Method of manufacturing timepiece component

Abstract

To provide a method of manufacturing a timepiece component, notably a dial, which allows a novel, precise, and attractive appearance to be achieved in a simple way with a great deal of versatility while being durable over time.SOLUTION: A method of manufacturing a timepiece component comprising a surface to be treated prepared in advance through a sub step of polishing and / or a sub step of adding a malleable upper layer 2 is provided, the method comprising: a first surface structuring step of structuring the surface of the timepiece component to be treated; and a second surface structuring step of structuring the surface to be treated that has been structured by the previous first surface structuring step.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing watch parts, particularly watch parts for small watches. The present invention also relates to the watch parts themselves obtained by implementing the method. Finally, the present invention relates to watches, particularly small watches, such as wristwatches, including the watch parts.

Background Art

[0002] For example, when a specific surface finish is imparted to a watch part to form an identification area and / or scale and / or decoration on the dial, conventionally, methods such as grinding, brushing, or diamond polishing have been used to shape the surface to give a structure known as surface structuring. This step may be combined with various steps for imparting color, such as polishing, electroplating, or PVD, to form areas of different colors on the surface of the watch part. To complement this, steps of attaching inserts and / or attaching accessory decorative elements are sometimes implemented.

[0003] It should be noted that since the application to watches is very demanding, the solutions for the surface finish of watch parts are very delicate. From both the functional and aesthetic viewpoints, the desired appearance is very important, and it is required to be very accurate, reproducible, and of course free of defects and burrs. The parts formed in this way tend to be external decorative parts exposed to impacts and sometimes harsh environments (such as seawater, sweat, etc.), so the requirements regarding robustness are also high.

Prior Art Documents

Non-Patent Documents

[0004]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing watch components, particularly dials, that are durable over time, have broad versatility, and enable the simple achievement of a novel, accurate, and attractive appearance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] Therefore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a watch component, which includes a surface to be processed, the surface being optionally prepared in advance via a polishing substep and / or a substep for adding a malleable top layer, wherein the method is First surface structuring of the surface to be treated on the watch component, then Second surface structuring of the surface to be treated, which was structured in the preceding first surface structuring step. This includes the following steps.

[0007] The manufacturing method, watch component, and watch according to the present invention are specifically defined in the claims.

[0008] The object, features, and advantages of the present invention are presented in detail in the following description of certain embodiments, which are given as non-limiting examples in relation to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 schematically illustrates, in cross-sectional view, the preliminary steps for preparing a dial plate according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 schematically illustrates a cross-section of the dial plate after the first step of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention has been carried out. [Figure 3] Figure 3 schematically illustrates a cross-section of the dial plate after the first modified example of the second step of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention has been carried out. [Figure 4]Figure 4 schematically illustrates a cross-section of the dial plate after a second modification of the second step of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention has been carried out. [Figure 5] Figure 5 schematically illustrates the upper surface of a dial plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 schematically illustrates a cross-section of the dial plate after the coloring step of the first modified example of the method according to the embodiment of the present invention has been performed. [Figure 7] Figure 7 schematically illustrates a cross-section of the dial plate after the coloring step of a second modified example of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention has been performed. [Figure 8] Figure 8 schematically illustrates a cross-section of a dial plate after another modification of the method according to an embodiment of the present invention has been carried out. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] Depending on the embodiment of the manufacturing method for watch components of the present invention, a specific combination of at least two surface structuring steps is used, by applying at least two surface structuring steps that are superimposed on the same area of ​​the surface of the watch component to be treated.

[0011] The requirements and complexity of surface structuring operations meant that combining two surface structuring operations on the same surface was previously considered impractical, as it was assumed that a second surface structuring step would degrade the results obtained by the first surface structuring step and negate all its benefits. For example, certain combinations of surface structuring, such as rifling in different directions, sandblasting with finer impact than that achieved with conventional media, and specific structures that demarcate recessed decorations (to a depth greater than the thickness of the malleable layer, for example, without altering the surface texture), could not be achieved using traditional methods of the prior art. As will be explained in detail below, this preconception has been overcome by the present invention. The present invention demonstrates that such combinations can yield benefits beyond simple combinations of surface treatment steps.

