Clock components and their manufacturing methods

Abstract

To provide a method of manufacturing a watch component.SOLUTION: The method comprises the steps of: forming a blank 200E1 by injection, the blank including at least one base surface 210 and at least one projecting portion 220 projecting from the base surface; forming at least one coating layer covering at least a part of the base surface and / or at least a part of the projecting portion; removing, by laser ablation, at least a part of the at least one coating layer; and texturing, by laser processing, at least a part of the base surface and / or at least a part of the projecting portion and / or at least a part of the at least one coating layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of timepiece components, and in particular the invention can relate to the manufacture of timepiece components having parts in relief and parts covered by a coating.

[0002] Related technologies In the prior art of watch components with relief features, EP 3892151 is known, which discloses a watch component having parts covered with a coating and which may include decorative inserts in relief. However, this document does not propose any solutions for texturing specific parts of the component, nor does it suggest any components with relief features that have a specific appearance compared to the base part of the component. Such watch components (coated with relief features) are often used as visible parts of timepieces and therefore need to be mounted accurately and reliably in a durable manner to ensure the most aesthetic appearance for the user. WO 2018 / 109065 relates to a method for producing decorative elements or watch dials made of non-conductive material, in which a base made of non-conductive material is covered with a sacrificial layer of resin, etched, then mechanically planed, and finally the sacrificial layer of resin is dissolved with chemicals. Summary of the Invention

[0003] One object of the present invention is to improve upon the above-mentioned prior art, specifically, firstly, to propose a method for manufacturing a timepiece component that allows for the efficient, rapid, accurate and reliable production of timepiece components characterized by relief elements and parts of different colors and / or different textures, thereby providing the user with a beautiful appearance that lasts over time. Another object of the present invention is to propose a timepiece component that has protruding or relief elements and parts of different colors and / or different textures, thereby providing the user with a timepiece component that has a beautiful appearance that lasts over time and a pleasant tactile sensation that allows a multisensory reading of the pattern.

[0004] To that end, a first aspect of the invention is a method for manufacturing a timepiece component, comprising the steps of: - forming, in particular by injection, a blank comprising or comprising at least one base surface and at least one protrusion protruding from the base surface; - forming at least one coating layer covering at least a portion of the base surface and / or at least a portion of the at least one protrusion; - removing at least a portion of said at least one coating layer by laser ablation; -texturing by laser machining at least a portion of the base surface previously covered by the at least one coating layer, and / or at least a portion of the at least one protrusion previously covered by the at least one coating layer, and / or at least a portion of the at least one coating layer.

[0005] The method according to the above implementation includes covering the base surface and at least one protrusion with a coating, then removing the coating or at least one coating layer and texturing the visible surface of the component. Therefore, a watch component having protruding or relief parts, parts covered with a coating, and textured parts with a beautiful appearance and / or very high execution precision can be proposed because the boundaries of the coating and / or texturing are created by laser processing. Furthermore, a blank material and / or coating that is resistant to environmental stress or impact and has high abrasion resistance and / or high hardness can be proposed, and laser processing can easily remove the coating or at least one coating layer and / or texture the blank material. It should be noted that at least one coating layer can be formed to cover at least a portion of the base surface and / or at least a portion of the at least one protrusion, i.e., a single coating layer can be formed, but two, three, or even more coating layers can also be formed. A specific coating layer can be provided to cover all parts of the blank or all parts visible to the user. Also, a particular coating layer may partially cover the blank or partially cover the portion that is visible to the user.

[0006] The manufacturing method and / or the watch component may further comprise one or more of the following characteristics, either alone or in combination:

