Watermarks – the banknote security feature the public recognizes best
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| Source: Giesecke & Devrient |
| The exclusiveness of producing cylinder mould watermarks has provided protection against counterfeiting for hundreds of years. The attractive designs that result are the most readily recognized security feature available to the general public for the authentication of banknotes. Central banks of all the world’s major currencies act on Interpol’s recommendation to embed watermarks in banknotes to protect against currency counterfeiting.Combining different watermark effects within a single design creates a unique and eye-catching image to increase security and ease authentication. Our ongoing development of new watermark technologies makes it possible to implement new graphic effects that better realize artist’s designs within banknote paper. |
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| Multitone watermark |
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 Multitone cylinder mould watermark security features are proven over the centuries for displaying banknote portraits and motifs. Examining the watermark to check the authenticity of a banknote poses a formidable barrier against counterfeiting. Given the high level of recognition of watermarks around the world, even tiny aberrations in the portrait or the motif are spotted immediately. Although tried for centuries, attempts of counterfeiting a watermark only result in imitations such as poor quality prints.Fibers are deposited in different densities during the papermaking sheet building process to vary the thickness of the paper producing an effect of finely modulated transition. This creates clearly defined three-dimensional images, such as portraits, that when held against the light, become visible. The contrast between bright and dark areas and their light graduations create a multitone watermark effect that can only be achieved through cylinder mould technology. |
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| HighLight watermark |
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 HighLight watermarks security features are very effective for portraying the numbers or the value of a banknote denomination. When held against the light, numbers or characters appear as accentuated elements within the watermark design. HighLight watermark are created during papermaking by reducing paper thickness to produce very light areas that increase the visibility of particular design elements.Due to the complexity of their creation, HighLight watermarks are extremely difficult to counterfeit, resulting in only poor quality print copies of watermarks. HighLight watermarks are versatile for use in portraying numbers as very fine or very broad characters within a complex design. HighLight watermarks are also commonly known as Electrotype watermarks. |
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| Pixel watermark |
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 Pixel watermark security features offer 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 very easily authenticated by the public. Pixel watermarks are created during papermaking by varying the thickness of the paper to produce patterns of dark pixel dots on a lighter background.Due to the complexity of their creation, Pixel watermarks are extremely difficult to counterfeit, resulting in only poor quality print copies of watermarks. Pixel watermarks provide new opportunities for creating attractive watermarks that more closely reflect the fine detail of, for example, a portrait from an original artist’s design. Additionally, contrasting pixel watermark elements showing perspective with a standard multitone watermark within a design can be particularly striking and effective. |
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