1048) Watermarks: i)What are Watermarks? ii)Why do we need watermarks? iii) Watermarking Processes - Dandy Roll, Cylinder Mould; iv) Types of Watermarks; v) Watermarks in Philately; vi) Some Examples of Watermarks:
i)What is a watermarks:
Watermarks were first introduced in Fabriano, Italy in 1282.
Watermarks are used on Banknotes and postage stamps and have the effect of "raising the bar" for counterfeiters and aim to deter counterfeiting. Watermarks are in the form of an identifying image or pattern in paper that appears as various shades of lightness or darkness, when viewed through a light source, caused by thickness or density variations in the paper.
Originally, watermarks were used in paper, by changing the thickness of the paper and creating a shadow/lightness in the watermarked paper. This was done while the paper was still wet/watery - as such the "mark" created by this process is called a "watermark".
The term "watermark" is also used for digital practices that share similarities with physical watermarks - for example, overprints on computer-printed output help identify unauthorised usage.
In addition, identifying codes can be encoded as a "digital watermark" for a music, video picture or other files et al. A digital watermark can be visible or invisible - the visible type is usually in the nature of superimposing on a still picture or a moving picture, while the invisible type are created by embedding extra information in the form of digital patterns into computer files having images or audio which needs protecting.
In addition, identifying codes can be encoded as a "digital watermark" for a music, video picture or other files et al. A digital watermark can be visible or invisible - the visible type is usually in the nature of superimposing on a still picture or a moving picture, while the invisible type are created by embedding extra information in the form of digital patterns into computer files having images or audio which needs protecting.
A watermark is very useful in the examination of paper, as it can be used for dating, identifying sizes, mill trademarks and locations, as well as, determining the quality of a sheet of paper. Watermarks can cover an entire page or can be smaller and placed on a specific area of a page or currency note.
Watermarks vary greatly in their visibility - some are obvious on casual inspection, while others may require careful examination/study to pick them out. Several aids have been developed over the ages - such as "watermark fluid" that wets the paper without damaging it.
Watermarks have been used by papermakers to identify their products. They are also used on postage stamps, Banknotes and other government paper as a means of strengthening security features on them.
ii) Why do we need watermarks?
As the printing industry has moved to a digital platform, digital printing equipment has become very sophisticated, easier to operate and maintain, with better quality output, which has encouraged the opportunity for counterfeiters and unscrupulous elements.
As such, present day Bank Note printing requires more elaborate security features to deter counterfeiters and to facilitate enforcement. This has led to present day Banknotes to become highly engineered products with many restrictions imposed on production, processing and usage needs., thereby "raising the bar for counterfeiters".
Watermarks have been used by papermakers to identify their products. They are also used on postage stamps, Banknotes and other government paper as a means of strengthening security features on them.
ii) Why do we need watermarks?
As the printing industry has moved to a digital platform, digital printing equipment has become very sophisticated, easier to operate and maintain, with better quality output, which has encouraged the opportunity for counterfeiters and unscrupulous elements.
As such, present day Bank Note printing requires more elaborate security features to deter counterfeiters and to facilitate enforcement. This has led to present day Banknotes to become highly engineered products with many restrictions imposed on production, processing and usage needs., thereby "raising the bar for counterfeiters".
iii) Processes:
Two types of processes are traditionally used for producing watermarks in paper - the Dandy Roll Process and the more complex Cylindrical Mould Process.
The Dandy Roll Process:
In this process, a watermark was made by impressing a water-coated metal stamp (or "Dandy Roll") onto the paper during manufacturing.
In 1826, the invention of the Dandy Roll by John Marshall brought about a sea-change in making the watermark process easier for producers to watermark their paper.
The Dandy Roll is a light roller covered by materal similar to window screen that is embossed with a pattern. Faint lines are made by laid wires that run parallel to the axis of the Dandy Roll, and the bold lines are made by chain wires that run around the circumference to secure the laid wires to the roll from the outside.
Since the chain wires are located on the outside of the laid wires, they have a greater influence on the impression in the pulp, hence their bolder appearance than the laid wire lines.