[0007] According to one embodiment, the steps of removal by laser ablation and texturing by laser machining are at least partially simultaneous and / or carried out using the same laser source. In particular, where the entire coating is removed, the texture can be formed on the previously coated material during one or more passes of the laser beam over the watch component intended to remove the coating. In other words, the steps of removal and texturing are simultaneous and carried out during the same pass of the laser beam, during the same irradiation operation. Since the boundaries of the coated areas correspond to the boundaries of the textured areas, great precision is achieved, with no shifts or "uncoated and untextured" areas between the coated and textured areas. In other words, laser ablation of the coating simultaneously carries out the texturing, making it possible to proceed directly from the coated surface to the exposed, textured surface. In other words, the process of removal by laser ablation and the process of texturing by laser machining are at least partially simultaneous, i.e. they are carried out at the same time, and / or irradiation of the part with the laser beam (i.e. one single laser beam pass) results in the removal of the at least one coating layer and the texturing of at least a portion of the base surface (previously covered by the at least one coating layer) and / or at least a portion of the at least one protrusion (previously covered by the at least one coating layer) and / or at least a portion of the at least one coating layer at once.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the step of removing by laser ablation is carried out, - locally removing the total thickness of the coating and optionally the thickness of the blank from the base surface, and / or - locally removing a coating with a thickness less than or equal to the total thickness of the coating, and / or - locally removing a variable thickness of the coating that is strictly greater or less than the total thickness of the coating. Ablation and / or texturing processes performed with a laser source allow a wide variety of removals and / or texturings on the same component. In certain locations, it may be provided to remove the entire coating and, optionally, to texture the blank material; in other locations, it may be provided to remove only parts of the coating, i.e., specific coating layers; in still other locations, it may be provided to remove variable parts of the coating; and finally, in still other locations, it may be provided to texture the coating.

[0009] Preferably, the removing step is performed simultaneously with and / or with the same laser source as that used in the texturing step. According to a specific embodiment, these two steps are performed on a coating covering at least a portion of the base surface, at least a portion of the surface forming the top of at least one protrusion, and at least a portion of the surface forming the side of at least one protrusion, with the aim of removing the coating covering at least a portion of the base surface and texturing at least a portion of the base surface. According to this implementation, at least one protrusion is coated (preferably completely coated) with said at least one coating layer, the base surface of the blank is free (preferably completely free) of a coating, and the base surface of the blank is textured (preferably completely textured). According to this implementation, at the level of the initially coated base surface, material removal and texturing are performed in the same laser processing operation, and the peeled areas of the coating are textured simultaneously, so that there is no transition or offset area between the coated and textured areas.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the step of laser ablation and / or the step of laser texturing are carried out on the sides of the protruding parts, in particular the step of laser ablation and / or the step of laser texturing can be carried out on the sides of the protruding parts, the latter forming a relief angle (clearance angle) with respect to the normal to the base surface preferably between 5° and 25°, in particular between 10° and 20°.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the laser texturing of the sides may be different from the laser texturing of the base and / or top surfaces of the protrusions, in other words, the coating layers and blank body material of the sides, base and / or top surfaces of the protrusions are each specifically or separately textured differently.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the at least one protrusion forms a closed pattern, such as, for example, an "O" (letter O) or a "0" (zero), or any other closed pattern or decoration. The term "closed pattern" should be understood to mean any pattern including a closed pattern portion, such as, for example, a "4" or a "9." According to one embodiment, the closed pattern comprises or has, for example, an inner surface disposed at the same height or aligned with the at least one base surface. According to one embodiment, a coating layer is formed on the inner surface. According to one embodiment, the coating layer formed on the inner surface is at least partially removed by laser ablation and / or at least partially textured by laser machining. Preferably, the inner surface is at least partially textured during at least partial removal of the coating layer formed on the inner surface. Thus, the step of at least partially ablating the coating layer formed on the inner surface and the step of texturing the inner surface can be performed simultaneously.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the at least one protrusion forms or has at least two reliefs spaced apart by less than 5 mm, less than 3 mm, or less than 2 mm.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the steps of laser ablation removal and / or laser texturing are carried out using an ultrashort pulse laser source, preferably configured to emit pulses on the order or range of nanoseconds, more preferably on the order or range of picoseconds, and even more preferably on the order or range of femtoseconds. Such a laser source makes it possible to carry out the process with high precision and / or without thermally affecting the rest of the part. Typically, a relative movement can be imposed between the watch component and the laser source using a movable table and / or a movable mirror.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the manufacturing method can include a step of machining and / or grinding the blank after the step of forming the blank, in particular between the step of forming the blank and the step of forming said at least one coating layer. Typically, all or part of the functional surfaces of the watch component can be machined / ground before the coating is applied, although surfaces of the watch component can also be machined / ground at other times.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the manufacturing method can include a step of finishing or finishing the blank after the step of forming the blank, in particular carried out between the step of forming the blank and the step of forming said at least one coating layer. The finishing step can typically result in a change in the surface condition, in particular roughness, and / or a change in the appearance of the surface, such as gloss. Typically, all or part of the visible surfaces of the horological component can be finished before the formation of the at least one coating layer, although finishing can also be applied to the surfaces of the horological component at other times.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the step of forming at least one coating layer comprises a physical vapor deposition (PVD) step and / or a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) step and / or an atomic layer deposition (ALD) step. Such methods allow for the formation of very hard coating layers (e.g., hardnesses of more than 500 HV, preferably more than 1000 HV, or preferably more than 1500 HV) and / or coating layers having a specific color or at least a color different from that of the base material of the blank. In other words, at least one coating layer is a decorative layer, while the remaining part is intended to form the outer surface of the watch component (exposed to friction, impacts, moisture, etc.).

