Enamelled Watch Component Alloy Selection to Prevent Tarnishing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing enameled components for watches and jewelry often suffer from surface defects such as oxidation, sulfidation, and tarnishing after the firing process, leading to aesthetic issues and the need for costly visual inspections and potential reworking.
Innovation Solution
The use of specific metallic alloys for the base substrate, such as those comprising at least 725 parts per thousand gold, 900 parts per thousand silver, or 825 parts per thousand platinum, along with additional metals like Ag, Pd, or Cu, to prevent oxidation, sulfidation, and tarnishing, and to achieve distinct enamel colors by varying the substrate composition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional metallic substrates are used for enameled components, then the firing process can be performed, but oxidation, sulfidation, and tarnishing occur on the substrate surface leading to aesthetic defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the metallic substrate by specifying precise alloy formulations (e.g., gold with specific copper or silver content, platinum with specific copper content, silver with specific palladium content). These parameter changes in substrate composition directly prevent oxidation and sulfidation during firing, eliminating surface defects without requiring additional protective layers or process modifications.
2Reliability
If visual inspections are implemented after firing to detect surface defects, then defective parts can be identified, but production time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-selecting specific metallic substrate compositions that are inherently resistant to oxidation and sulfidation during firing. This preliminary choice of material composition prevents defects before they occur, eliminating the need for post-firing visual inspections and associated productivity losses.
3Ease of manufacture
If the same enamel layer is applied to different substrates, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but color consistency cannot be achieved across different substrate compositions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the substrate composition specifically for each desired enamel color outcome. Different metallic alloy formulations are selected based on the specific color requirements, creating a localized optimization where each substrate-enamel combination is precisely matched to achieve the target aesthetic result while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the risk of surface defects and eliminates the need for post-firing inspections, ensuring consistent and aesthetically appealing color variations in enameled components.
Implementation Method 1
the base substrate comprises a principal component chosen from Au, Ag, Pt, and at most 250 parts per thousand by mass of one of the group consisting of Au, Ag, Pd, Pt, Cu
Implementation Method 2
the uncoated portions of the base substrate are free from oxidation, sulfation, and/or tarnishing after the enamel firing process
Implementation Method 3
an enamel layer, supported by the base substrate and leaving parts of the base substrate uncovered after a firing process of the enamel layer
Implementation Method 4
the first part of the enamel layer supported by the first basic substrate has a different color from the second part of the enamel layer supported by the second basic substrate
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an enameled component (100) for a watch or jewelry piece, comprising at least: - a base substrate (10), formed of a metal alloy, - an enamel layer (20), supported by the base substrate (10) and leaving parts of the base substrate (10) uncovered after a firing process of the enamel layer (20), characterized in that the uncovered parts of the base substrate (10) are free from oxidation, and/or sulfation and/or tarnishing after the firing process of the enamel layer (20).