Where did the guilloché engraving technique come from and how did it become haute horlogerie’s most coveted craft?

At first glance, guilloché might seem like just another fancy word tossed around in the world of luxury watches. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find it’s far more than a decorative flourish—it’s a centuries-old craft that combines artistry with precision, all wrapped up in mesmerising, intricate, engraved patterns of interlacing lines and spirals that seem to dance across metal surfaces. Though widely celebrated today as a hallmark of haute horlogerie, guilloché’s story is one of evolution—a journey from artisanal beginnings towards becoming a defining feature of luxury watchmaking.

Tatler recently sat down with Finnish master watchmaker Kari Voutilainen, who is known for his mastery of ornate engraving techniques. As well as his work on timepieces, he has also collaborated with Sauvereign, a Hong Kong-based luxury brand. Voutilainen recently worked on the HS14 fine jewellery collection designed by the brand’s Bertrand Mak. But this is not the first time the duo have worked together. He previously worked on a brooch with Sauvereign and Mak, which actor Cillian Murphy wore at the 2024 Oscars.

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Louis Vuitton x Kari Voutilainen LVKV-02 GMR 6 (Photo: courtesy of Louis Vuitton)

“It has such a fascinating history,” says Voutilainen of guilloché over coffee at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hong Kong. “Before it became synonymous with watch dials, it was used on currency and important documents as a form of anti-counterfeiting. The intricate patterns were nearly impossible to replicate without specialised tools, so they served as an early security feature. Later, it found its way onto snuff boxes and other luxury objects before [watchmaker] Breguet introduced it to watchmaking in the late 18th century. That’s when it truly became an art form.”

Guilloché was first used on softer material such as wood and ivory, and is believed to have appeared on a watch case as early as 1680. Its use in watchmaking began in earnest with Abraham-Louis Breguet in 1786. “[Breguet] was almost certainly the first to use it for metal dials and extensively favoured this form of decoration, says Nathalie Marielloni, vice-curator of the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. “His universally recognisable motifs [still commonly seen today] were named clous de Paris, rack, flinqué, barleycorn and rice grain, among others. This form of artistry elevated guilloché into a hallmark of sophistication in watchmaking.”

For Breguet, guilloché was more than mere decoration; it served a practical purpose by reducing glare and improving legibility on watch dials. “The technique provided better protection against general wear and tear to polished surfaces, while its anti-reflective properties allowed easier readability of the dial. “Additionally, guilloché patterns helped delineate different zones on the dial for various readings, such as the chapter ring, small seconds and power-reserve indicator,” Marielloni adds. “This innovation contributed to the emergence of an iconic Breguet style, characterised by contrasts on dials that enabled elegant hands—known today as Breguet hands—to replace the baroque components of the time.”

Small enamelled and guilloché dial samples (Photo: courtesy of MIH)

Voutilainen has been hugely influenced by the 18th-century watchmaker. “Breguet wasn’t just a great watchmaker; he was exceptional at bringing together artisans—case makers, dial makers—and creating something truly cohesive,” he says. “I’ve hadthe privilege of restoring watches made by him, and what strikes me is how well they hold up even after 200 years. His work wasn’t just aesthetically beautiful but technically brilliant too—it’s almost as if his watches are new even today.”

Cheng Yucai is Asia’s foremost guillocheur and founder of Sanlou Workshop in China’s Henan province, best known for his work with independent watchmaker Atelier Wen. Of Breguet’s legacy, he says: “In many ways, Breguet elevated guilloché intoan art form by integrating it into watch dials,” he says. “But what fascinates me most is how he used patterns not just for beauty but for functionality—separating zones on a dial or reducing glare. It’s proof that craftsmanship can be both artistic and practical.”

Guilloché today is usually created using a form of engine turning, which Marielloni explains is “an ancient intaglio engraving technique that involves removing material to create regular and repetitive grooves on a metallic substrate. Unlike hand engraving, which can depict forms like landscapes or animals, engine turning allows for the engraving of precise motifs repeated identically. It has no function other than the emotion and pleasure it provides.”

