primarily works on particular creations lately. The manufacture did have full-time enamellists who don’t simply produce enamel dials, but additionally practice artisans to perpetuate this know-how. The “paillon” right here refers back to the small decorative motifs which might be created from gold leaf, and are the calling card of the method. Basically, paillonné enamelling entails setting paillons inside enamel to type patterns, with common geometric ones being the norm. Emblematic of this method is the Patek Philippe
Ref. 5077/100G fashions, as seen right here. The method begins with a layer of colored enamel that’s first fired to set it. Upon this layer, the paillons are positioned, earlier than translucent enamel is utilized and fired, thus “locking” the paillons in. Further steps will be taken to create much more intricate designs. Earlier than the colored enamel layer is utilized, as an illustration, the substrate floor might first be adorned with guilloché, which mainly creates flinqué enamel that’s then adorned with paillons over it. Alternatively, the substrate floor will be hand engraved – there are not any onerous and quick guidelines to this.
In lieu of normal patterns, Jaeger-LeCoultre opted for a twist on the method, by distributing flecks of silver randomly on the dial as a substitute. The consequence will be seen within the Hybris Artistica Duomètre Sphérotourbillon Enamel, whose enamel dial mimics the look of lapis lazuli. Whereas not paillonné enamelling per se, Vacheron Constantin’s use of hand-applied valuable powder deserves a point out right here. Within the manufacture’s Métiers d’Artwork Villes Lumières timepieces, gold, platinum, diamond, and pearl powders are affixed to the floor of the enamel dial by Japanese enamel artisan Yoko Imai. As an alternative of being lined with a layer of enamel, these particles sit atop them, and catch the sunshine variously to imitate a fowl’s eye view of a metropolis at evening.
Brush Strokes
Enamel portray is just portray with enamel pigments reasonably than another medium. The method is difficult not simply as a result of canvas’s measurement, which makes it miniature portray as nicely, but additionally due to the a number of firings wanted to vitrify and set the enamels, color by color by color. Given the extent of element that may be achieved (as seen within the Patek Philippe Ref. 5531R right here), nonetheless, that is
one of many few strategies which might be able to making their topics nearly lifelike. Contemplate Slim d’Hermès Pocket Panthère, which has the eponymous animal rendered on this method, for instance. Jaeger-LeCoultre has many examples, courtesy of its in-house workshops.
Grisaille enamel will be thought-about a subset of enamel portray, and is a particular methodology of portray white on black to create monochromic imagery. The black canvas is grand feu enamel that should first be utilized, fired, after which polished to create a superbly easy floor that’s freed from imperfections. This preparatory step is, in and of itself, already very difficult, as minute flaws are extraordinarily straightforward to identify on such a floor – this explains why most watch manufacturers supply white enamel dials, however black onyx or lacquer dials as a substitute of enamel. Upon this black canvas, the enamellist paints utilizing Blanc de Limoges, which is a white enamel whose powder is extra finely floor than regular. To create micro particulars, wonderful brushes, needles, and even cactus thorns are used, and the dial is painted and fired a number of occasions to create the nuanced work grisaille enamel is understood for.
Owing to its complexity, grisaille enamel is never seen. There are manufacturers that also supply metiers ‘dart watches with them although, typically even with their very own tackle the method. Within the Métiers d’Artwork Hommage à l’Artwork de la Danse assortment, Vacheron Constantin opted to make use of translucent brown enamel for the dial base, to impart a higher sense of depth, whereas softening the distinction between the 2 colors. Patek Philippe and Van Cleef utilise the method in fashions featured earlier on this story.
This text first appeared on WOW’s Legacy 2025 Challenge
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