[0012] In order to refer to the step of changing the topography of the surface of a component by changing the roughness of the surface of the component, the expressions "surface structuring" or alternatively "surface texturing" are used. To refer to the surface state obtained by one or more surface structuring steps, the term "texturing" is used. It is noted that the surface structuring step is different from the step of adding and removing material that creates a more significant relief within the thickness of the component. The surface structuring step acts only on the surface over a very shallow depth and there is very little or no removal of material.

[0013] The adjective "upper" is used to refer to a surface or volume that is directed towards the surface intended to be treated by the method of the present invention. For this reason, the treatment is applied to the surface to be treated and extends over the whole or part of the upper surface of the timepiece component. Advantageously, the surface is the visible surface of the timepiece component. As an example, in the case of a dial, the upper surface treated according to the present invention is the surface visible to the user of the small timepiece, which includes the dial.

[0014] In other words, surface structuring creates a shallow topography by scratching the surface of the timepiece component by means of a controlled, potentially random, method and alternatively by dry or wet sandblasting of the upper surface using a polishing medium. The tool used may be, for example, a pad or brush covered with an abrasive, or a sandblasting or wet sandblasting system, or a laser such as a femtosecond laser or a nanosecond laser.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the surface structuring creates a recessed relief with an average depth of 0.1 μm or less, or as a variant 0.3 μm or less, or 0.8 μm or less, or 1 μm or less, or 1.5 μm or less, or 3 μm or less, or 4 μm or less with respect to the initial surface of the part. The depth of the relief within a given area of the surface is the distance between the deepest point of the relief and the initial surface. The average depth is, by definition, the average of the depth over the processed surface. Furthermore, such surface structuring preferably creates a relief with an average depth of 0.05 μm or more.

[0016] According to one embodiment, one surface structuring step preferably forms a surface roughness between 0.05 μm and 4 μm, or between 0.05 μm and 3 μm, or between 0.1 μm and 1.5 μm, or between 0.05 μm and 0.1 μm. The roughness is Sq: a height parameter corresponding to the mean square deviation (square root of the mean of the squares of the heights within the base area), or Sz: a height parameter corresponding to the maximum amplitude of the surface (sum of the maximum peak height and the maximum valley depth within the base area), and can be measured from surface finish parameters by applying ISO standard 25178 such as this.

[0017] According to one example, one surface structuring may form on the surface to be processed linear streaks, or scratches, or other recessed shapes, at the shallow depths described above and / or with a small surface roughness. According to one embodiment, such linear streaks preferably form a specific filling pattern in order to be sufficiently dense, uniform, and / or systematic and / or to give an attractive visual appearance. As an advantageous example, the streak density is such that two adjacent streaks are separated by an average distance of, for example, 10 μm or less, or for example 3 μm or less.

[0018] The present invention will be described non-limitedly in the context of surface finishing for small watch dials. The present invention may, of course, be used, for example and non-limited purposes, to treat any surface of a wristwatch or watch movement, or any other watch component, such as bezels, blanks, and movement replacements, particularly covers, barrels, or pallet wheels.

[0019] More specifically, this invention relates to a phase in the surface treatment of watch components, preferably one that occurs towards the completion of the manufacturing of watch components. Therefore, this invention contributes to the manufacturing of watch components.

[0020] The method according to embodiments of the present invention includes an optional preliminary step of preparing the surface of a watch component.

[0021] Therefore, the upper surface of the brass dial plate, i.e., the surface to be treated and preferably to appear, is prepared by an optional first preparation substep, e.g., polishing, prior to a second substep of depositing a malleable layer, which is also optional. Alternatively, the brass dial plate is prepared by an optional first substep of adding a malleable top layer, prior to a second preparation substep, e.g., polishing, which is also optional. The expression “malleable layer” is used to refer to a layer of metallic material that is sufficiently soft when cooled and ductile to maintain the applied deformation, in particular, to simplify the surface structuring steps such as those described below. For this reason, such a malleable layer advantageously includes a malleable metallic material such as silver or gold, or a material containing a silver-gold alloy containing at least 50% by weight of silver or gold. As an alternative, the dial plate, or any other watch component to be decorated, may be made of other metallic materials, where the term metallic includes pure metals or any metallic alloy such as steel, titanium, or gold, or may be made of non-malleable material (i.e., containing less than 50% by weight of gold), or platinum. Alternatively, plates made of, for example, zirconia or alumina ceramic, silicon, glass, sapphire, pearl, or inorganic material, which show the natural color of the material or coloring to a predetermined color such as white, are also conceivable.

