External component of a watch or of an item of jewellery and method for manufacturing such an external component
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- HK · HK
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MONTRES BREGUET SA
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-28
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-17
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies struggle to efficiently produce external components of watches or jewelry with intricate decorations, particularly dials, crystals, or case backs, especially due to the high precision requirements and the difficulty in integrating manual labor with automated tools to meet the artistic demands of luxury watches.
By using a transparent substrate, a decorative object with a textured appearance is formed by structuring and depositing a metal layer and an anti-reflective coating on the inner surface. The anti-reflective coating eliminates the visual appearance of the parts not covered by the metal layer, thus achieving the transparency and diffuse reflection of the decorative object.
It enables high-precision production of complex ornaments, balancing transparency and decorative effect, and simplifies the manufacturing process, making it suitable for external components of luxury watches and jewelry.
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Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention belongs to the field of timepieces or jewelry, more particularly to an external component of a watch or jewelry and to a method for manufacturing such an external component. BACKGROUND
[0002] In particular in the field of timepieces, external components of watches, in particular dials, generally have a decoration made of a thin layer deposited on the surface of a substrate.
[0003] The production of these decorations, depending in particular on their level of detail, can be complex and requires a certain degree of precision that is difficult to achieve with manual work. The production of the decorations can therefore require the use of automated tools, such as numerical control machining devices, which can be incompatible with the manufacture of luxury watches, which is characterized by the use of artistic and artisanal skills to obtain a unique watch.
[0004] Furthermore, due to their complexity and the precision required for their production, certain decorations are technically impossible to produce even with automated tools.
[0005] In this context, the aim of the invention is to produce an external component of a watch, in particular a dial, a bezel or a back cover, with a complex decoration.
[0006] More generally, the invention solves the same problem in the field of jewelry, as it aims to simplify the production of jewelry with a complex decoration. SUMMARY
[0007] The invention overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks and for this purpose relates to an external component of a watch or jewelry, comprising a substrate made of a transparent material, said substrate comprising an inner surface and an outer surface opposite each other. The inner surface or the outer surface has a structuring extending over the entire surface thereof, said external component comprising at least one metal layer deposited on a portion of the structuring to form a decoration, the portion of the structuring not covered by the inner metal layer being covered with an anti-reflective coating.
[0008] The invention makes it possible to produce the structuring by any method suitable for producing a relief or a relief in the surface of the inner surface. Indeed, the role of the anti-reflective coating is to eliminate the visual appearance of the structuring present on the surface portion of the inner surface not covered by the metal layer, which allows for example the production of the structuring by hand.
[0009] More particularly, the invention seeks to mask the possible structuring on the portion of the surface of the inner surface not covered by the metal layer, so that only the metal layer, which is transparent through the substrate, has a textured appearance. In other words, the invention can guarantee that the entire external component, except the metal layer, is transparent. It will be understood that the invention allows a great degree of freedom in the production of the structuring.
[0010] The purpose of the structuring is to reduce the light reflection caused by the metal layer, in particular the specular reflection, so as to make said reflection more diffuse.
[0011] In particular embodiments, the application can further comprise one or more of the following features taken individually or according to any technically possible combination.
[0012] In particular embodiments, the inner surface comprises a structuring over its entire surface and comprises a metal layer referred to as "inner metal layer".
[0013] In particular embodiments, the outer surface of the substrate is polished.
[0014] In particular embodiments, the outer part comprises at least one metal layer referred to as "outer metal layer" deposited on a portion of the outer surface of the substrate, said outer metal layer being covered by an anti-reflective coating covering said outer surface, or deposited on said anti-reflective coating covering said outer surface.
[0015] In particular embodiments, the inner metal layer is covered by an anti-reflective coating.
[0016] According to another aspect, the application relates to a watch dial, a watch glass or a back cover of a watch formed from an outer part such as described above.
[0017] According to yet another aspect, the application relates to a method for manufacturing an outer part of a watch or a piece of jewelry, the method comprising the following steps:
[0018] - structuring the entire surface of the inner surface of the substrate to create a structuring,
[0019] - depositing at least one layer of metal referred to as "inner metal layer" on a portion of the inner surface of the substrate to form a decoration,
[0020] - depositing an anti-reflective coating on the inner surface of the substrate, at least on the portion of the inner surface of the substrate not covered by the inner metal layer.
[0021] In particular embodiments, the method comprises a step of depositing a metal layer referred to as "outer metal layer" on a portion of the outer surface of the substrate to form a decoration, said depositing step being carried out before or after the step of depositing an anti-reflective coating on the outer surface.
[0022] In particular embodiments, the outer surface is polished during the preliminary polishing step.
[0023] In particular embodiments, the inner metal layer is covered with the anti-reflective coating during the depositing of the anti-reflective coating.
