Roland Baptiste

Engraver

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Engraving with clockwork precision

Roland’s father was a master engraver too
He moved from a focus on arms to watches
He fears his craft is increasingly at risk

Roland Baptiste followed in the footsteps of his father, who was a master engraver before him. At 17, he enrolled in the engraving curriculum of the well-known arms manufacturing school Léon Mignon in Liège, a city with a rich past in arms production. “I came to studies later than usual, so I had to double down to catch up. But I felt that I was able to develop my creativity and this gave me wings.” Once a master artisan, Roland worked for arms producers from different parts of the world. Since he was a boy, Roland had been passionate about mechanical watches and he successfully shifted his craftsmanship towards these. “There is a parallel between watchmaking and engraving: both are about working in an extremely detailed way to achieve the best results.”

Interview

What was a memorable moment in your work life?
Throughout the years, I have engraved works for royalty, actors, heads of major companies… But I never felt the same satisfaction as when I finished engraving my very first watch, which bore my own brand and was meant for a broader audience.
What are your sources of inspiration?
My inspiration for ornamentation mainly comes from the movements of plants and nature. Curves of cars from the 1950s also fascinate me. In general, in my engravings I like to create rounded lines that have a reassuring side.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?
I carry out exactly the same procedures as my ancestors did. What has changed is the use of modern tools, such as binoculars, that allow me to work faster and with higher precision. I also use a drawing tablet, which gives me more creative options for my drawings.
Could your craft be considered in danger?
When I started, my father told me that our craft was at risk, and I can only observe that this danger is unfortunately ever more real. There is a cost and a non-reproducibility to handwork which makes it charming and artful, but does not always fit with a commercial mindset.

Roland Baptiste is a master artisan: he began his career in 1993 and he started teaching in 2006