[0022] In other words, according to the first embodiment, the watch component includes a top surface which belongs to a surface layer made of a rigid material, i.e., a rigid (non-malleable) material, and in which the dual-surface structuring of the present invention is directly implemented. According to the second embodiment, the watch component includes a top surface made of a rigid material, and since the method according to the present invention performs a preliminary step of depositing a malleable layer on a layer of rigid material, the present invention (at least two superimposed structurings) is implemented on the malleable material layer which covers the rigid material layer. The malleable material layer forms a new top surface of the watch component. According to the third embodiment, the watch component includes a layer made of malleable material directly, which means including at least one surface layer of malleable material in which the dual-surface structuring of the present invention is directly implemented without the need to perform any preliminary step of adding a malleable layer. For example, it may be a block or monoblock manufactured as a single layer of the malleable material. As a variation, several superimposed layers of malleable material may be shown, for example, a silver-based layer covering a gold-based layer. For example, the layers of a watch component may be simply a coating or a thicker, more substantial layer.

[0023] As a detailed exemplary embodiment, a flat, polished brass dial plate is provided. a) A uniform first layer of nickel, for example, 2 microns thick, is applied using electroplating, and then b) A uniform gold plating layer, for example, 0.2 microns thick, is formed using electroplating, and then c) A uniform layer of silver, for example, 4 microns thick, using electroplating. Various substeps for depositing may be performed. In this example, the result is a malleable layer having an overall thickness of 6.2 microns, comprising several layers and therefore being a multilayer structure, and particularly including a malleable silver top layer. More generally, it is advantageous to deposit multilayer or single layers of malleable material with thicknesses of 10 μm or less, or 7 μm or less.

[0024] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a longitudinal section of such a dial plate, comprising a brass lower 1 covered with a malleable upper layer 2 of silver. Here, any sub-layers that may exist are not shown for the sake of simplicity of explanation. Furthermore, the thickness of the malleable layer 2 is deliberately exaggerated for the sake of simplicity of explanation of the invention and is therefore not to the correct scale. The upper surface of the malleable layer 2 is flat and lies on the surface that forms the reference plane P0 in the following description herein. The dial may contain one single layer or any number of layers of different materials, two, three, four, five, or more.

[0025] The manufacturing method then carries out a first step E10 of first surface structuring of the surface of the dial to be treated. According to one advantageous embodiment, the first structuring forms first ridges 10. The result of the first surface structuring is illustrated in Figure 2, which is a longitudinal section view in a plane perpendicular to the ridges 10 and substantially perpendicular to the dial plate. The figure illustrates a cross-section of the ridges 10 of the hypothetical decoration. These ridges 10 are formed on the upper surface of the dial, more specifically in the malleable layer 2. In particular, in this embodiment, the silver layer is textured with decoration consisting of ridges.

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, the ribs 10 have a triangular cross-section. Furthermore, the ribs 10 are advantageously spaced very close together. Thus, the cross-section between two ribs 10 similarly forms a rib 12 with a triangular cross-section, the upper end 13 of which is substantially located on the reference plane P0. In one advantageous embodiment, the entire rib 10 is formed within a malleable layer 2 made of silver, meaning that its deepest portion, forming the bottom 11 of the rib 10, is located within the malleable layer 2. According to this embodiment, the bottoms 11 of all ribs 10 are located within the malleable layer 2 and lie within the same second plane P1 which is substantially parallel to the reference plane P0. In other words, the bottoms of the ribs 10 do not reach the bottom of the malleable layer 2 and do not reach the brass lower part 1 of the dial plate. According to this embodiment, the depth of the texture is approximately 0.5 μm. It should be noted that this first structuring step E10 may be applied to all or part of the upper surface of the dial plate.

[0027] Of course, the intermediate ridges and / or ribs may have shapes different from those shown, and in particular other cross-sections. They may be advantageously closer together, with average spacings of 10 μm or less, or 5 μm or less, or 1 μm or less, and / or 0.5 μm to 30 μm, or 1 to 20 μm, or 1 to 10 μm.