This embossing is transferred to the pulp fibres, compressing and reducing their thickness in the rolled over area. Because the patterned portion of the page if thinner, it transmits more light through and has a lighter appearance than the surrounding paper. If these lines are distinct and parallel and there is a watermark, then the paper is called "Laid Paper".
If the lines appear as a mesh or are indescribable and there is no watermark, then it is called "Wove Paper".
This method is called "Line Drawing Watermarks."
Cylinder Mould Process:
The Cylinder Mould Watermark is a shaded watermark, first used in 1848, which incorporates tonal depth and creates a grey-scale image.
Instead of using a wire covering for the Dandy Roll, the shaded watermark is created by areas of relief on the roll's own surface. Once the paper is dry, it can be rolled again to produce a watermark of even thickness but of varying density.
The resulting watermark is much clearer and more detailed than those made by the Dandy Roll Process.
As such, the Cylinder Mould Watermark Paper is the preferred type of watermarked paper for Banknotes, passports, motor vehicle titles et al, as a anti-counterfeiting measure.
The exclusiveness of producing Cylinder Mould Watermarks has provided protection against counterfeiting for several years. The attractive designs that are placed through this method are the most readily recognised security feature available to the users for authentication of Banknotes and Stamps.
Central Banks all over the world to strengthen their currency embed watermarks in the Banknotes to protect against currency counterfeiting. Combining different watermark effects within a single design brings out a unique and attractive image to increase security and to facilitate authentication.
iv) Types of Watermarks - A representation:
Several variations have been employed present day by leading security paper makers and Currency/ Banknote Printers to stay ahead of the counterfeiters, include:
Multi-tone watermark:
The multi-tone watermark is formed in the paper during the security paper-making process. Embedded in the paper , it is aimed at deterring counterfeiters from reproducing the watermark, making it a highly secure security feature.
Multi-tone Cylinder Mould watermark security features display Banknote portraits and motifs. In this feature, fibres are deposited in different densities during the paper-making sheet building process to vary the thickness of the paper, producing an effect of finely modulated transition. The multi-tonal effect gives depth and contrast to the pattern and allows watermarks with a high level of detail, such as, portraits or animal images to be produced.
Clearly defined three-dimensional images, such as portraits are created, which are visible when held against the light. The contrast between bright and dark areas and their light graduations create a multi-tone watermark effect created through Cylinder Mould Technology.
Attempts at counterfeiting this feature, result in only imitations of poor quality. The benefits of multi-tone watermarks is the ease of recognition by users who become familiar with this security features over time/usage.
A multi-tone watermark effect
Highlight Watermark:
These security features are very effective for portraying the numbers or the value of a Banknote denomination.
When the Banknote is held against the light, the numbers or characters appear as accentuated elements within the watermark design.
Highlight Watermarks are created during security paper-making by reducing the paper thickness to produce very light areas that increase the visibility of particular design elements.
Highlight Watermarks are versatile for use in portraying numbers as very fine or very broad characters within a complex design. This type of watermark is also known as an "Electrotype Watermark."
Owing to their complexity of creation, Highlight watermarks are extremely difficult to counterfeit and all attempts to do so result in poor quality print copies of Watermarks by unscrupulous elements.
Pixel Watermarks:
This security feature offers new possibilities for developing eye-catching watermark designs that are secure against counterfeiting. The highly contrasting bright three-dimensional effect that is visible when held against the light is easily identified by the user public.
Example of a Pixel watermark
Pixel Watermarks are created during security paper-making by varying the thickness of the paper to produce patterns of dark pixel dots on a lighter background. The Pixel Watermark is made up of a pattern or array of dark dots on a light background that creates the three-dimensional effect and provides a high level contrast with the background. In addition, the Pixel Watermark brings perspective to the watermark. The contrast obtained by the dark elements on a clear background gives extra-ordinary luminosity to the watermark.
A "Luminosity" effect
Pixel Watermarks provide new opportunities for creating attractive watermarks that more closely reflect the fine details of portraits, for example, vis-à-vis the original designs. In addition, contrasting Pixel Watermark elements showing perspective with a standard multi-tone Watermark, within a design can be particularly striking and effective.