[0018] According to one embodiment, the step of forming a blank is carried out to form a blank comprising a ceramic material and / or a metallic material and / or a cermet, which is typically a material having a ceramic skeleton in which a metallic phase is present.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the step of forming at least one coating layer comprises forming at least one layer of a ceramic material and / or at least one layer of a material comprising a metal composite.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the step of forming at least one coating layer comprises: metal carbides, in particular tungsten carbide, and / or titanium carbide, and / or zirconium carbide, and / or tantalum carbide, and / or niobium carbide, and / or chromium carbide, and / or hafnium carbide, and / or at least one metal nitride, in particular chromium nitride, and / or boron nitride, and / or zirconium nitride, and / or titanium nitride, and / or tantalum nitride, and / or niobium nitride, and / or hafnium nitride, and / or - the formation of at least one layer in the alloy comprising at least a combination of different metal carbides as described above, and / or a combination of different metal nitrides as described above, and / or a combination of a metal nitride as described above with a metal carbide as described above.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the metal of the coating layer is part of the group comprising tungsten (W), and / or titanium (Ti), and / or zirconium (Zr), and / or tantalum (Ta), and / or niobium (Nb), and / or chromium (Cr), and / or hafnium (Hf), and / or gold (Au), and / or palladium (Pd), and / or platinum (Pt), or alloys thereof, such as titanium-aluminium (TiAl), chromium-aluminium (CrAl), or hafnium-titanium (HfTi) alloys.

[0022] According to one embodiment, a texturing step is provided for texturing at least one coating layer and / or the base surface and / or the protrusions to form a satin finish, and / or brushing, and / or nailing, and / or sunray brushing, and / or at least one "Côtes de Genève", and / or circular graining and / or spotting, and / or any type of decoration, in particular any type of decoration with a repeating pattern.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the at least one base surface is inclined, curved or convex. In particular, the at least one base surface may be non-flat. According to one embodiment, the at least one protrusion has an inclined, curved or convex surface. In particular, the at least one top surface may be non-flat.

[0024] A second aspect of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a timepiece, comprising the steps of: - providing a timepiece component manufactured by a manufacturing method according to the first aspect of the invention; - assembling the horological component to the timepiece so as to position at least a portion of the horological component on a visible part of the timepiece; - at least one coating layer is at least partially removed and / or textured; and / or The method may involve the base surface and / or the at least one protrusion being textured.

