Paper including one or more multi-tonal watermarks having full tonality, and an improved watermarking tool for manufacturing such paper

Abstract

A paper including one or more multi-tonal watermarks having full tonality (depth), and an improved watermarking tool for manufacturing such paper, is provided. The improved watermarking tool is selected from the group of: (a) an assembly that is made up of an electrotype element representing a halftone image of a watermark, and a wire-mesh for use in the manufacture of watermarked paper, wherein the electrotype element is affixed to the wire-mesh, and wherein the electrotype element and the wire-mesh are pressed or embossed, either separately or together in register, with the image of the watermark represented by the electrotype element; and (b) an enhanced wire-mesh made up of woven wires which may be arranged in a regular or substantially regular grid, wherein areas of the grid are filled with a polymeric material which forms regions of blocked drainage, wherein the wire-mesh including open areas as well as those areas filled with the polymeric material are pressed or embossed either separately or together with an image of a watermark.