The remarkable brightness of the Pixel Watermark and the high level of detail and contrast are very difficult to reproduce by counterfeiters.
Vision Watermark:
This Watermark introduced by Giesecke and Devrient (G & D) and its subsidiary Louisenthal, provides a high definition and better image recognition.
In accordance with the trend in Banknote design for more realism, the Vision Watermark carries more detail than the traditional Multi-Tone Watermark and gets closer to the original image. It can combine with the Multi-Tone, Pixel and Electrotype Watermarks for enhanced Banknote protection.
The Vision Watermark offers greater definition and more detail than traditional Multi-Tone Watermarks. The outlines of the images are finer and sharper. It offers higher contrast because of the enhanced intensity of the black and white areas. It is remarkably luminous and bright.
The Vision Watermark brings more realism and allows better image recognition and is almost impossible to counterfeit.
A Vision Watermark clarity
Durasafe:
Durasafe is a new high security composite paper-polymer-paper Banknote substrate which was launched in 2010, pioneered by Landqart AG and developed in collaboration with the Swiss National Bank. This technology is a platform for the world's most secure Banknotes.
Durasafe is an innovative Banknote substrate composed of two cotton paper outer layers with a fully transparent polymer core which can contain all the security design options as compared to conventional paper Banknotes. Durasafe has the unique ability to implement security features consisting of semi and fully transparent windows of different shapes, sizes and positions and the three layered substrate greatly increases the durability of the Banknote.
The paper is high security Cylinder Mould which is made containing a Watermark and security fibres, as well as, other security features including paper tactility. The Polymer core adds strength and security. Windows can be formed to look into the core of the substrate or directly through the substrate.
Durasafe combines the ideal characteristics of polymer and traditional paper Banknotes to create a new standard for high security Banknote substrates - one which is almost impossible to counterfeit.
In addition, there are several specialised printing techniques that make it possible to have printed watermarks that will vanish or appear, if a protected document is photocopied or scanned. These processes rely on high quality printing techniques, if they are to be successfully created.
Machine readable data is digitally watermarked into Banknotes. Such watermarking can be optically sensed and detected by various devices. In response, such devices can intervene to prevent counterfeit Banknote production
v) Watermarks in Philately:
In Philately too, the watermark is a key feature of a stamp and often constitutes the difference between a common stamp and a rare stamp.
The "classic" stamp watermark is a small crown (for British Commonwealth Stamps) or other national symbols, appearing either one on each stamp or in a continuous pattern.
Watermarks were nearly universal in stamps in the 19th and 20th Centuries, but generally fell out of use, but some countries still use them.
Some types of embossing, like that used to make the "cross on oval" design on early stamps of Switzerland, resemble a watermark in that the paper is thinner, but can be distinguished by having sharper edges than is usual for a normal watermark. Stamp Paper Watermarks also show various designs, letters, numbers and pictorial elements.
A Watermark in Stamp Paper can be seen by looking at the unprinted back of a stamp. Experienced Philatelists also use watermark fluid to the back of a stamp to temporarily reveal the watermark.
Sometimes, it is difficult to make out some watermarks, particularly those printed in yellow and orange.
A Watermark Crown Commonwealth stamp
A few mechanical devices are also used by Philatelists to identify watermarks on stamps. Two commonly used devices are - the Morley-Bright Watermark detector and the Safe Signoscope. Both these devices operate without using the watermark fluid.
Audio Watermark:
An audio watermark is a unique electronic identifier embedded in an audio signal, typically used to identify ownership of copyright, similar to a watermark on a photograph.
In this type of watermark, information is embedded into a signal - audio, video or pictures - in a manner that it is difficult to remove. If the signal is copied, then the information is also carried in the copy.
One of the most secure techniques of audio watermarking is Spread Spectrum Audio watermarking (SSW), in which a narrow-band signal is transmitted over a much larger band-width in a manner that the signal energy presented in any signal frequency is undetectable. An interesting feature of this watermarking technique is that destroying it requires noise of high amplitude to be added to all frequency bands. As such, to eliminate it, the "attack" must affect all possible frequency bands with considerable modifications of considerable strength, which creates visible defects in the data.