[0025] A third aspect of the invention may relate to a horological component intended to be attached to a timepiece, comprising or taking the form of a body formed from a blank by the manufacturing method according to the first aspect of the invention. According to one embodiment, the horological component may be an assembly of several parts. In particular, the horological component may be a horological bezel formed as a single part, or the horological component may be, for example, a horological bezel including a bezel ring (base) and a bezel disc attached, tracked or set on the bezel.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the body comprises a base surface and at least one protrusion or relief protruding from the base surface and including an apex and at least one side disposed between the base surface and the apex. The apex preferably has a surface parallel to the surface of the base surface, but may also have a surface that is not parallel to the base surface. The apex and the at least one side of the protrusion of the body are covered with a coating formed using the manufacturing method according to the first aspect of the present invention, and the base surface of the body is textured by the manufacturing method according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0027] In other words, the clock components are: a body, the body comprising: a base surface; at least one protrusion or relief relative to the base surface, the protrusion or relief comprising an apex and at least one side located between the base surface and the apex, the top and the at least one side are covered with a coating (at least one coating layer); The base surface is textured, the base surface is coated simultaneously with the top surface and said at least one side surface; The coating of the base surface is removed by a laser process that is also used to (preferably simultaneously) texture the base surface, the laser process using a laser source emitting ultrashort pulses (in the nanosecond, picosecond or femtosecond range). According to the above implementation, a watch component is obtained that has at least one coated protruding portion (including top and side), in particular a coated protruding part (including top and side), and a textured base surface, without an intermediate transition area between these surfaces.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the watch component may form a decorative watch component such as a bezel, bezel disc, dial, crown, push button, or clasp cover.

[0029] According to one embodiment, at least one protrusion comprises at least a top and a side arranged between the top of the at least one protrusion and the base surface, the at least one side having a relief angle preferably between 5° and 25°, in particular between 10° and 20°, relative to a normal to the base surface. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0030] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent on reading the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention, given by way of example without any limitation and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a timepiece comprising a horological component according to the invention, which in this particular example forms the bezel disc of the timepiece; FIG.

[0032] [Figure 2] It is a perspective view of the bezel disk of the timepiece in FIG. 1.

[0033] [Figure 3a] It is the first step of a schematic view of a method for manufacturing the bezel disk of FIG. 2.

[0034] [Figure 3b] It is the second step of a schematic view of a method for manufacturing the bezel disk of FIG. 2.

[0035] [Figure 3c] It is the third step of a schematic view of a method for manufacturing the bezel disk of FIG. 2.

[0036] [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view of the bezel disk of FIG. 2 along axis II-II of FIG. 2 in the first step of the manufacturing method of FIG. 3a.

[0037] [Figure 5] It is a cross-section of FIG. 4 in the second step of the manufacturing method of FIG. 3b.

[0038] [Figure 6] It is a cross-section of FIG. 4 in the first modification of the third step of the manufacturing method of FIG. 3c.

[0039] [Figure 7] It is a cross-section of FIG. 4 in the second modification of the third step of the manufacturing method of FIG. 3c.

[0040] [Figure 8] It is a cross-section of FIG. 4 in the third modification of the third step of the manufacturing method of FIG. 3c.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0041] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of the timepiece P, and the timepiece P generally includes - a case 100, and a timepiece component according to the invention, which in this particular example forms a bezel including a bezel disc 200 fixed to a bezel ring 230, toothed and rotatably mounted on the case 100; a display interface 300, which may include, among other things, dials, indexes, hands, and numbers, in order to provide a user with a display of time or hours;

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the bezel disc 200 of the timepiece P of FIG. 1. The bezel disc 200 comprises, in particular: a base surface 210; -protrusions 220, here forming numerals and indices, protruding from the base surface 210. Note that in the example of Figure 2, the bezel is a rotating part and the base surface 210 is conical, inclined relative to the axis of rotation. The bezel disc 200 of Figure 2 is intended to be coupled to a bezel ring 230 with side parts that are toothed, here as shown in Figure 1, to allow the user to rotate the bezel relative to the case 100 of the timepiece P of Figure 1. Of course, the bezel disc 200 and / or more specifically the bezel ring 230 may be provided with machined functional surfaces on their inner surfaces to allow them to be attached to a pivot linkage on the case 100 of the timepiece P of Figure 1. Alternatively, the bezel may be attached to the case 100.

[0043] The present disclosure aims to propose an enhancement of the bezel disc 200 with a pattern of protrusions or positive relief on the base and with different colors and / or textures, although for clarity, Figures 1 and 2 do not show these different colors and / or textures. For this purpose, reference is made to Figure 3c (or Figures 6 to 8) which show the different aspects between the surfaces of the manufactured part.

