阅读说明：本技术 钟表组件的制造方法 (Method for manufacturing timepiece assembly ) 是由 西里亚克·博卡尔 热罗姆·布歇 皮埃尔·迪卢纳 于 2021-04-06 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种钟表组件的制造方法。一种钟表组件或珠宝组件,其包括基底和至少一个接合到基底的装饰物,其中,它包括覆盖至少一部分基底和至少一部分装饰物的透明涂层,所述透明涂层在不改变至少一种装饰物的可感知颜色的情况下改变了基底的可感知颜色。(The invention provides a manufacturing method of a timepiece assembly. A timepiece or jewelry assembly comprising a substrate and at least one decoration joined to the substrate, wherein it comprises a transparent coating covering at least a part of the substrate and at least a part of the decoration, said transparent coating changing the perceived color of the substrate without changing the perceived color of the at least one decoration.)

1. A timepiece or jewelry assembly comprising a substrate and at least one decoration joined to the substrate, wherein it comprises a transparent coating covering at least a part of the substrate and at least a part of the decoration, said coating changing the perceived color of the substrate without changing the perceived color of the at least one decoration.

2. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to claim 1, wherein the coating changes the perceptible color of the substrate, i.e. based on a color difference defined by a factor ae greater than 1, or even greater than 2, or even greater than 3, or even greater than 4, but does not change the perceptible color of the decoration, i.e. based on a color difference defined by a factor ae less than 1.

3. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to claim 1, wherein the coating changes the perceived color of the substrate such that the change is visually perceptible to an observer under D65 light source illumination conditions and a distance of 30cm, and the change in color of the decoration is not perceptible to an observer under the same conditions.

4. A timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the substrate is a substrate made of a metal or metal alloy or metalloid or an opaque material, in particular gold or an alloy of platinum, rose gold, red gold or gold, or platinum or a platinum-based alloy, or ruthenium or a ruthenium-based alloy, or palladium or a palladium-based alloy, or nickel or a nickel-based alloy, or copper or a copper-based alloy.

5. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the substrate has a transmission of less than 86%, or even less than or equal to 50%.

6. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the base has a three-dimensional shape, comprising three-dimensional attachment means for at least one ornament, in particular comprising one or more crimping claws.

7. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one ornamental article is transparent.

8. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to claim 1 to 7, wherein the at least one decoration has a transmission of 86% or more, or even 90% or more.

9. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the maximum surface area of the at least one decoration projected onto a plane is less than or equal to 8cm²Or even less than or equal to 1cm²Or even less than or equal to 0.5cm²Or even less than or equal to 18mm²Or even less than or equal to 15mm²Or even less than or equal to 10mm²Or at least one ornamental element comprising one or more gemstones embedded in a substrate relief, each stone having a projected surface area of less than or equal to 18mm²Or even less than or equal to 15mm²Or even less than or equal to 10mm²。

10. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one decoration is a natural or synthetic gemstone, such as a gemstone, diamond, sapphire, ruby or emerald, or a fine stone such as a safrley stone or a decorative stone, or a transparent material such as enamel, glass ceramic or glass.

11. According toThe timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the at least one decoration consists of one or more enamel-containing regions, each of which has a maximum projected surface area of less than or equal to 8cm²。

12. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the coating is deposited by a Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) method, or a Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) method, or an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) method, or a Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) method, or a sol-gel process, or a self-assembled monolayer (SAM).

13. The timepiece or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the coating has a thickness greater than or equal to 4nm, and/or a thickness less than or equal to 100nm, or even less than or equal to 165nm, or even less than or equal to 200nm, or even less than or equal to 225 nm.

14. The timepiece or jewelry component according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the coating is a metal oxide, in particular tantalum oxide, for example of stoichiometry Ta₂O₅Or titanium oxide, or silicon oxide, or aluminum oxide, or metal alloy oxide, or rare earth oxide, or carbide, or nitride, or oxynitride.