This is a high security feature, since any unauthorised user who does not have access to this information cannot detect the hidden information.
In this process, a watermark was made by impressing a water-coated metal stamp (or "Dandy Roll") onto the paper during manufacturing.
In 1826, the invention of the Dandy Roll by John Marshall brought about a sea-change in making the watermark process easier for producers to watermark their paper.
The Dandy Roll is a light roller covered by materal similar to window screen that is embossed with a pattern. Faint lines are made by laid wires that run parallel to the axis of the Dandy Roll, and the bold lines are made by chain wires that run around the circumference to secure the laid wires to the roll from the outside.
Since the chain wires are located on the outside of the laid wires, they have a greater influence on the impression in the pulp, hence their bolder appearance than the laid wire lines.
This embossing is transferred to the pulp fibres, compressing and reducing their thickness in the rolled over area. Because the patterned portion of the page if thinner, it transmits more light through and has a lighter appearance than the surrounding paper. If these lines are distinct and parallel and there is a watermark, then the paper is called "Laid Paper".
If the lines appear as a mesh or are indescribable and there is no watermark, then it is called "Wove Paper".
This method is called "Line Drawing Watermarks."
Cylinder Mould Process:
The Cylinder Mould Watermark is a shaded watermark, first used in 1848, which incorporates tonal depth and creates a grey-scale image.
Instead of using a wire covering for the Dandy Roll, the shaded watermark is created by areas of relief on the roll's own surface. Once the paper is dry, it can be rolled again to produce a watermark of even thickness but of varying density.
The resulting watermark is much clearer and more detailed than those made by the Dandy Roll Process.
As such, the Cylinder Mould Watermark Paper is the preferred type of watermarked paper for Banknotes, passports, motor vehicle titles et al, as a anti-counterfeiting measure.
The exclusiveness of producing Cylinder Mould Watermarks has provided protection against counterfeiting for several years. The attractive designs that are placed through this method are the most readily recognised security feature available to the users for authentication of Banknotes and Stamps.
Central Banks all over the world to strengthen their currency embed watermarks in the Banknotes to protect against currency counterfeiting. Combining different watermark effects within a single design brings out a unique and attractive image to increase security and to facilitate authentication.
iv) Types of Watermarks - A representation:
Several variations have been employed present day by leading security paper makers and Currency/ Banknote Printers to stay ahead of the counterfeiters, include:
Multi-tone watermark:
The multi-tone watermark is formed in the paper during the security paper-making process. Embedded in the paper , it is aimed at deterring counterfeiters from reproducing the watermark, making it a highly secure security feature.
Multi-tone Cylinder Mould watermark security features display Banknote portraits and motifs. In this feature, fibres are deposited in different densities during the paper-making sheet building process to vary the thickness of the paper, producing an effect of finely modulated transition. The multi-tonal effect gives depth and contrast to the pattern and allows watermarks with a high level of detail, such as, portraits or animal images to be produced.
Clearly defined three-dimensional images, such as portraits are created, which are visible when held against the light. The contrast between bright and dark areas and their light graduations create a multi-tone watermark effect created through Cylinder Mould Technology.
Attempts at counterfeiting this feature, result in only imitations of poor quality. The benefits of multi-tone watermarks is the ease of recognition by users who become familiar with this security features over time/usage.
Highlight Watermark:
These security features are very effective for portraying the numbers or the value of a Banknote denomination.
When the Banknote is held against the light, the numbers or characters appear as accentuated elements within the watermark design.
Highlight Watermarks are created during security paper-making by reducing the paper thickness to produce very light areas that increase the visibility of particular design elements.
Highlight Watermarks are versatile for use in portraying numbers as very fine or very broad characters within a complex design. This type of watermark is also known as an "Electrotype Watermark."
Owing to their complexity of creation, Highlight watermarks are extremely difficult to counterfeit and all attempts to do so result in poor quality print copies of Watermarks by unscrupulous elements.
