Wood inlays have been used to decorate guitars and vihuelas from at least as far back as the fifteenth century in Spain and by some twelfth century viol and vihuela makers. The guitar inlays are influenced by the guitar making tradition and the decorations used in the architecture of Spain. Torres used a stylised version of a triple arch on the head of his guitars. José Romanillos was influenced by the wonderful arched interior of the Mezquita (Mosque) in Córdoba to design his archway rosette.

The arches are circular in form and carried past the normal springing point of the Romanesque arch. Those of the Mezquita in Córdoba are normally assumed to have been originated by the Moors who occupied parts of Spain from 711 to 1492, having brought them to the Western Mediterranean in the eighth century.

It has, however, been recently suggested by a Spanish scholar that the Moors may have taken the arch from from the Visigoths. Moreover, the arch can even be seen on 3rd century Roman tombstones. Other sources trace the arch back to the pre-Muslim era in the eastern Byzantium and to the Sassanian Empire. The seventh century Visigoth church of San Juan de Baños near Palencia is one example. The Moorish architects may then have modified it to a lighter version to create the very airy interior at Córdoba.

The ornamentation and decoration of the guitars uses varied wood inlays using a wide range of natural wood. Maple, sycamore, rosewood, ebony, satinwood, holly, orangewood and many more are used to the best effect. Some 18th and 19th century techniques are also used for modifying natural colours which do not harm the natural brilliance of the wood. The colour schemes are varied to suit the particular guitar.

The head design follows-on from the very stylised triple arch of Torres and Hauser but uses the arab arch shape more directly.

Rosettes are constructed of the traditional herringbone bone and other motifs. On the concert model of guitar they are made individually and therefore each one may be different.

In recognition of one of the main influence behind Stephen Cadney’s guitars, rosettes can also be made in the Romanillos ‘Archway’ style to order.