Banknote security which won’t break the bank

Jeweltone

Toppan is proud to announce the arrival of Jeweltone - a ground-breaking OVD (Optically Variable Device) which achieves all 3 goals of a public security feature; maximum resistance to counterfeiting and simulation, simplicity of authentication for the public, and ease of incorporation into the banknote design.

Simply put, the foil feature shows a design incorporating several different pastel colours. When the note is tilted, all of these colours disappear entirely. It’s like seeing a colour photograph turn to black and white; an incredibly easily-identified “on/off” effect. The patent-protected technology has been developed entirely in-house, utilising Toppan’s wide-ranging technical capabilities and R&D resources. It is available as a foil stripe, with patches and threads currently under development.

Benefits

1. Counterfeit / simulation resilience

• The unique pastel colours are created optically through nano structural moulding technology and are completely different to the traditional iridescent colours seen in holograms or printed inks. The unique colour dissipation phenomenon is almost impossible to replicate using holographic techniques or printing technologies, nor can it be photocopied or scanned.

• The number of colours used and the intricate designs possible with these colour combinations make it impossible for counterfeiters to simulate with coloured foils.

2. Easily recognisable public feature

Incredibly easy to explain to the public: “A colourful image becomes colourless when tilted.” It’s as simple as that.

3. Easily incorporated into banknote design

In contrast to colour shift inks or threads, Jeweltone offers a wide range of colour options. Furthermore, ultra-high resolution images such as micro text and guilloche patterns can be incorporated into the design. The result is a feature which fits in more naturally with the rest of the banknote design, rather than a foil which is simply stamped on top of it.

Extra options

With its know-how in colour control, not only can Toppan make the colours disappear, they can also make them switch. There are two Jeweltone Switch options. The first shows a switch from the light pastel colours to a dark grey colour, almost like “turning the light off” on the feature. The second variation shows a switch from one pastel colour and design to another. With this option you can add images or text to one of the designs and not to the other, so when the feature is rotated by 90 degrees, this image or text appears and disappears.
Another option is to incorporate a latent image into the Jeweltone pastel colours. A simple diffusion filter renders it visible, adding a simple 2nd level authentication element.

To further enhance both the security and aesthetics of the feature, Toppan has combined Jeweltone with its award-winning Asterium holography. In so doing, the disappearance of the colours of Jeweltone coincides perfectly with the appearance of the holographic effect of Asterium, making it even easier to authenticate and even harder to copy.

As you would expect from a world class OVD manufacturer, Toppan maintains a totally secure production site which has been independently audited and certified by both third parties and existing customers (central banks and government agencies worldwide). The addition of Jeweltone to its banknote line-up gives Toppan a competitive edge with central banks who want to move away from traditional holograms while making use of existing application equipment.