15. The timepiece assembly or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the coating is deposited uniformly and evenly over and in conformity with at least a portion of the base and at least a portion of the ornament at a constant thickness.

16. The timepiece assembly or jewelry assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the at least one decoration is joined to the substrate by crimping or separation, wherein a coating is at least partially deposited on the substrate portion participating in the attachment of the decoration.

17. The timepiece or jewelry component according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein it is a decal, a base, a hand, a movement component or a bezel.

18. A timepiece or piece of jewellery, comprising at least one timepiece component or jewellery component as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. A method of manufacturing a timepiece component or a jewelry component, comprising the steps of:

-obtaining a substrate,

-joining at least one decoration to the substrate to form an assembly;

and wherein there is the further step of depositing a clear coating over at least a portion of the substrate and at least a portion of the decorations, such that the coating changes the perceived color of the substrate without changing the perceived color of the at least one of the decorations.

Technical Field

The invention concerns a method for making a timepiece or jewelry assembly comprising a base and at least one decoration. It also relates to a timepiece component or a jewelry component obtained by such a method.

Background

In the manufacture of timepieces or jewelry, the assembly is usually formed by joining the decoration to the base. For example, such a component may be a watch applique in the form of a diamond or gemstone disposed on a solid gold substrate.

It would be advantageous to be able to diversify these timepiece or jewelry components, in particular by modifying their appearance, in particular the colour of the substrate, to provide several aesthetic appearance possibilities.

A first solution of the prior art consists in providing various substrates, for example by using different alloys. Such a solution has the disadvantage of high costs, since several different alloys have to be manufactured, stored and handled. Moreover, the development of new alloys is a lengthy and difficult process and only certain colors can be obtained.

Another solution of the prior art consists in modifying the appearance of the substrate by means of a coating. Such a solution simplifies the previous solution, since the same base substrate can be used to form multiple substrates with different appearances. However, this solution presents the risk of damaging the coating deposited on the substrate in subsequent steps, in particular during the attachment of the ornament (for example at the stage of crimping the jaws). Any defects of the substrate should be avoided, even during the attachment phase of the decoration. Therefore, it is tricky to ensure the aesthetic quality of appearance of reliability and stability with such a solution.

In addition, it should be considered that in all cases it is desirable to be able to join various decorations to a substrate to form a timepiece assembly and a jewelry assembly, so as to be able to provide a plurality of different results. In other words, the manufacturing solution should advantageously be compatible with the joining of a large number of different types of decorations. Naturally, it must also be ensured that these decorations are not damaged during the manufacturing process, in order to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the choice as such.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to improve the known methods for manufacturing a timepiece or jewelry assembly comprising a base to which at least one decoration is joined.

More precisely, the object of the present invention is to be able to make a timepiece component or a jewelry component with an attractive aesthetic appearance by assembling decorations on a substrate, with great flexibility in the choice of materials that can be used and of the aesthetic effects that can be obtained (in particular the colours that can be adopted for the substrate), and to ensure the aesthetic appearance that is obtained is perfect.

To this end, the invention is based on a timepiece or jewelry assembly comprising a base and at least one decoration joined to the base, wherein it comprises a transparent coating covering at least a part of the base and at least a part of the decoration, the coating modifying the perceived color of the base without modifying the perceived color of the at least one decoration.

The invention also relates to a timepiece or piece of jewellery including such a timepiece component or piece of jewellery.

The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece component or a jewelry component, comprising the steps of:

-obtaining a substrate;

-joining at least one decoration to the substrate to form an assembly;

and wherein a subsequent step is included, the step comprising depositing a clear coating over at least a portion of the substrate and at least a portion of the decorations, such that the coating changes the perceived color of the substrate without changing the perceived color of the at least one of the decorations.

The invention is more particularly defined by the claims.

Drawings

These objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be explained in detail in the following description of specific embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

fig. 1 shows an assembly obtained according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention according to different coating thicknesses.