[0028] Optionally, a step is performed to deposit a uniform, 0.2 μm thick gold plating layer by electroplating to protect the silver surface. This protects the textured silver from alteration, oxidation, and sulfurization. The deposition maintains the surface-following, i.e., surface-textured topography of the surface treated in the first surface structuring step, on which the gold is deposited. Alternatively, a fine surface deposition along the surface (surface-adaptive approach) may be performed using electron-layer deposition (ALD) technique. This step is optional and is not illustrated. The optional step of depositing the gold plating layer, or alternatively, other protective layers, may be performed before and / or after each structuring step (E10, E20, and any additional structuring steps).

[0029] The manufacturing method according to embodiments of the present invention therefore involves a second step E20 in which a second surface structuring is applied to the surface of the dial to be treated. The second surface structuring is applied over at least a portion of the surface already treated by the first surface structuring so that the effects of the two surface structurings are superimposed and combined, as described below. Through this superimposition, the second surface structuring modifies a portion of the roughness formed by the first surface structuring. For example, the second surface structuring may modify the peak of the roughness of the first surface structuring without modifying the bottom of the first surface structuring, as described below.

[0030] The result of the second surface structuring according to the embodiment is shown in Figure 3. The second surface structuring forms second lines 20 whose orientation differs from that of the first lines 10 formed by the first surface structuring. As a result, the second lines intersect with the lines of the first surface structuring. In particular, the second structuring has the effect of removing some of the vertices of the ribs 12 that exist between the first lines 10 formed by the first surface structuring. As a result, some of the ribs 12, referred to as cut vertices 22, have a modified cross-section.

[0031] Figure 3 illustrates a cross-section of a dial plate on a vertical plane, including a second line 20 generated in a first modification of the second surface structuring. This line is capable of cutting the upper ends of several adjacent ribs 12 formed in the first surface structuring. In fact, it can be seen that the upper ends of the cutting vertices 22 are cut off in an even manner. As a result, the ribs 12 of the first surface structuring are transformed into cutting vertices 22 of a trapezoidal cross-section, and their upper surfaces 23 form a planar surface substantially parallel to the dial plate in an intermediate plane P2, which is lower than the reference plane P0 containing the upper ends 13 of the initial ribs 12. According to the embodiment, the intermediate plane P2 is located between the reference plane P0 and a first plane P1 parallel to it.

[0032] According to the embodiment, some of the lines 10 and ribs 12 generated by the first structuring remain unchanged. Note that the second surface structuring may be applied to all or part of the surface treated by the first surface structuring.

[0033] Furthermore, according to this advantageous embodiment, the second surface structuring is performed to a shallower depth than the first structuring, so that the second surface structuring only partially acts on the first structuring, leaving the bottoms 11 of all the ribs 10 intact. The depth of the first surface structuring corresponds to the distance between planes P0 and P1, while the depth of the second surface structuring corresponds to the distance between planes P0 and P2.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the second surface structuring step is carried out by wet sandblasting via a mask, which has the effect of slightly abrading the tops of the decoration, i.e., the upper ends 13 of the ribs 12, as described above. The wet sandblasting is carried out by conventional methods. Alternatively, it may be carried out using sandblasting. According to this embodiment, the depth of the wet sandblasting step is about 0.2 μm. Visually, the rough and uniform appearance of the structure works to locally eliminate the appearance of the decoration. According to this embodiment, the second surface structuring step acts only on a portion of the surface treated by the first surface structuring, and this portion is defined by a mask used to protect the area of ​​the surface to be treated so as not to be altered by the second surface structuring, i.e., to keep the decoration achieved by the first surface structuring intact. For example, the mask may be made of a photosensitive resin. Thus, the second surface structuring acts only on the unmasked areas to locally reduce the first texture in a controlled manner.

[0035] Alternatively, the second surface structuring step may be carried out using a laser. This technique not only eliminates the need for a mask but also provides a very precise resolution to the texture. The use of a laser allows for the creation of contours of recessed decorations, for example, during the same step, in addition to potentially cutting off the vertices of the textured relief at some height. Finally, the use of a laser allows for shading the textured effect. The use of a femtosecond laser is preferred, with various parameters being varied to obtain the desired visual effect. Relevant parameters include, among others, power, ray diameter, flux, surface scanning speed, degree of longitudinal and transverse overlap of pulses as it moves, pulse repetition rate, average energy per pulse, pulse duration, ray wavelength, and focus. Additional variations may be induced depending on the scanning and trajectory strategy. The scanning may be unidirectional (known as "hatching" or "simple hatching"), or the scanning may be performed in a first direction and then in other directions, such as right angles ("0°-90° cross-hatching") or 120° ("0°-120° cross-hatching"), generating rays with different orientations from the superimposed trajectories. For example, complete / partial vertex cutoff is measured by influencing various laser parameters to measure the amount of energy supplied per unit time and per unit area, i.e., by measuring the laser impact and by influencing the scanning plan.