[0044] Thus, the present disclosure may relate to a watch component such as the bezel disc 200 of FIG. 2, or in particular to a bezel or dial that includes a colored pattern of protrusions or positive relief on a base such as, for example, ceramic or textured metal.

[0045] To do this, and in particular with the aim of obtaining a bezel disc 200, the present disclosure comprises the following successive steps, very diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 3a to 3c and listed below: (10 - FIG. 3a): forming, in particular by injection, a blank 200E1 comprising at least a base surface 210 and at least one protrusion 220 protruding from the base surface 210; (20-FIG. 3b): forming at least one coating layer 250 covering at least a portion of the base surface 210 and / or at least a portion of the protrusions 220 to obtain a coated blank 200E2; - (30 - Fig. 3c): Removing at least a portion of said at least one coating layer 250 by laser ablation, and preferably simultaneously (40): Texturing by laser machining at least a portion of the base surface 210 previously covered by said at least one coating layer 250, to obtain a bezel disc 200.

[0046] The above description of the manufacturing method lists the main steps of the method, and in detail provides the following features:

[0047] Thus, in the first step 10, a blank 200E1 having a protrusion 220 is obtained.

[0048] According to the first embodiment and the first sub-step of step 10 of forming the blank 200E1, the blank 200E1 can be obtained by a molding method of injection or pressing type.

[0049] The material of the injected component may be a metal, composite, cermet, or technical ceramic. Advantageously, the technical ceramic may be composed predominantly or primarily (by mass or mole) of zirconium oxide and / or aluminum oxide. Thus, zirconium oxide and / or aluminum oxide may be the dominant elements in the ceramic. As known to those skilled in the art, various elements, such as Hf, Y, Al, Si, Mg, Fe, Ni, Cr, Zn, Co, Mn, Cu, Ti, Ta, W, and Pt, can be added to the technical ceramic to improve its performance. As described in WO 2022 / 101450, yttria-stabilized zirconium (2Y-ZrO2 or 3Y-ZrO2) can be used for the watch component blank. Alternatively, the technical ceramic used may be made of, for example, glass, sapphire, or mineral materials.

[0050] In the case of metals, injection can involve injecting a metal alloy in a molten or glassy state (i.e., at an injection temperature below the melting temperature and above the glass transition temperature) into an injection mold. After cooling, a blank 200E1 of a watch component can be obtained, made of an amorphous material, such as a metallic glass. In particular, the material of the blank can be any amorphous alloy whose glass-forming ability (GFA) makes it possible to obtain an amorphous structure with dimensions typical of a watch component, in particular an amorphous metal alloy comprising a metal base formed of at least one metal from the group consisting of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), zirconium (Zr), and alloys or blends thereof.

[0051] In the case of technical ceramics or cermets, the blank 200E1 is obtained in particular by an injection process, which includes a step of sintering the green body obtained after injection. For example, cermets can be considered that include a ceramic phase of the tungsten carbide and / or titanium carbide and / or zirconium carbide type and a metallic binder containing one or more of the elements Ag, Pd, Co, Ni, Mo, Ru, Rh, Os, Ir, Pt, Au.

[0052] According to another embodiment, the blank 200E1 can be obtained by stamping, nutation or beating type, or by pressing.

[0053] These stampings are preferably made of metal or metal alloy.

[0054] According to yet another embodiment, the blank 200E1 can be obtained by machining, in particular by laser machining or machining of a ceramic or metal element or a cermet.

[0055] Thus, the diagram of Figure 3a shows a blank 200E1 formed using one of the techniques described above.

[0056] The part can be formed as a single part (blank 200E1 is made as a single part), or alternatively, a composite and / or assembled part can be provided with a bezel ring made from a single material and an additional bezel disc 200 made from a single material.

[0057] 4 shows a cross section of the bezel disc 200 of FIG. 2 along axis II-II of the figure after the first step. The step 200E1 has a protrusion 220 protruding from the base surface 210, the protrusion 220 having an apex 220s and a side 220f arranged between the apex 220s and the base surface 210.

