artisans of time
the art of engraving
a precious heritage
Hand engraving is a cherished element of Geneva's storied watchmaking tradition. This exquisite craft breathes life into metal, creating enchanting plays of light. At Patek Philippe, we pride ourselves on incorporating engraving into our Rare Handcrafts timepieces to enhance micro-marquetry or enamel creations. From dials to movement components, this meticulous art demands the utmost precision and care from our artisans.
Hand engraving is the oldest form of decorative art used to embellish timepieces.
Patience and precision are paramount for the engraver to master the skills of engraving.
The delicate art of hand engraving enables the most refined decorations to
emerge.
Every engraver has their own personality, and develops a recognizable style.
Burins, chisels, and sharp metal blades with wooden handles are among the tools used for engraving.
The burin (graver) is kept sharp to make clean cuts or sculpt volumes and represents a natural extension of the engraver’s hand.
Pointed, squared, or rounded, but always sharpened, these tools penetrate the material to gouge out tiny quantities.
Our engravers use specialized tools that are adapted depending on the material and engraving needed.
the engraver’s tools
Before engraving a new and uniquely enchanting piece, the artisan elegantly sketches the subject and its intricate motifs. Whether capturing a miniature reproduction, an original creation, or a designer's concept, the next step is to delicately transfer the burin's guiding lines onto the metal surface by drawing a drypoint sketch, preparing it for the exquisite journey of engraving.
japanese night
This pocket watch features hand engraving and miniature painting on enamel. Its white-gold case back was hand-engraved in low relief with foliate motifs.
Singer and a harpsichord
The case back for this pocket watch, was hand engraved in relief using repoussé and ramolayé work.
Southern Brown Kiwi
This Calatrava wristwatch's dial depicts the kiwi bird and background vegetation, which were hand-engraved in the white gold of the dial, using the refined technique of line engraving.
razor's-edge work
In the art of relief engraving, chiseling or carving is the act of removing material around a pattern using a chisel. Among the most breathtaking expressions of this technique in watchmaking is the engraving of skeleton movements – a true testament to the combined expertise of our master artisans. Our skeleton watch Ref. 5180/1R-001 exemplifies this delicate, razor's-edge work, demanding unparalleled manual dexterity.
engraved watches in our collection
