Gilding is the finishing of a watch part with a very thin coat of gold, which both protects and decorates the surface. Today it is done mainly by galvanic methods, meaning electroplating. The thickness of the gold decides how durable the coating is and how well it stands up to wear.
Which parts of a watch are gilded?
Gilding is used on the outside parts of a watch. These include cases, bezels, metal bracelets, dials and hands. On each of them, the gold sits as a very thin layer on the surface. It does not form the part itself. The thickness of that layer is measured in microns. This figure tells you how long the coating will last and how well it will cope with daily wear.
How is a gilt dial made?
On a gilt dial, the colour goes onto the background, not onto the text. The numerals, logo, text and minute track are left as bare metal. First, the markings are printed in clear lacquer. Lacquer does not conduct electricity. When the dial is then electroplated black, the coating takes only on the metal left uncovered. The lacquered markings keep their metal finish. A final coat of clear lacquer gives the dial its glossy shine.
When were gilt dials made?
Many watch brands made gilt dials in the 1950s and 1960s. Rolex, for example, fitted glossy gilt dials to a number of models until about 1967. From the mid-1960s onward, gilt dials became less and less common. The traditional process, with its layers of lacquer and plating, is complicated. It is no longer used.
Not to be confused with
In current usage, gilt-tone describes a dial that is usually black with gold-coloured markings. This is not the same as a true galvanic gilt dial. On a true gilt dial, the markings are bare metal. They were protected by clear lacquer while the rest of the dial was electroplated black. On a gilt-tone dial, the markings are simply gold in colour.
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