[0058] The protrusions 220 extend along a normal 210n to the base surface 210 over a distance or height of less than 1 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm, and very preferably less than 0.3 mm from the base surface 210. These patterns may extend over a height of at least 0.1 mm, or 0.15 mm, or 0.2 mm, or 0.25 mm, or 0.5 mm from the base surface 210 of the blank 200E1.

[0059] Advantageously, the side 220f of the protrusion 220 also forms an angle with the base surface different from 90°. Referring to FIG. 4, the angle α between the side 220f and the normal 210n to the base surface 210 can be equal to 15°. More generally, this angle α is equal to or less than 30°, or equal to or less than 25°, or equal to or less than 20°, or equal to or less than 15°, or equal to or less than 10°, or equal to or less than 5°. Alternatively, this angle α may be equal to 0°. Note further in FIG. 4 the angle b between the normal to the base surface 210 and the normal to the lower surface of the component. In this non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the angle b is different from 0°, i.e., the base surface 210 is generally inclined.

[0060] The second sub-step of step 10 of forming the blank 200E1 may be machining, for example by milling, in particular grinding, the surfaces forming the inner and / or outer diameter as well as the surfaces forming the bottom of the blank 200E1 of the bezel disc 200.

[0061] Of course, it is possible to extend and / or complete this step after any of the steps of the method, in particular, for example, the toothed side piece 230 can be machined at the end of each manufacturing method.

[0062] The third sub-step of the step 10 of forming the blank 200E1 may be to perform a finishing process on the obtained blank 200E1.

[0063] This may be, for example, a finishing process that allows for the modification of the surface condition of at least one visible surface of the blank 200E1, preferably all surfaces of the blank 200E1, by an intervening medium. This process may include, for example, the application of mechanical stress to the abrasive mixture (friction finishing) by impact, for example by vibration, rocking or rotational movement, for example in a vat, of at least one blank 200E1 of the bezel disc 200, preferably a number of blanks 200E1. It may also include, for example, but not limited to, tumbling and / or barrel polishing and / or sandblasting and / or shot blasting and / or wet blasting of at least one visible surface of the blank 200E1, in particular all surfaces of the blank 200E1.

[0064] Alternatively, this process may include a laser polishing or electrochemical polishing process for metal parts.

[0065] Next, the wrapping of the tops 220s of the protrusions 220 of the blank 200E1, and in particular their upper surfaces, can be considered.

[0066] The manufacturing method can continue with step 20 of forming at least one coating layer 250 on a portion of the blank 200E1 to obtain the coated blank 200E2. Specifically, this step can consist of depositing at least one layer forming the coating 250 on the visible surface of the blank 200E1, including the protrusions 220, as can be seen in the cross section of FIG. 3b or FIG. 5. Preferably, the material of the deposited layer is a metal, a metal alloy, or a ceramic. The deposit can have a metallic or ceramic appearance. This step allows for the formation of at least one layer of coating on the upper surface of the protrusions 220 as well as on the side surfaces 220f of the protrusions 220, which can be advantageously supported by the fact that the side surfaces form an angle greater than 0° with respect to the normal 210n of the base surface 210 of the blank 200E1. This step also allows for the formation of at least one layer on the base surface 210 along which the protrusions 220 extend.

[0067] The deposition method can be performed in a sealed chamber 510 and is preferably carried out by physical vapor deposition (PVD). Alternatively, the deposition can be performed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD).

[0068] Advantageously, using such techniques well known to those skilled in the art, it is possible to obtain, for example, nitrides (CrN, TiN, ZrN...), carbonate composites (TiC, WC) or combinations (TiCN, AlTiCN).

[0069] Preferably, for example, the following metal carbide or metal nitride layers are selected for this embodiment: -Tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, tantalum carbide, niobium carbide, chromium carbide, hafnium carbide. -Titanium nitride, zirconium nitride, chromium nitride, tantalum nitride, niobium nitride, hafnium nitride, boron nitride.

[0070] A wide variety of proposals are possible. For example, the following combinations are possible: - A combination of two nitrides and / or metal alloy carbides such as TiAlN / CrAlN. -Combinations of nitrides and carbides, such as HfTiCN, can achieve a bronze metallic luster.