Fig. 2 shows the measured reflectance (R in%) as a function of wavelength (λ in nm) on a platinum substrate according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 shows the reflectance (R in%) as a function of the wavelength (λ in nm) measured on a gold substrate according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows the measured reflectance (R in%) as a function of wavelength (λ in nm) on a rose gold substrate according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows an assembly obtained according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 shows the perception of a coating for a 47nm tantalum oxide coating deposited by an ALD technique as a function of the transmittance of the material receiving the material according to a third exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

The invention achieves the desired aim in a simple and surprising way by depositing on the substrate and the decoration of a timepiece component or a jewelry component the same coating designed to modify the appearance of the substrate without modifying the appearance of the decoration. Thus, the present invention makes it possible to obtain a substrate whose color can be selected from a wide variety of possibilities by means of a combination of substrate material and coating properties. Since the decoration adheres to the substrate before the coating is deposited, there is no need for complex subsequent operations on the substrate, and it is also possible to avoid any damage to the coating and to obtain a final appearance (in particular a perceived colour, without defects). Finally, this process is very easy to implement since there is no need to mask the decoration before the coating is deposited. The latter may simply be deposited over the entire assembly.

It is further noted that the method according to the invention is also compatible with any three-dimensional shape, even complex shapes, of decorations and/or substrates. The coating advantageously covers the entire surface of the assembly (including the surface of the decorative object) except for the surface of the substrate. The coating is selected so that it has a negligible effect on the appearance of the decoration. The invention is therefore based on the ingenious use of a single coating on a component consisting of at least two different parts made of two different materials, respectively, and on the use of two different and even opposite effects of said coating on each of the two materials of said two parts.

In other words, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece component or a jewelry component, comprising the steps of:

-obtaining a substrate;

-joining at least one decoration to the substrate to form a timepiece component or a jewelry component; and

-depositing a coating on the whole assembly, or on at least a part of the substrate and on the at least one decoration, the coating being designed to modify the perceived color of the substrate without modifying the perceived color of the decoration.

The present invention will now be described in the context of several exemplary embodiments.

According to a first exemplary embodiment, the timepiece component is a timepiece base applique. The applique comprises a white/grey gold substrate, the surface of which has a sputtering effect and is therefore rough and carries a decoration. The embellishment is a diamond with a maximum visible diameter of 0.65 mm. The method of the invention consists in depositing a coating of tantalum oxide (preferably stoichiometric Ta) on the entire surface of a timepiece component₂O₅) To be realized.

According to this embodiment, the deposition step is performed by atomic layer deposition technique (abbreviated ALD). This technique uses, for example, the gaseous precursor TBTEMTa, (t-butylimino) tris (ethylmethylamino) tantalum (V), CAS number 511292-99-2, at a deposition temperature of 150 ℃.

Several variant embodiments are implemented according to several thicknesses of tantalum oxide coating, respectively. The thickness of the deposition is between 4.5nm and 225.0 nm. These variants correspond to a continuous phase of 50 deposition cycles and can produce a uniformly distributed thickness of every 4.5nm within the above-mentioned range.

All these variants make it possible to achieve the colouring of the substrate platinum according to an overall colour palette which depends on the thickness of the coating and therefore on the number of deposition cycles, as shown in figure 1. The results show that this color has been slightly perceived for a thickness of 4.5nm (50 cycles) and then is clearly perceived from the 9nm thickness involved (100 cycles).

Moreover, in all cases, the coating does not cause any appreciable change in the appearance of the diamond, in particular no change in its colour, brightness or transparency.

To verify these results observed on color change, reflectance measurements were performed using spectrophotometric colorimetry on "control" plaques of platinum identical to the gold of the decals colored according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. These controls had sufficient surface area for measurement. They are produced in the same way as the decal substrate (same material, same surface treatment preparation, same coating). Reflectance measurements were made by the observer at 2 ° and a D65 illuminant between 360nm and 740 nm. The illuminance L and the colorimetric values a and b were evaluated in the space defined by the international commission on illumination CIEL a b, as described in "colorimetric technical report" CIE 15: shown in 2004. The measurement is performed in the Specular Component Exclusion (SCE) mode.