Pixel Watermarks:
This security feature offers new possibilities for developing eye-catching watermark designs that are secure against counterfeiting. The highly contrasting bright three-dimensional effect that is visible when held against the light is easily identified by the user public.
Pixel Watermarks are created during security paper-making by varying the thickness of the paper to produce patterns of dark pixel dots on a lighter background. The Pixel Watermark is made up of a pattern or array of dark dots on a light background that creates the three-dimensional effect and provides a high level contrast with the background. In addition, the Pixel Watermark brings perspective to the watermark. The contrast obtained by the dark elements on a clear background gives extra-ordinary luminosity to the watermark.
Pixel Watermarks provide new opportunities for creating attractive watermarks that more closely reflect the fine details of portraits, for example, vis-à-vis the original designs. In addition, contrasting Pixel Watermark elements showing perspective with a standard multi-tone Watermark, within a design can be particularly striking and effective.
The remarkable brightness of the Pixel Watermark and the high level of detail and contrast are very difficult to reproduce by counterfeiters.
Vision Watermark:
This Watermark introduced by Giesecke and Devrient (G & D) and its subsidiary Louisenthal, provides a high definition and better image recognition.
In accordance with the trend in Banknote design for more realism, the Vision Watermark carries more detail than the traditional Multi-Tone Watermark and gets closer to the original image. It can combine with the Multi-Tone, Pixel and Electrotype Watermarks for enhanced Banknote protection.
The Vision Watermark offers greater definition and more detail than traditional Multi-Tone Watermarks. The outlines of the images are finer and sharper. It offers higher contrast because of the enhanced intensity of the black and white areas. It is remarkably luminous and bright.
The Vision Watermark brings more realism and allows better image recognition and is almost impossible to counterfeit.
Durasafe:
Durasafe is a new high security composite paper-polymer-paper Banknote substrate which was launched in 2010, pioneered by Landqart AG and developed in collaboration with the Swiss National Bank. This technology is a platform for the world's most secure Banknotes.
Durasafe is an innovative Banknote substrate composed of two cotton paper outer layers with a fully transparent polymer core which can contain all the security design options as compared to conventional paper Banknotes. Durasafe has the unique ability to implement security features consisting of semi and fully transparent windows of different shapes, sizes and positions and the three layered substrate greatly increases the durability of the Banknote.
The paper is high security Cylinder Mould which is made containing a Watermark and security fibres, as well as, other security features including paper tactility. The Polymer core adds strength and security. Windows can be formed to look into the core of the substrate or directly through the substrate.
Durasafe combines the ideal characteristics of polymer and traditional paper Banknotes to create a new standard for high security Banknote substrates - one which is almost impossible to counterfeit.
In addition, there are several specialised printing techniques that make it possible to have printed watermarks that will vanish or appear, if a protected document is photocopied or scanned. These processes rely on high quality printing techniques, if they are to be successfully created.
Machine readable data is digitally watermarked into Banknotes. Such watermarking can be optically sensed and detected by various devices. In response, such devices can intervene to prevent counterfeit Banknote production
v) Watermarks in Philately:
In Philately too, the watermark is a key feature of a stamp and often constitutes the difference between a common stamp and a rare stamp.
The "classic" stamp watermark is a small crown (for British Commonwealth Stamps) or other national symbols, appearing either one on each stamp or in a continuous pattern.
Watermarks were nearly universal in stamps in the 19th and 20th Centuries, but generally fell out of use, but some countries still use them.
Some types of embossing, like that used to make the "cross on oval" design on early stamps of Switzerland, resemble a watermark in that the paper is thinner, but can be distinguished by having sharper edges than is usual for a normal watermark. Stamp Paper Watermarks also show various designs, letters, numbers and pictorial elements.
A Watermark in Stamp Paper can be seen by looking at the unprinted back of a stamp. Experienced Philatelists also use watermark fluid to the back of a stamp to temporarily reveal the watermark.
Sometimes, it is difficult to make out some watermarks, particularly those printed in yellow and orange.
A few mechanical devices are also used by Philatelists to identify watermarks on stamps. Two commonly used devices are - the Morley-Bright Watermark detector and the Safe Signoscope. Both these devices operate without using the watermark fluid.