[0071] Preferably, a layer of chromium nitride CrN may be chosen for this embodiment due to its high hardness (for example, hardnesses of more than 1000 HV, preferably more than 1500 HV can be obtained). More generally, hard ceramic-based layers may be preferred for forming coatings, or possibly at least partially forming coatings with a metallic appearance.

[0072] Of course, the deposition of multiple superimposed layers to form a coating may also be considered, for example, a layer of silicon nitride Si3N4 may be combined with a layer of titanium nitride to achieve a particular effect.

[0073] Thus, the second main step 20 may comprise a series of substeps consisting of depositing superimposed layers comprising or consisting of different materials.

[0074] Furthermore, other layers can be considered, for example a layer containing or consisting of carbon, commonly known as diamond-like carbon (DLC), can be deposited, or alternatively a layer containing or consisting of an oxide can be deposited.

[0075] It is of course possible to combine different layers, if they are technically compatible, in order to obtain a particular hardness and / or effect.

[0076] It is therefore possible to consider depositing at least one layer of metal oxide, in particular tantalum oxide, such as tantalum oxide of Ta2O5 stoichiometry, or titanium oxide, or silicon oxide, or aluminum oxide, or metal alloy oxide, or metal oxynitride, or metal alloy oxynitride.

[0077] Figure 5 shows a part of Figure 4, which is arranged in a closed chamber 510 for applying a layer of coating 250 covering the entire base surface 210 and all protrusions 220 to obtain a coated blank 200E2. Schematically, the base material of the blank 200E2 is designated as M1 and the material of the coating 250 or coating layer 250 is designated as M2, clearly showing that a coated blank 200E2 is obtained which comprises at least two materials (base material M1 and material of at least one coating layer M2).

[0078] Once coating 250 has been applied to the exposed surfaces of blank 200E1 (typically all visible surfaces), provision can be made to remove this coating over portions of those surfaces to provide additional visual effects with different colors and / or different textures.

[0079] For this purpose, the third main step 30 involves removing, by means of a laser source 610, at least one layer disposed on one of the exposed surfaces, simultaneously with a fourth step 40 of texturing this base surface 210.

[0080] Preferably, during this third step 30, the coating is removed from all or part of the base surface 210.

[0081] Alternatively or additionally, the coating is removed from all or part of the surface of the protrusion 220 .

[0082] This step 30 of removing at least one deposition layer is preferably simultaneous with a step 40 of texturing the treated surface.

[0083] The laser source 610 used is preferably a laser source 610 with ultrashort pulses, such as a laser with nanosecond, picosecond or femtosecond pulses.

[0084] The laser source 610 locally removes material over a thickness that can exceed the thickness of at least one previously deposited layer. Note that the material removal must not damage the watch components. The maximum laser ablation thickness can be defined as a function of the material and / or part geometry. It is also possible to make multiple passes.

[0085] The laser source 610 can also generate aesthetic relief on at least one decorative layer and / or on the exposed surface of the substrate. In particular, the laser source 610 can generate aesthetic relief on the surface of the substrate by uncoating a previously coated layer. One example of texturing the at least one surface can be by forming a satin finish, brushing, nailing, sunray brushing, at least one "Côtes de Genève," and / or circular graining and / or spotting. Figure 3c schematically illustrates sunray brushing formed on the base surface 210.

[0086] According to a first embodiment shown in Fig. 6, laser ablation is carried out on the base surface 210 and on the sides of the coated blank 200E2 over a thickness at least equal to the thickness of at least one deposition layer, with simultaneous texturing of the thus exposed base surface 210, for example by sunray brushing (in this figure, the textured areas are designated ZT to clearly indicate their position). Here, the protrusions 220 (neither their tops 220s nor their sides 220s) are not contacted by the laser beam. The laser beam therefore has the dual function of removing the material layer M2 of the coating 250 and decorating the base surface 210 of the coated blank 200E2.

[0087] In particular, according to the second embodiment shown in Figure 7, laser ablation can be performed over a portion of the base surface 210 (left part of Figure 7), and a laser source 610 can be used to machine and texture cavities or slots in the material M1 of the coated blank 200E2, as shown in the right part of Figure 7. In this figure, the textured areas are designated ZT to clearly indicate their location.