The color difference is defined as:

for the sake of simplicity, it is preferred that,hereinafter denoted as Δ E.

Wherein:

where the subscripts "1" and "0" indicate the two surfaces to be compared. In the present case, subscript "0" is the surface on the substrate prior to receiving the tantalum oxide coating, and subscript "1" represents the same surface after applying the tantalum oxide coating by ALD technique, as described above.

The threshold at which a color change is perceived is considered to depend on the initial color, the viewing conditions and the perceived sensitivity. In general, the color difference is considered perceptible starting from 1 (i.e., Δ E ≧ 1) for two surfaces observed placed adjacent to each other. For a continuously observed surface, it may be difficult to perceive a difference in Δ E <3 or 4: the threshold may then be defined as a function of different criteria. Especially for small appliques intended to be placed under the watch glass, a color difference Δ E greater than or equal to 4 is usually perceived. In all cases, this perception is clear for Δ E ≧ 4, and sometimes even for Δ E ≧ 3, while for Δ E ≧ 1, this is absent.

The results of the spectrocolorimetry measurements carried out on a control of simulated substrates according to two variants of this first exemplary embodiment are given in table 1 below.

Table 1: several thicknesses of Ta deposited on a platinum alloy control component with a rough (sputtered) surface finish₂O₅Spectrophotometric measurements of the coating in SCE mode in CIEL a b space.

Ta2O5Thickness of coating [ nm ]](circulation)	L*(D65)	a*(D65)	b*(D65)	ΔE*
					0(0)	64.2	1.6	5.2	0
4.5(50)	63.3	2.0	7.0	2.0
					9.0(100)	60.6	2.3	9.3	5.5

The table demonstrates that on the platinum alloys tested, the coloration was clear (Δ E ═ 5.5) over a coating of tantalum oxide with a thickness of 9nm, and slightly visible for a thickness of 4.5nm (Δ E ═ 2). These measurements confirm the observations. This color difference may vary with increasing coating thickness, but remains perceptible or at least slightly perceptible over the entire range of the test (50-2500 cycles for 4.5-225nm, respectively).

According to a second exemplary embodiment, a tantalum oxide coating is deposited by ALD technique on decals comprising a yellow, rose or gold alloy substrate (with a sputtered veneer, lined with diamonds with a maximum visible diameter of 0.65 mm), respectively, but without masking the diamonds during the deposition step.

This example illustrates a similar behavior and is independent of the composition of the gold alloy used to form the substrate, namely: the colour of the metal component forming the base of the timepiece component provided varies as a function of the thickness of the coating deposited, but the appearance of the diamond is not affected.

It appears that for a metallic substrate reflecting all the light incident on its upper surface, the coloring effect occurs immediately upon reaching a certain thickness of tantalum oxide, which depends on the chemical nature of the substrate and on the intrinsic characteristics of the deposited layer (nature, stoichiometry, density, etc.).

As before, yellow, rose and platinum alloy appliques (with sputter finish, diamond-lined) were coated with tantalum oxide varying in thickness from 4.5nm (50 cycles) to 225nm (2500 cycles). When viewed, note that they appear visually:

-colouring the gold alloy constituting the matrix according to the entire colour palette, the colouring being clear at a coating thickness of 4.5nm for rose and yellow gold alloys and at a coating thickness of 9nm for platinum alloys;

no significant diamond coloration.

Further, spectrophotometric measurement was performed as in the first previous embodiment. The results of the spectrophotometric measurements performed on the controls characterized by the aforementioned substrates are given in table 2 below. These results show in particular that the coloration of the tantalum oxide coating above 9nm is clear (Δ E ≧ 5.5) on the three sputtered gold alloys tested, and already clear (Δ E ≧ 3.7) even at a thickness of 4.5nm for the yellow and rose gold alloys. For this thickness of 4.5nm, the coloration on the platinum alloy was perceptible (Δ E ═ 2). These measurements thus confirm the visual observations outlined above.