Audio Watermark:
An audio watermark is a unique electronic identifier embedded in an audio signal, typically used to identify ownership of copyright, similar to a watermark on a photograph.
In this type of watermark, information is embedded into a signal - audio, video or pictures - in a manner that it is difficult to remove. If the signal is copied, then the information is also carried in the copy.
One of the most secure techniques of audio watermarking is Spread Spectrum Audio watermarking (SSW), in which a narrow-band signal is transmitted over a much larger band-width in a manner that the signal energy presented in any signal frequency is undetectable. An interesting feature of this watermarking technique is that destroying it requires noise of high amplitude to be added to all frequency bands. As such, to eliminate it, the "attack" must affect all possible frequency bands with considerable modifications of considerable strength, which creates visible defects in the data.
This is a high security feature, since any unauthorised user who does not have access to this information cannot detect the hidden information.
Watermarking, today, has become increasingly important to enable copyright protection and ownership verification.
vi) Some examples of watermarks on British Isles Banknotes, British Overseas Territories (BOT) and Euro Banknotes from the collection of my friend, Jayant Biswas, who has also scanned the Watermark images for this post:
Notice how the watermarks have all got different images of Queen Elizabeth II facing front, left or right as an anti-counterfeiting feature:
vi) Some examples of watermarks on British Isles Banknotes, British Overseas Territories (BOT) and Euro Banknotes from the collection of my friend, Jayant Biswas, who has also scanned the Watermark images for this post:
Notice how the watermarks have all got different images of Queen Elizabeth II facing front, left or right as an anti-counterfeiting feature:
This Banknote image is a 100 Dollars Banknote from the Bahamas. Queen Elizabeth's front facing portrait has been watermarked in the Banknote to act as an anti-counterfeiting feature.
On this Bank of Gibraltar Banknote of 100 Pounds, issued in 2011, the Queen's image facing front and the numeral "100" Pounds has been watermarked as an anti-counterfeiting device.
This is an Eastern Caribbean Banknote issue of 100 Dollars denomination. Here the Queen's front facing image and other patterns have been watermarked to strengthen the security features and prevent counterfeiting.
This Jersey 100 Pounds Banknote has a watermark of the Queen's image facing right and the denominational value "100" Pounds as a security device among other features.
This 1980 Bank of England 50 Pounds Banknote has the watermarked image of the Queen facing front and the prominent inscription "BANK OF ENGLAND FIFTY POUNDS" on a ribbon as a security feature.
This Bank of England 2010 50 Pounds Banknote shows the watermark of the Queen's image facing front and the denominational value of the Banknote "50" Pounds among other security features.
This Gibraltar 1987 50 Pounds Banknote shows the watermark image of Queen Elizabeth II facing right, among other security features.
This Gibraltar 2006 50 Pounds Banknote shows a front facing watermark portrait of Queen Elizabeth II as a security device.
This Guernsey 50 Pounds Banknote shows a front facing watermark image of Queen Elizabeth II as a security feature.
This Bank of England 20 Pounds 1999 shows the Queen's right facing watermark image in an oval window as a security device.
This Canadian 20 Dollars Banknote shows a watermarked image of the Queen facing right, together with the denominational value "20" expressed as a watermark to deter counterfeiters. Optic Fibres have been embedded in this banknote.
This Guernsey 20 Pounds Banknote shows a watermarked portrait of the Queen facing front as a security measure.
This New Zealand 20 Dollars Banknote shows the Queen's watermarked portrait facing front with other images added to the watermark.
This East Caribbean 5 Dollars Banknote shows the Queen's watermarked image facing right as a security feature.
This Bahamas 50 Cents Banknote has a front-facing watermark of Queen Elizabeth II and the denomination of the Banknote "$ 1/2" also watermarked as an anti-counterfeiting measure among other security features.
Watermark images as seen on a 20 Euro Banknote reveal architecture and the numeral "20".
A multi-tone Watermark on an Armenian 500 Dram Commemorative Banknote with an image of the Noah's Ark and the two-tone watermark reflecting the nominal value of the Banknote with the denominational numeral "500".
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