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A straight-line guilloché lathe from the Jeanmaire-Jeanrenaud workshop, circa1829 (Photo: courtesy of MIH)

The process behind guilloché is as demanding as it is fascinating. At its core is the engine-turning machine—a tool that combines mechanical precision with artisanal skill. The machine’s rosettes or bars guide the movement of a cutting tool across the surface being engraved, while the artisan manually controls its rotation and pressure. Each line is cut individually, requiring steady hands and an acute eye for detail.

A single dial can involve over 1,000 individual cuts and take an entire day—or longer—to complete. Cheng spent the early days of his career developing a better machine. “Despite lacking formal training and internet resources, what drove me was pure passion,” he says. His early attempts at creating rose engines, a type of specialised guilloché lathe, were fraught with challenges: “The most difficult aspect was overcoming instability in controlling lateral and longitudinal movements on the machine,” he says. “This was resolved through repeated practice.”

Atelier Wen Perception Mù watch (Photo: Atelier Wen)

After years of trial and error—and three failed prototypes—Cheng finally succeeded in building his own working rose engine in 2018. Today, Sanlou Workshop employs five masters and 11 apprentices under Cheng’s guidance—realising his vision for elevating Chinese craftsmanship on an international stage.

Voutilainen explains why engine-turning remains so challenging: “There’s no formal education for this craft any more—it’s all learnt by doing. The work itself is divided into three parts: making specialised cutting tools with precise angles; setting up the machine to create endless pattern possibilities; and finally executing the engraving itself with creativity and precision. What I find most rewarding is creating depth in dials—different heights give them life beyond being flat plates—and combining transparent enamel with guilloché patterns adds yet another dimension.”

A significant chapter in Voutilainen’s career is his collaboration with Georges Brodbeck—a living legend in Swiss guilloché craftsmanship, who has spent decades restoring antique engine turning machines and mastering their use. In Marielloni’s words, “Georges Brodbeck is not only a master guillocheur but also one of the few people capable of restoring these rare machines to working condition—a skill that requires both mechanical expertise and artistic sensibility.”

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Nathalie Marielloni, vice-curator of the Musée International d’Horlogerie (MIH) in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland (Photo: courtesy of MIH)

For MIH’s Gaïa 50th Anniversary watch, Brodbeck handcrafted silver guilloché dials using traditional techniques “with absolute precision and artistic sensibility”, recalls Marielloni. “Witnessing him treat each dial as if it were his very first— with care, humility and passion— was like working with living heritage.” In 2022, Voutilainen acquired the Brodbeck Guillochage manufacture to ensure this centuries-old tradition would endure for future generations.

Cheng also sees himself as part of this continuum: “China has a cultural heritage spanning 5,000 years,” he says. “Guilloché patterns can be traced back to China’s pottery era—I have merely borrowed the wisdom of ancient people and adapted their craftsmanship into modern equivalents.”

The three experts emphasise mentorship as key to keeping this art alive: “It’s our duty to teach younger generations just as we were taught ourselves—passing down knowledge that isn’t found in books but learnt through hands-on experience,” says Voutilainen. Cheng agrees wholeheartedly: “True craftsmanship lies in enduring hardship and pursuing one’s passion relentlessly. In the end, my greatest love became the most beautiful guilloché patterns.”

Breguet N°3429 Tradition 7027 (Photo: courtesy of Breguet)

Guilloché is proof that some things are worth doing the hard way. In a world obsessed with speed and automation, this painstakingly precise craft reminds us that true luxury lies in the details—the kind you can’t mass-produce or rush. Cheng says, “ Upholding high standards is the greatest respect for customers. Only with patience can you carve out work that will satisfy you, but the aesthetic creation of guilloché patterns requires repeated experimentation. Factors such as the angle and size of the engraving blade, depth of cut and lateral spacing all influence craftsmanship decisions.” What’s more, Marielloni says, “These patterns are more than decoration— they’re a language etched into metal.” It is a language spoken fluently by artisans like Voutilainen, Brodbeck and Cheng—and those who will follow in their footsteps, preserving this timeless craft for generations to come.

And while technology will undoubtedly continue to reshape the world of design, guilloché stands as a quiet rebellion against the disposable and the ordinary. As Marielloni puts it: “It is ultimately the human touch that ensures each piece’s quality, making artisanal guilloché a celebration of human art.”

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