Table 2: ta of several thicknesses deposited on different types of surfaces₂O₅Spectrophotometric measurements of the coating in SCE mode in CIEL a b space.

The same results are shown in fig. 2 to 4, which respectively show the measured reflectance (R in%) as a function of the wavelength (λ in nm) on platinum, gold and rose gold substrates (which exhibit a rough surface finish after sputtering). In each figure, the several curves correspond to the substrate considered as a reference (0 coating deposition cycle), and the coating of 500, 1500 and 2500 tantalum oxide deposition cycles (i.e. thicknesses of 45nm, 135nm and 225nm, respectively) by ALD technique on this same substrate.

According to a third exemplary embodiment, the same procedure is used, depositing different types of oxides (titanium oxide, aluminum oxide and tantalum oxide, the latter being tested at two thicknesses) on components having different types of transparent precious stones as decorations, having different colors (colorless diamond, green jade, sapphire, ruby), which in the present case are natural.

Fig. 5 shows photographs in the results table. It appears that for the same shape of fixing applique, the results from the change in substrate color and the change in gemstone appearance depend on the chemistry of the deposited coating and its thickness.

The results obtained are also described in the following tables 3a and 3b, in which the level of coloration observed is represented by the following code:

-C: coloration (describing the case according to the invention where the difference between the colour of the substrate before and after deposition of the coating is definable);

-CP: no coloration (describing the case where the difference between the substrate's color before and after the coating deposition is not perceptible according to the invention);

-T: tarnishing (an intermediate situation is described in which the difference between the appearance of the substrate before and after deposition of the coating according to the invention is perceptible, but coloration is not definable).

Table 3 a: aesthetic impact of different coatings on different substrates.

Table 3 b: aesthetic impact of different coatings on different trim materials.

The size of the illustrated ornament is the largest dimension (diameter or length x width) of the visible part of the ornament.

The results show that for opaque substrates (e.g. metals and metalloids) the colour can be coloured by coating deposition on all tested configurations, regardless of the size of the substrate, whereas for transparent or translucent decorations the perception of colour on the equivalent layer varies according to the size and initial hue of the decoration. It is noted that translucent elements such as diamonds and other colored gemstones are not aesthetically affected by the coating, i.e. to a lesser extent, their color does not change significantly. For example, a color change may be perceived on the surface of an alumina surface crystal or some relatively large gemstone.

The foregoing results of this third embodiment show that in some cases, there may be transmittance and size limitations to define whether the element is colored or not by adding a thin coating. However, it is difficult to define this limit with a simple formula, since a large number of parameters are involved and the geometry of the assembly is particularly complex. Generally, an increase in transmission makes the coloration less noticeable. Similarly, the increase in the surface of the component makes the coloration more perceptible.

However, FIG. 6 illustrates the coating perception of a 47nm tantalum oxide coating deposited by ALD technique as a function of material transmission in the case of an applique containing diamond 1 with a maximum visible diameter of 1.4mm, sapphire crystal 2 with a diameter of 29mm, or metal alloy substrate 3.

According to a fourth exemplary embodiment, a 9.9nm thick coating of tantalum oxide was deposited on a platinum enamel substrate. The enamel is transparent, pale green and is in the relief of the substrate. The results of the spectrophotometric measurements are summarized in table 4 below. The coating causes the gold to appear in a perceptible color, while the clear enamel appears in a barely perceptible color.

Table 4: deposition of Ta 9.9nm thick on platinum and enamel₂O₅Before and after coating, in SCE mode, spectrophotometric measurements with a D65 illuminant in CIEL a b space.

