“WhaT many people don’T realize, hoWever, iS hoW much finiShing iS done To The unSeen parTS of a WaTch”

While this can be done by machine, interior angles are commonly done by hand. Saying that this is a difficult process would be an understatement as the smoothness, width and polish of the edges have to be absolutely consistent across component. So, while it’s mostly hidden, is a mark of quality for top-tier movements. The name of this finishing technique is the French word for “pearling,” and is easily recognized by its shape: Small, overlapping circular patterns. Perlage is most often employed on a watch’s top and base plates. While it may sound simple, achieving a mirror finish on a movement component is an arduous process. The component is polished repeatedly using diamond paste, starting with a coarse grain and gradually moving to increasingly finer grains. The absolute best mirror finish that can be achieved is known as black polish. Besides being totally smooth and unblemished, the surface will also appear pitch black when viewed from certain angles as it