Bevelling and polishing the edges of watch movement components to create smooth, reflective borders.
Anglage creates a narrow, polished bevel along the edge of a movement component. Removing the sharp edge produces an oblique surface that reflects light differently from the adjoining faces. The operation combines shaping the bevel with polishing it, so an evenly cut edge still needs a suitable surface finish. Hand finishing can use a hardwood peg charged with diamond paste for the final polish. Machines can also produce bevels, including during CNC machining. The presence of anglage therefore identifies a finishing technique without establishing that the component was finished entirely by hand.
In job listings
A listing may ask for finishing skills without using this word. It belongs to movement decoration and to high-end workshops, and a client advisor may also use it to explain what the eye sees through an exhibition case back. Search local jobs for “watchmaker”.
