DS Automobiles | Savoir-faire | Guillochage

This watchmaker is observing a timepiece with a guilloché dial.

Guilloché: also called engine-turned, refers to an ornament made of straight and curved lines bringing shadows and light to the dial, for better clarity and greater refinement.

This technique was once done by hand with a chisel, on surfaces such as wood, ivory and steel. The engine-turning lathe made its appearance later in the XVIIIth century.

With this tool, guilloché started appearing in fine watchmaking in several shapes and forms.

Among the different patterns, there is the one which inspires us, the Clous de Paris: a name referring to the city of Lights and small pyramid-like studs, shaped as if to resemble the Louvre Pyramid.

To reproduce this chiseled appearance on concave metal surfaces, our guilloché pieces were first drawn digitally, then manufactured for our concept cars using a milling technique.

Finally, precise laser engraving was used to produce the double curvature parts of our cars.
Each of our pieces featuring this new pattern conveys technique and sophistication.
From our inspiration to our creation.