Guilloche: A History and Practical Manual

Guilloche is the decorative engraving of a metal surface, such as watch cases, cufflinks, or Faberge Eggs, with the use of a hand-powered device called a rose engine. This passionately researched book tracks the birth, decline, and revival of this endangered craft and features exclusive information from the world's few living professional guillocheurs, as well as an exploration of the distinction between guilloche and its forebearer, ornamental turning. The word "guilloche" was first used to describe details of ancient Greek columns, but the rose engine didn't appear until the mid-1700s, near the French-Swiss border. With a basic knowledge of this contraption, and the straight-line machine, aspiring guillocheurs can follow 21 pattern-cutting "recipes" to create several classic designs and discover endless possibilities for new concepts. Authoritative text, gallery and detail photographs, dynamic illustrations, and precise, hand-drawn renderings will assist and delight adventurous craftspeople, machinists and engineers, and steampunks alike.