Personalized watermarks
The history of watermark
If China invented the paper, the watermark is an Italian pride. Its invention took place in one of the oldest and most famous Italian paper centers: Fabriano in the region of Marche, hosting the oldest relic of all, a sheet of watermarked paper dated 1282.
But what is the watermark and, above all, how is it produced? The sheet of paper is created by dunking, in a vat full of water and vegetable fibers reduced to a pulp, a metal mesh inside a wooden frame (the deckle). A thin layer of pulp accumulates, by dripping, on its bottom. If the mesh at the bottom is perfectly uniform, the sheet will have no defects; on the contrary, if there are any bumps on it, the pulp will be deposited in smaller quantities on them and that areas will be thinner.
Aware of this peculiarity, the medieval paper masters thought to turn it to their favor, sewing on the mesh little pieces of metal, whose simple shapes were letters of the alphabet or simple drawings, in order to create their own "trademark" to ensure the origin of their products. Basically they did what renowned fashion houses do nowadays, putting their label on clothing and accessories.
Over the centuries the watermark, from simple trademark, became more and more a feature of the papers which, don’t forget it, until the middle of the nineteenth century were all manufactured "by hand".
Guarantee of authenticity
The watermark is absolutely unique: it is possible to watermark a sheet exclusively at the time of its creation, and there are no mechanical, chemical or digital instruments that allow to watermark a sheet in a later step.This peculiarity has been central for the development of a particular branch of the paper industry: currency papers. It is immaterial if a piece of wrapping paper or toilet paper is watermarked or not, instead it is very important that paper on which is printed or written text of a particular value, such as the paper for banknotes or that for legal correspondence or official diplomas and certificates, is watermarked.
Counterfeiters, since immemorial time, have always existed and have taken on printing adulterated banknotes, securities, public and private documents and much more. But, to reveal the deception, just look at the sheet of paper against the light and the watermark that guarantees its authenticity appears immediately.
Oddly, the technical progress in printing systems has made it even more necessary to have a simple anti-counterfeiting system as the watermark. Think of a label that attaches to its luxury products a card that guarantees the authenticity of the product: if the forger is so skilled to produce an imitation, such as a high fashion handbag, he definitely will not have problems to falsify the certificate warranty.
But if this certification is a watermarked paper, the forger will have to find a paper mill willing to fraudulently produce a card with a fake brand filigree or a craftsman who is able to make high-quality and, above all, watermarked cards. Difficult task, if not impossible.
Some (not many) industrial paper mills are definitely capable of making watermarked paper, but due to their industrial structure they require one or two tons of paper and very high structure costs. These requirements are excessive for those who are looking for a few hundred or thousand sheets "ad hoc".Our offer
Inside the Papelera Don Bosco in Nuevo Chimbote has been created, by the italian master watermarker Roberto Avoltini (one in some ten Italian artisan who truly know this art), a school for watermarkers, which has already produced headed paperwork, diplomas, certificates, of very high quality and enriched, both for security reason and decorative purposes, by gorgeous watermarks realized with the technique of 'chiaro'.
The production is well established already and customers are very satisfied with both the quality of the product and, last but not least, the guarantee that such a work has been commissioned to a company situated at such a great distance, connected to a serious and correct religious institution. This guarantees great care in the keeping of the items and the destruction of the watermarked sheets not delivered to the customer.
Through the internet we therefore propose as a valid partner for graphics, creative designers, news agencies, manufacturers of luxury items, philatelic and other experts, good tasted people and artists, art academies, professionals (for official correspondence), certifiers and, above all, people who love special and beautiful papers.You can appreciate our production and its applications in the photo gallery. We are at your disposal to create custom watermarked paper and for free quotes: our low cost and low minimum quantities will surprise you.
For wedding cards, we hold a patent for our system of watermarked initials and decorative frames. You can find our watermarked wedding cards here.