[0036] It should be noted that while a femtosecond laser enables texturing, it can also enable partially "pressing" the terrain to which it is applied with translational motion in a manner of partial "surface fitting" (i.e., regeneration). For this reason, except in the illustrated embodiments, the second surface texturing may be performed using a femtosecond laser to partially press the first texturing formed by the first surface structuring in a manner that partially respects surface fitting.

[0037] Therefore, the second surface structuring may be applied to predetermined areas demarcated by any shape, such as a polygon. These areas are located within the pre-textured areas. Figure 5 shows, as an example, a dial obtained from such an embodiment, viewed from above, and its surface includes a sunray area 3 obtained solely from the first surface structuring and an area 4 including double surface structuring.

[0038] Optionally, the outlines of these areas 4 may be emphasized by grooves 5 also generated using a laser. In this example, to create a depth effect, the grooves 5 are deep enough to pass through the entire malleable layer 2 and reach the brass of the lower part 1 of the dial plate. According to this embodiment, the depth of the grooves 5 is 10 μm. More generally, a laser can be optionally used to perform deep cutting to a depth of 5 μm or more, or 10 μm or more, and / or 15 μm or less, on a surface treated by double surface textured, or on the surface of a dial that is partially treated by double surface textured. Of course, such deep cutting is not surface textured. Advantageously, the deep cutting step is applied to at least a portion of the outline of the area of ​​the surface to be treated that has undergone second surface structuring, or is at least partially superimposed on the first surface structuring and / or second surface structuring.

[0039] In the modified version of the second embodiment shown in Figure 4, the second surface structuring is deeper than that shown in the embodiment corresponding to Figure 3, allowing for the removal of almost all or all of the vertices of some of the surfaces treated by the first structuring. Thus, as shown, the second structuring allows for the complete removal of some of the ribs 12 formed by the first structuring, and thus for the cavity to the plane P1. In this embodiment, the second structuring may form the bottom 21 of the second ridge 20 in the plane P1 to the same depth as the first surface structuring.

[0040] The method then performs an optional step E30 to color the upper surface of the dial by depositing a coating 30. Depending on preference, this step may be applied uniformly to the entire surface to be treated, or to the entire surface of the watch component, i.e., the dial in this embodiment. Therefore, the embodiment deposits a very fine coating, several nanometers thick, using ALD (Advanced Laser Deposition) technology. The material to be deposited can be anything, for example, selected to produce a specific color. The material may be a precious metal, or alternatively, a metal oxide. Alternatively, the coating can be uniformly deposited using electroplating, physical vapor deposition (PVD), pulsed laser deposition (PLD), or chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The coating is selected (deposition technique, thickness, material, etc.) so as not to lose the topography formed by the double-surface structuring.

[0041] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, which correspond to the embodiments in Figures 3 and 4, respectively, the coating 30 conforms perfectly to the top surface of the dial, and does not alter, or alters to a negligible extent, the roughness and / or relief formed by the two structuring steps E10 and E20, in particular.

[0042] Figure 8 illustrates another embodiment in which, in addition to the two surface structuring steps, deep etching is performed. In this embodiment, area 6 is generated on the dial, which has been prepared for the second surface structuring according to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, using a laser, in particular a nanosecond laser. In this example, in order to form a depth effect, area 6 is deep enough to pass through the malleable layer 2 and reach the brass of the lower part 1 of the dial plate. According to this embodiment, the depth of area 6 is 10 μm. More generally, a laser can be optionally used to perform deep etching to a depth of 5 μm or more, or 10 μm or more, on a surface treated by the first and / or double surface structuring. Of course, such deep etching is not surface structuring. The coating 30 then conforms perfectly to the topography of the upper surface of the dial, and does not change, or changes negligibly, the roughness and / or relief formed in particular by the two structuring steps E10, E20 and the deep etching step. The deep etching may include streaks and / or form any pattern.

