Miniature Marquetry
Amongst the traditional artisanal crafts used in watchmaking along with engraving and enamelling, there is also a lesser-known art of miniature marquetry. Below are examples from Bastien Chevalier one of fewer than a handful of artisans, who has specialised in this field at this level, having practised marquetry for over 23 years.
An example of a dial designed and made for Saskia Maaike Bouvier by Bastien.
From the sketches through to the piercing of the wood used and assembly, all the processes are executed manually. Each dial takes approximately one month to make. The Jazz-influenced dials below were made for Parmiagani.
Direction is given by the client and hand sketches at a larger scale are drawn.
The drawings are reduced in size, placed on the woods and the forms are pierced out.
The sides of the wood are always cut vertically to ensure that the final assembly of the pieces is flush together.
The pieces being assembled.
A variety of wood is used to make the dials from walnut, maple, stained tulipwood, burr myrtle, pearwood amongst others.
The full dial is made without the holes for the hands or complications. Once it is complete, it is then sealed onto its definitive metal base, and the dial is machined by CNC. Here, the dial is cut for the hands, power reserve indicator and the tourbillon, before the adding of the indexes.
The cutting and assembly are the two most difficult steps in the marquetry process, following which each step requires precision and care, hardwoods are incredibly brittle, and the other softwoods both create challenges when manipulated..
All of the assembly is made under microscope.
During the final assembly a special ‘bone’ glue is used to lock the different pieces together. When the dial is finally assembled a light varnish is added to bring out the colour of the wood and to protect against UV rays, to assure longevity of the dial.
Packets of various types of wood, composed of 10 sheets.
To pursue such a specialized field is not an obvious route and as beautiful as the result is, there are fewer and fewer people entering this craft. Artisans like Bastien are driven by the love of, and commitment to their craft. Bastien studied 4 years in cabinetmaking and 5 years in marquetry, with one of the most renown craftsmen in France. Companies such as Parmigiani, Saskia Maaike Bouvier, Yvan Arpa, François Junod, Vacheron Constantin and Vianney Halter have all worked with Bastien in different forms and sizes of marquetry.
In 2013 Bastien and a friend teamed up and developed a small brand (Mbch) making unique complete watches designed by himself to the client’s request.
Bastien Chevalier in his workshop with larger examples of his marquetry.
One of the most recent designs to be made. The customer who commissioned this dial left Bastien freedom of design. The grey part that is behind the man is the shadow of Bastiens’ hydraulic press which was projected onto the ceiling, the symbol Py is the name of the client.
To learn more about Bastien Chevalier