[0024] In certain implementations, the structured steps are carried out by laser processing or by machining. Attached Figure Description
[0025] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent when reading the following detailed description given by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0026] - Figure 1 A perspective view of the external components of a watch according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown;
[0027] - Figure 2 The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated schematically. Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the external components;
[0028] - Figure 3 A schematic illustration shows another embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the external components;
[0029] - Figure 4 A schematic illustration shows yet another embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the external components. Detailed Implementation
[0030] This invention relates to, for example, in Figures 1 to 4 The external component 10 of a watch or jewelry in the embodiment shown.
[0031] The external component 10 includes a substrate 100 made of a transparent material such as sapphire or glass. The substrate 100 is transparent, meaning that it allows light with wavelengths at least in the visible spectrum to pass through. The substrate 100 has an inner surface 101 and an outer surface 102 opposite to each other.
[0032] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the outer component 10 constitutes the dial, crystal, or case back of the watch. The inner surface 101 is then intended to be arranged facing the watch movement, and the outer surface 102 is intended to be arranged opposite the crystal.
[0033] Advantageously, the inner surface 101 or the outer surface 102 has a structured portion 103 on its entire surface.
[0034] As in Figures 2 to 4 As schematically visible in the embodiments, the inner surface 101 has a structured portion 103. The structured portion 103 can be created by any material removal operation, including creating a relief or unevenness on the surface of the inner surface 101 by manual engraving by a qualified operator, machine turning, or by mechanical, chemical, laser processing, etc. Therefore, the structured portion 103 can include engraving, machine turning, satin finishing, etc., of the inner surface 101.
[0035] The structured portion 103 of the inner surface 101 extends across its entire surface to simplify the structured operation.
[0036] In addition, to increase the transparency of the substrate 100, the outer surface 102 may preferably be polished over its entire surface.
[0037] The external component 10 includes at least one metal layer deposited on at least a portion of the surface of the inner surface 101 to form a decorative element. In this application, an embodiment is described where the external component includes a decorative element formed from a single metal layer on the surface of the inner surface 101. Of course, in other embodiments of the invention not described, multiple metal layers may be stacked or juxtaposed on said surface of the inner surface 101.
[0038] More specifically, a metal layer is deposited to metallize the graphic representation, thereby forming a decorative element. The metal layer can be made of any metallic material, any alloy of metallic materials, or any oxide of metallic materials.
[0039] For example, the metal layer can be made of chromium oxide or chromium, palladium, gold, silver, etc.
[0040] exist Figures 1 to 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the outer surface 102 also has at least one metal layer forming a decoration on a portion of its surface. This application describes embodiments where the external component includes a decoration formed from a single metal layer on the surface of the outer surface 102. Of course, in other embodiments of the invention not described, multiple metal layers may be stacked or juxtaposed on the surface of the outer surface 102.
[0041] In the remainder of this document, the metal layer deposited on the inner surface 101 of the substrate 100 is referred to as the “inner metal layer” 104, and the metal layer deposited on the outer surface 102 of the substrate 100 is referred to as the “outer metal layer” 105.
[0042] Figure 1 The perspective view shows an example of a decoration formed by an inner metal layer 104 and an outer metal layer 105.
[0043] Furthermore, the surface portions of the inner surface 101 and outer surface 102 of the substrate 100 that are not covered by the inner metal layer 104 and the outer metal layer 105, respectively, are referred to herein as “free regions” 106.
[0044] Advantageously, all or part of the inner metal layer 104 and the structured portion 103 on the surface portion of the inner surface 101 covered by the inner metal layer 104 are visible to the user. Therefore, due to the structured portion 103, the inner metal layer 104 has a textured visual appearance based on the embossed or uneven portions of the structured portion 103 (for clarity of the figures, in...). Figure 1(not shown).
[0045] These inner and outer metal layers 104 and 105 are deposited on the inner and outer surfaces 101 and 102 of the substrate 100, respectively, which makes it possible to easily produce a rich ornamentation. More specifically, this feature makes it possible to add a depth effect between the two metal layers and thus to increase the depth effect of the ornamentation, which is proportional to the thickness of the substrate, to the extent that the inner and outer metal layers 104 and 105 are separated from each other at this distance.
[0046] As Figures 2 to 4 schematically shown in cross-section, the outer part 10 comprises an anti-reflective coating 107 covering all the free areas 106 of the inner surface 101. Preferably, as shown in the embodiment of Figures 2 to 4 , the anti-reflective coating also extends over the entire outer surface 102. In particular, the outer metal layer 105 is either deposited on said anti-reflective coating 107, as shown in Figure 2 , or covered by the anti-reflective coating 107, as shown in Figure 3 .
[0047] It should be noted that the anti-reflective coating can be deposited only on selected surfaces, for example on the free areas 106 of the inner and outer surfaces 101 and 102 or one of them.
[0048] As Figure 4 shown, the outer surface 105 can also not comprise an anti-reflective coating 107 and / or a metal layer. In other words, the outer surface can comprise an anti-reflective coating 107 but not a metal layer, or it can comprise a metal layer but not an anti-reflective coating 107, or it can not comprise a metal layer or an anti-reflective coating 107.
[0049] The anti-reflective coating 107 can be of the same type as the anti-reflective coating used for watch glasses, as is well known to the person skilled in the art.