[0043] It should be noted that, advantageously, several different appearances can be obtained thanks to the dual surface structuring in a single coloring step. In fact, it is possible to apply slight variations to the dual surface structuring in different areas of the watch component's surface to achieve different appearances to the naked eye. Thus, the dual surface structuring, which forms a single surface texture and extends to a very shallow depth, can produce particularly advantageous visual effects. In particular, the brightness L of the areas that have been treated differently. * The color may vary slightly. Color measurements taken in different areas of the dial will show differences in lightness based on differences in roughness or, more generally, surface finish, and the lightness may vary between 2 and 5. Lightness L * As shown in Non-Patent Document 1, L is a space defined by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE). * a * b * It is evaluated as follows. The measurement is performed in SCI (Reflective Component Inclusion) mode. The difference in brightness is ΔL. * =L1 * -L0 *Here, the subscripts "1" and "0" specify the two elements of the dial to be compared.

[0044] Therefore, one of the advantages of the present invention is that a single coloring step produces different coloring effects and / or different brightness and / or different visual effects in at least two different areas of the surface to be treated, thereby facilitating the entire manufacturing process. It should be noted that the effect of such visual differences can also be obtained without the coloring step.

[0045] Finally, optionally, the method may include a protective polymer layer, for example, 6 μm thick. Zapon A coating is deposited. In addition, optionally, the dial may undergo other finishing steps, such as pad printing, to highlight the various areas having the double-surface structure of the present invention and / or for printing symbols.

[0046] In a modified embodiment, the method may perform at least an additional third surface structuring step after the two surface structurings E10 and E20. Advantageously, the third surface structuring cuts off all or part of the vertices of the second surface structuring without affecting the first surface structuring. Alternatively, the third surface structuring may reach the first surface structuring in areas where the second surface structuring was not applied. The third step may be repeated as needed to form a number of differently treated areas.

[0047] Of course, the present invention is not related to designs obtained by a surface structuring step that can form any pattern, particularly lines or curves that are parallel or substantially parallel. For example, the surface to be decorated may be divided into different areas, each area may have different second surface structurings, for example, including lines perpendicular to each other, for example, of different orientations, or having different roughness and / or orientations. Advantageously, the first surface structuring may include lines that are parallel or not, and the second surface structuring superimposed on the first may form a specific pattern, for example, a plant or animal design, or handwriting, symbols, and grooves forming the specific pattern may intersect one or more lines of the first surface structuring.

[0048] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples. In particular, the surface structuring step may be carried out using a number of solutions that preferably remain within the malleable layer (without adding material, for example, using techniques of the type PVD, CVD, etc.). For this purpose, the following solutions can be used. - Techniques aimed at reducing the roughness of the surface to which the technique is applied, such as polishing, or sandblasting, shot peening, microbead spraying under specific conditions, or the use of lasers including femtosecond or nanosecond lasers under specific conditions. - Techniques aimed at increasing the roughness of the surface to which the technique is applied, such as sandblasting, shot peening, microbead blasting under specific conditions, or the use of lasers, including femtosecond or nanosecond lasers, under specific conditions. - Techniques known as fine-line techniques, such as satin finish, brushing, snail finish, sunray brushing, and Côtes de Genève striped wavy patterns, aimed at creating streaks (obtained using conventional methods or lasers), and in particular including the following: 〇 A spiral-shaped decoration, commonly applied to the barrel ferrule, rotor, barrel, or barrel cover, but also expected to be applied to the dial; a snail finish. This decoration is obtained using a grinding wheel rotated on the surface of the part in an orientation that produces spiral-shaped lines. ○ A decoration formed by lines having the same intersection point, which gives the part a sun-like appearance, as described in the described embodiment, sunray brushing, 〇 Côtes de Genève wavy stripe pattern that forms a striped pattern in the brushed area. The width, fineness, angle, and separation between the wavy stripes can be increased or decreased. Using a back-and-forth motion, the abrasive or brush forms parallel lines of straight or circular shapes on the surface, thereby forming a wavy pattern. - Dotting or circular dotting technique. Circular dotting is a decorative technique formed by densely packed or intersecting concentric circles. It is commonly used to decorate receivers, main plates, the bottoms of recesses, and dials. It can be achieved by conventional methods or using a laser.

