The application of Geneva stripes (video inside)

Geneva stripes, also known as Cotes de Geneve and damaskeening, are parallel bars etched with a wave pattern into a polished surface. This traditional movement decoration possibly originated to catch debris within the movement, but more likely to provide a pleasant aesthetic finish.

At the Chopard Manufacture Geneva stripes are created using semi-automatic equipment by fixing flat polished bridges to a table that moves in two axes. Fine sandpaper applied to a spinning disk creates the wave-like effect. Blue wax is applied over lettering to protect it.

The perfect Geneva stripes give three-dimensional appearance but actually hardly penetrate the surface. When viewed from the side the surface still looks flat. The width, alignment and circular graining are all important in the final product.

Andrew

Thanks for taking the video Andrew! [nt]

By: AnthonyTsai : June 9th, 2013-15:03

Still trying to understand one of your statements

By: MTF : June 9th, 2013-23:25

" The perfect Geneva stripes give three-dimensional appearance but actually hardly penetrate the surface . When viewed from the side the surface still looks flat ." If sandpaper is used and stripes can be seen, why is the surface still flat and hardly pen...

Perhaps we should adjourn the discussion ....

By: AndrewD : June 10th, 2013-02:12

... to the WatchTech Forum to get some real experiences from the watchmakers. But my understanding was that the stripes do not penetrate deeply into the surface, at least using the traditional method with a hard boxwood dowel and polishing paste. The surf...

A trick of light to the eye

By: cazalea : June 22nd, 2013-09:24

Andrew and Melvin, Your conversation reminded me of a technique I learned from my icon-painting class. This icon\'s edges appear beveled, but they are not. As you can see, the board is flat. We rub the gold leaf with a cotton ball in one direction using a...

Fascinating, Mike ...

By: AndrewD : June 22nd, 2013-16:19

Thanks for adding this art analogy. I do think that is what the description of the Geneva Stripes is getting at - they are not deeply etched, but the surface change gives the impression of depth when it catches the light. Appreciated. Andrew