[0050] Advantageously, the anti-reflective coating 107 has the effect of eliminating the visual appearance of the structuring 103 present on the free areas 106 of the inner surface 101 of the substrate 100. In other words, the anti-reflective coating 107, when it is deposited on the structuring 103 as shown in Figure 2 , creates an optical effect that makes the structuring 103 invisible to the naked eye, thus making the substrate 100 uniformly transparent at the free areas 106, as if the inner surface 101 were polished at this location.
[0051] An outer part 10 such as the one described above can be produced by implementing the following steps of a manufacturing method:
[0052] - structuring the entire surface of the inner surface 101 of the substrate 100 to create the structuring 103,
[0053] - depositing at least one inner metal layer 104 on a portion of the inner surface 101 to form a decoration; in one embodiment of the application, this step can comprise another metal layer deposition operation for depositing an outer metal layer 105 on a portion of the outer surface 102 of the substrate 100,
[0054] - depositing an anti-reflection coating 107 at least on the free areas 106 of the inner surface 101, that is to say on the portions of the inner surface 101 not covered by the metal layer. Preferably, the anti-reflection coating 107 is also deposited on the inner metal layer 104.
[0055] Advantageously, in one embodiment of the application, the anti-reflection coating 107 can be deposited on the entire surface of the outer surface 102, then the possible outer metal layer 105 can be deposited on said anti-reflection coating 107 of the outer surface 102, as shown in Figure 2 , or the anti-reflection coating 107 can be deposited on the metal layer 105 and on the free areas 106 of the outer surface 102, as shown in Figure 3 .
[0056] The inner metal layer 104 and the possible outer metal layer 105 are preferably deposited by a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method.
[0057] The anti-reflection coating 107 is preferably deposited by a plasma-enhanced physical vapor deposition method.
[0058] It should be noted that, in the embodiments shown in Figure 2 and 3 , the chronological order of execution of the deposition of the inner metal layer 104 and of the outer metal layer 105 relative to each other is not important, as is also the chronological order of execution of the deposition of the anti-reflection coating 107 relative to each other.
[0059] Advantageously, the outer surface 102 is polished during a preliminary polishing step performed before or immediately after the structuring step.
[0060] More generally, it should be noted that the implementation solutions and embodiments considered above have been described by way of non-limiting example, other variants being therefore possible.
[0061] In particular, in other embodiments of the application, it should be noted that all the arrangements relating to the inner surface 101, the inner metal layer 104 and the structured portion 103 described above can be applied in an analogous manner to the outer surface 102, the outer metal layer 105 and the possible structured portion of said outer surface 102.
Claims
1. An exterior component (10) of a watch or a piece of jewelry, the exterior component (10) comprising a substrate (100) made of a transparent material, the substrate (100) comprising an inner face (101) and an outer face (102) opposite one another, the exterior component (10) being characterized in that the inner face (101) or the outer face (102) has a structuring (103) extending over its entire surface, the exterior component (10) comprising at least one metal layer deposited on a portion of the structuring (103) to form a decoration, the portion of the structuring (103) not covered by the metal layer being covered by an anti-reflective coating (107), so that only the metal layer has a textured visual appearance according to the relief or the embossing of the structuring (103).
2. The outer part (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner face (101) comprises the structuring (103) over its entire surface and comprises the metal layer called inner metal layer (104).
3. The outer part (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that the outer face (102) of the substrate (100) is polished.
4. The outer part (10) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the exterior component (10) comprises at least one metal layer called outer metal layer (105) deposited on a portion of the outer face (102) of the substrate (100), the outer metal layer (105) being covered by the anti-reflective coating (107) covering the outer face (102) or being deposited on the anti-reflective coating (107) covering the outer face (102).
5. The outer part (10) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the inner metal layer (104) is covered by the anti-reflective coating (107).
6. A watch dial, characterized by the dial is formed from an exterior component (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
7. A method for manufacturing an exterior component (10) of a watch or a piece of jewelry, the method comprising the following steps: - structuring the entire surface of an inner face (101) of a substrate (100) to create a structuring (103), - depositing at least one metal layer called inner metal layer (104) on a portion of the inner face (101) to form a decoration, - depositing an anti-reflective coating (107) on the inner face (101) of the substrate (100), at least on the portion of the inner face (101) of the substrate (100) not covered by the inner metal layer (104), so that only the inner metal layer (104) has a textured visual appearance according to the relief or the embossing of the structuring (103).
8. The method of claim 7, wherein, the method comprises a deposition step of a metal layer called outer metal layer (105) on a portion of an outer face (102) of the substrate (100) to form a decoration, the deposition step being carried out before or after the step of depositing an anti-reflective coating (107) on the outer face (102).
9. The method of claim 8, wherein, during a preliminary polishing step, the outer face (102) is polished.
10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, during the step of depositing the anti-reflective coating (107), the inner metal layer (104) is covered with the anti-reflective coating (107).
11. The method of claim 10, wherein, the structuring step is carried out by laser machining or by mechanical machining.