Over the next few months, Time Æon Foundation will be organising a series of workshops dedicated to the decoration of movement pieces. They will be led by Michel Boulanger and, depending on the date, by Philippe Dufour.
The participants – students at watchmaking schools, but also watchmakers wishing to learn the basics of certain historical techniques – will be able to train in the art of bridge decoration.
They will tackle polishing of the sides, chamfering, polishing the countersink of the screw with a bow, driving in the stone then polishing its sink with a bow, matt “brouillé” finishing underneath, driving in the pins, and decorating steel pieces.
This workshop was redesigned and reworked for the 28th edition of the SIHH in order to offer the selected participants an even richer and more interesting experience. Below is a brief description of the various traditional techniques taught during the workshop.
Teaching of traditional decoration techniques:
- Finishing the bridge flanks
- Chamfer and polish the bridge and wheel bevels
- Traditional bow-polished screw and jewel countersinks
- Adjusting and fitting the jewel
- Deburring and matt finishing the bridge foot
- Adjusting the bridge steady-pins
- Flat black polishing of steel parts such as screwheads
- Refresher course of the theory of the Swiss lever escapement
Main tools provided:
- Bow and boxwood holder for polishing the countersinks
- Tripod and zinc plate for flat black (mirror) polishing
- Model of an escapement, for the lesson on the theory of the Swiss anchor lever escapement