Vacheron Constantin replica & The Art of The Chamfer

When you spend real money on a wristwatch, you want to believe that before you buy it, it goes through some centuries-old finishing techniques at the hand of the Vallée de Joux’s finest craftsmen. Nine times out of ten, it won’t. But, if you happen to be purchasing a piece of haute horology from fake Vacheron Constantin, it just might. Today we take a look at the age old technique of chamfering (also known as beveling) where some of Vacheron’s most skilled craftsmen smooth and shape components using metal, rock, and wood. Seriously. Most ownerswill never see the result of this process, but it is finishing like this that separates a truly fine timepiece from the rest of the world of watches.

The Scene

Inside Vacheron Constantin’s Le Sentier factory, you’ll see a very small group of finishers who, depending on the technique in which they specialize, receive up to 18 months of in-house training on his or her respective field. The practice of chamfering, or beveling, falls under the category of anglage and is one of the most complicated finishings applied to a mechanical watch movement. Those who practice it must be extremely dexterous. It is the chamfer that, along with the other few stages of hand finishing, can comprise 1/3 the cost of a haute horology Vacheron timepiece. But what is chamfering, anyway?

The Act

“To chamfer” is another term for beveling the edges of a horological component. Many brands do bevel by machine, including Vacheron, but it is the hand-beveling that is most specializes and most impressive as machines simply can not match the precision and result seen when done by hand. Chamfering is purely decorative, and the process is intended to produced a polished, luminous finish by way of precision filing, buffing, and polishing. Essentially, the goal is to eliminate the edges between the surface of the component and the flanks, creating a 45 degree angle instead of a sharp 90 degree angle.

There are three different kinds of beveling:

It is interior angle beveling that is most specialized and indeed what you will see in the photos and video here. The create these angles, The edge of the flanks are pressed down and then replica watches polished. The surface created by this process must be smooth and even, while the angles sharp and distinct. If too much pressure is applied the metal will deform.

The first step in the chamfer process is to file the component with a metal edge to create the angle. Small files are used for interior beveling because, simply, there is nothing else sized appropriately to fit inside the components being worked on. These files are created in-house by Vacheron Constantin. The finishers use a host of different files with different sized heads and grains. Occasionally, they will use abrasive pastes too.

Once the angle has been created, the process of polishing begins. The end product of chamfering is indeed a luminous surface that reflects light prominently, so special care is given to this process. Here you will see finishers working with soft stones to flatten the surface, and then buffers, polishing pastes, and very often pegwood (as seen both above and below).

The Product

The end result is movement comprised of components with fluid lines and increased shine. While most buyers have no idea the amount of manual work that goes into a piece such as these watches from Vacheron, the finishers take great pride in knowing that decades from now, a watchmaker may open up the caseback during a service and see, understand, and appreciate the work that went into these movements.

Now you know just a little bit more about what makes a true haute horology timepiece special.

Compare components pre and post chamfer. Those that have been finished have a dramatic shine.

Compare components pre and post chamfer. Those that have been finished have a dramatic shine.