[0088] 8, laser ablation can be performed locally on the blank, on the protrusion 220 (and / or on its sides and / or base), over a thickness that can be variable. Exposed surface texturing can be performed locally on the part using the same laser during the same operation.

[0089] A variable thickness ablation, such as that shown in Figure 8, can have very beneficial aesthetic effects. In at least one deposition layer, this can introduce, for example, a color gradient. Overall, this can provide highlights and the impression of depth. In this figure, the textured areas are labeled ZT to clearly indicate their location. industrial use

[0090] The manufacturing method and / or the watch component according to the invention can be applied industrially.

[0091] It will be understood that various changes and / or modifications, apparent to those skilled in the art, can be made to the various embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. 1. A method for manufacturing a timepiece component, comprising the steps of: - forming (10) a blank (200E1) comprising at least one base surface (210) and at least one protrusion (220) protruding from said base surface (210); - forming (20) at least one coating layer (250) covering at least a portion of said base surface (210) and / or at least a portion of said at least one protrusion (220); - removing (30) a portion of said at least one coating layer (250) by laser ablation; - texturing (40) by laser machining at least a portion of the base surface (210) previously covered by the at least one coating layer (250) and / or at least a portion of the at least one protrusion (220) previously covered by the at least one coating layer (250) and / or at least a portion of the at least one coating layer (250); Including, A method, wherein the step of removing by laser ablation (30) and the step of texturing by laser machining (40) are at least partially simultaneous and are performed using one and the same laser source (610).

2. carrying out the step (30) of removing by laser ablation, - locally removing the total thickness of said at least one coating layer (250) from said base surface (210), and / or locally removing a thickness of the at least one coating layer (250) that is less than the total thickness of the at least one coating layer (250); and / or The manufacturing method according to claim 1, characterized in that a variable thickness of said at least one coating layer (250) is locally removed, said thickness being strictly less than said total thickness of said at least one coating layer (250).

3. the at least one protrusion (220) comprises at least one surface forming a top portion (220s) and at least one surface forming a side portion (220f) disposed between the top portion (220s) and the base surface (210); the step of forming the at least one coating layer (250) is provided to form a coating layer (250) covering at least a portion of the base surface (210), at least a portion of the surface forming the top (220s) of the at least one protrusion (220), and at least a portion of the surface forming the side (220f) of the at least one protrusion (220); performing the removing step (30) to remove the at least one coating layer (250) covering the base surface (210); The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the texturing step (40) is performed to texture at least a portion of the base surface (210).

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of removing (30) by laser ablation and texturing (40) by laser machining are performed using an ultrashort pulse laser source (610).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of machining and / or grinding the blank (200E1) performed after the step (10) of forming the blank (200E1).

6. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of finishing the blank (200E1) performed between the step (10) of forming the blank (200E1) and the step (20) of forming the at least one coating layer (250).

7. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step (20) of forming the at least one coating layer (250) comprises a physical vapor deposition (PVD) step, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) step, and / or an atomic layer deposition (ALD) step.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step (20) of forming the at least one coating layer (250) comprises forming at least one layer of a ceramic material and / or at least one layer of a material comprising a metal composite.

9. The step (20) of forming the at least one coating layer (250) comprises: - metal carbides, and / or at least one metal nitride, and / or - combinations of different metal carbides and / or combinations of different metal nitrides and / or combinations of metal nitrides and metal carbides in the alloy, The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one layer comprising at least

10. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal of the at least one coating layer (250) is part of the group comprising tungsten (W), and / or titanium (Ti), and / or zirconium (Zr), and / or tantalum (Ta), and / or niobium (Nb), and / or chromium (Cr), and / or hafnium (Hf), or alloys thereof.

11. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the texturing step (40) is performed to texture at least one coating layer (250) and / or the base surface (210) and / or the protrusions (220) to form a satin finish, and / or brushing, and / or nailing, and / or sunray brushing, and / or at least one Côtes de Genève, and / or circular graining, and / or spotting, and / or any type of decoration.

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