[0049] Of course, depending on the final appearance to be given to the dial, it is also possible to use techniques other than those described above in the surface structuring step. For example, some other possible techniques that can be used for the surface treatment are as follows: - Satin finish, brushing, wet sandblasting, giving a very fine and shallow texture. - Snail finish, which involves creating tiny concentric circles that breathe life into the surface. - Diamond polishing.

[0050] Therefore, these surface structurings can be carried out using mechanical means (abrasive media, brushes, tools) or laser-type means.

[0051] These surface structurings, particularly the first surface structuring, advantageously form a specific texture that is recognizable by the formation of a particular pattern or contour. Alternatively, the surface structuring may form any particular roughness that does not necessarily have to be systematized into clearly recognizable contours.

[0052] Optionally, the second surface structuring may form a roughness less than or equal to that of the first surface structuring, and / or cut off all or part of the vertices of the first surface structuring.

[0053] The second surface structuring step may create reliefs having an average depth less than or equal to the average depth of the reliefs created by the first surface structuring.

[0054] More generally, the method involves performing a specific first surface structuring, and then performing a second surface structuring that modifies at least a portion of the first texture formed by the first surface structuring. The present invention is applicable to any superposition of two textures having different roughnesses. The present invention is not limited to roughnesses that define a particular decorative pattern or a collection of clearly separated lines, but can be implemented with any roughness.

[0055] According to an advantageous embodiment, the double-surface structuring is carried out within the same malleable layer.

[0056] According to other advantageous embodiments, a single coloring step applied to the double-surface structuring is sufficient to obtain a visual effect that allows several different areas to be distinguished.

[0057] According to other advantageous embodiments, the second surface structuring allows for a reduction in the average height of the surface treated by the second structuring while maintaining the initial contour formed by the first surface structuring. This approach, carried out by a laser, particularly a femtosecond laser, offers the advantage of using the second surface structuring to alter the initial roughness, for example, while maintaining an initial roughness contour that is visible to the naked eye, while simultaneously changing the initial shape. The second surface structuring step may create a surface roughness to be treated that is less than or equal to the roughness created by the first surface structuring.

[0058] In all cases, the upper surface of the watch component is located on the surface of one or more overlapping layers of hard and / or malleable material, which may or may not be different. The treatment carried out by the two surface structuring is preferably carried out entirely within a single upper layer or within several layers of different materials. However, in all cases, the double surface structuring is non-penetrating, i.e., does not extend through the entire thickness of the watch component and does not appear on the lower surface of the watch component. The double surface structuring according to the present invention is of a very small thickness as described above, and advantageously affects only a small thickness relative to the entire thickness of the watch component, for example, extending over less than 50%, less than 30%, less than 20%, less than 10%, or less than 1% of the total thickness. Advantageously, the double surface structuring does not affect the opacity or transparency of the watch component. For this reason, according to one advantageous embodiment, the double structuring according to the present invention is carried out on the upper surface of an opaque upper layer, and of course, the opaque upper layer remains opaque even after the surface structuring is carried out, and more generally after any embodiment of the present invention is carried out. In other words, surface structuring has only a slight effect on the opacity of one or more layers of the watch component. This opacity is maintained substantially uniformly across the entire height of the top surface.

[0059] The present invention also relates to watch components obtained by the manufacturing method according to the present invention.

[0060] Such a watch component may be a dial comprising at least two distinct areas, wherein these at least two areas are treated by different second surface structuring steps to form different appearances such that the at least two areas are visually distinguishable from each other. For example, the distinct areas may correspond to hour markers. Alternatively, such a dial may include at least one area treated by at least the second surface structuring step to form different coloring and / or different brightness and / or different visual effects, in order to make the area treated by the second surface structuring step visually distinguishable from the area treated by the first surface structuring step.

[0061] The present invention also relates to clocks, particularly small clocks, such as wristwatches, which include such clock components. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 1 Bottom 2 Malleable layer 4 areas 5 grooves 10 First Line 11 bottom 12 Ribs 13 Top 20 Second Line 22 Cutting vertices 23 Top side 30 Coating

Claims

1. A method for the manufacture of a watch part, comprising a surface to be treated, said surface optionally previously prepared through polishing and / or the addition of a malleable top layer (2), said method comprising the steps of: A first surface structuring (E10) of the surface to be treated of the watch component, then a second surface structuring (E20) of the surface to be treated which has been structured in a preceding first surface structuring (E10), Including, Manufacturing method for watch parts.

2. the surface to be treated belongs to an upper layer of a malleable material, and the first surface structuring (E10) and the second surface structuring (E20) are performed entirely or partially within the malleable material of the upper layer, and / or the surface to be treated belongs to an opaque upper layer of the watch part, and the first surface structuring (E10) and the second surface structuring (E20) do not affect or only slightly affect the opacity of the opaque upper layer, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

3. said first surface structuring (E10) and / or said second surface structuring (E20) create a relief of average depth less than or equal to 0.1 μm and / or of a depth less than the thickness of the malleable layer on which said first and second surface structurings are created, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

4. said first surface structuring (E10) and / or said second surface structuring (E20) creating a relief with an average depth of 0.05 μm or more; A method for manufacturing a timepiece component comprising the timepiece element according to claim 1.

5. the second surface structuring (E20) creates a relief with an average depth less than or equal to the average depth of the relief created in the first surface structuring, and / or the second surface structuring (E20) creates a surface roughness on the surface to be treated that is less than or equal to the surface roughness created in the first surface structuring, and / or the second surface structuring (E20) completely or partially removes vertices of the texture created in the first surface structuring, and / or the second surface structuring (E20) reduces the texturing created in the first surface structuring (E10) without changing its contour, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

6. said second surface structuring (E20) being applied only to the part of said surface which has been treated by said first surface structuring (E10); A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

7. the method further comprising at least a third surface structuring applied to the surface to be treated, to a part of the surface to be treated after only the first surface structuring and not the second surface structuring has been applied, and / or to a part of the surface to be treated after the first and second surface structurings have been applied, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

8. The method further comprises, after the first and second surface structuring, a total coloring (E30) of the surface to be treated by depositing a layer of material. A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

9. said coloring (E30) being combined with said at least first and second surface structurings (E10; E20) to cause different colorings and / or different brightnesses and / or different visual effects in at least two different areas of the surface to be treated, The method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 8.

10. the first surface structuring (E10) consists of satin finishing, brushing, snail finishing, sunray brushing, creating a Côtes de Genève wave pattern, stippling, circular sanding, wet sandblasting, sandblasting or laser structuring, and / or the second surface structuring (E20) consists of wet sandblasting, or sandblasting or laser structuring, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

11. the method comprising, prior to the first and second structuring, preparing a substrate to facilitate the first and second surface structuring and adding a malleable layer to the surface to be treated, the thickness of the malleable layer being less than or equal to 10 μm; A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

12. The malleable layer comprises silver, any alloy containing at least 50% silver by weight, gold, or any alloy containing at least 50% gold by weight; A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 2.

13. the first surface structuring (E10) is entirely carried out within the thickness of the malleable layer comprising the surface to be treated, and / or the second surface structuring (E20) is entirely carried out within the thickness of the malleable layer comprising the surface to be treated, and / or all surface structurings are entirely carried out within the thickness of the malleable layer comprising the surface to be treated, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

14. The method further comprises the step of: forming a second surface structuring on at least two distinct areas of the surface to be treated that are different; A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

15. The method includes a recess in the surface to be treated to a depth of at least 5 μm and / or at least the thickness of the malleable layer. A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

16. the deep recess is applied to at least a portion of the contour of the area of ​​the surface to be treated on which the second surface structuring has been performed or to at least a portion of the contour of the area of ​​the surface to be treated which is at least partially superimposed on the first surface structuring and / or the second surface structuring, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 15.

17. The method comprises the additional deposition of a protective polymer layer on the surface to be treated, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

18. the first surface structuring and / or the second surface structuring create straight or substantially straight or curved lines, or the first surface structuring and / or the second surface structuring create lines that are not parallel to each other, A method for manufacturing a watch component according to claim 1.

19. A watch part obtained by the method according to claim 1, said part being a dial or a bezel.

20. the part is a dial comprising at least one area treated with at least a second surface structuring superimposed on the first surface structuring to form a different coloring and / or a different brightness and / or a different visual effect, such that the area treated with the second surface structuring is visually distinguishable from the area treated with the first surface structuring without the second surface structuring, or the part is a dial comprising two different areas, each treated with two different second surface structurings superimposed on a first surface structuring to form a different coloring and / or a different brightness and / or a different visual effect, such that the at least two areas are visually distinguishable.

20. A watch component according to claim 19.

21. A watch, comprising a watch part as described in claim 19.

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