Measuring position	L*	a*	b*	ΔE*
					Green enamel	32.46	-39.03	8.70	-
Coated with 9.9nm Ta2O5Enamel of	34.03	-36.69	8.68	2.82
					(Platinum)	54.22	1.99	7.94	-
Coated with 9.9nm Ta2O5Platinum (II) of	45.71	2.5	4.92	9.05

It appears that the invention can be implemented in a very wide variety of ways, far beyond the exemplary embodiments described above. Indeed, it applies finally to any timepiece or jewelry assembly comprising a base and at least one decoration engaged with the base, and comprising a coating covering at least part of the base and at least part of the decoration, which coating modifies the perceived color of the base without modifying the perceived color of the at least one decoration.

In all cases, the substrate is any portion intended to receive at least one decorative article. Preferably, it consists of a gold alloy, in particular a 18 carat alloy of platinum, rose gold, red gold or gold. Alternatively, it may also consist of platinum, platinum-based alloys, copper-based alloys (in particular brass, nickel silver, bronze), ruthenium-based alloys, palladium-based alloys, nickel or nickel-based alloys. More generally, the substrate may be made of a metal or metal alloy or a metalloid.

Alternatively, any opaque material that can be used as a decorative substrate is suitable. The substrate preferably has a transmission of less than 86%, or even less than or equal to 50%.

Moreover, the substrate may have any shape, flat or non-flat, including three-dimensional shapes. It may comprise three-dimensional attachment means for at least one ornament, in particular one or more crimping claws. The means for attaching the at least one ornament may be of any type as long as it allows the ornament to be joined, secured, attached or fixed to the substrate. Thus, the at least one decoration may be joined to the substrate by crimping or separation.

Similarly, the at least one decorative object may take a variety of forms. It is at least partially transparent. More precisely, according to an embodiment, its transmittance is greater than or equal to 86%, or even greater than or equal to 90%. For example, the decoration may be completely transparent (or have high transmittance), or transparent only in certain areas (e.g., contain opaque inclusions in certain areas).

The ornament also advantageously has a small size. In particular, it advantageously has a maximum surface area projected onto a plane less than or equal to 8cm²Or even less than or equal to1cm²Or even less than or equal to 0.5cm²。

The at least one decoration may comprise one or more gemstones embedded in the substrate, each stone having a maximum projected surface area of less than or equal to 18mm²Or less than or equal to 15mm²Or less than or equal to 10mm²。

For example, the at least one ornamental element may be a natural or synthetic gemstone, such as a gemstone, diamond, sapphire, ruby, or emerald, a fine stone, such as a saffley stone, or a decorative stone.

Alternatively, at least one decoration may consist of an enamel-containing area having a maximum projected surface area of less than or equal to 8cm². Thus, the decoration may be made of a transparent material such as enamel, glass-ceramic or glass.

Naturally, a timepiece component or jewelry component may comprise a single ornament or a plurality of ornaments joined to the same substrate, possibly even covering almost the entire surface of the substrate. For example, a timepiece component may include a substrate that is completely lined with diamond. Alternatively, the timepiece component may consist of a cloisonne enamel substrate.

As previously mentioned, the coating is selected to impart a predetermined color to the substrate while not altering the appearance of at least one of the decorations (and preferably all of the decorations). As previously mentioned, many parameters must be considered when selecting a coating. Among these parameters, some are related to the coating itself, in particular its composition and thickness. Other parameters are related to the substrate of the assembly, in particular its material, surface finish and opacity. Finally, other parameters are related to the decoration of the assembly, in particular its material, transmissivity, shape and dimensions. The person skilled in the art will know how to select a coating that will enable him or her to achieve the desired aesthetic effect by applying the method according to the invention.

Preferably, the coating is a metal oxide, in particular tantalum oxide, for example of the stoichiometric Ta₂O₅Tantalum oxide, or titanium oxide, or silicon oxide, or aluminum oxide, or metal alloy oxide, or nitride, or nitrogenAn oxide.

Furthermore, the coating is transparent. In all cases, it is noted that very thin coatings may serve the desired purpose. Thus, the coating preferably has a thickness of less than or equal to 100nm, or even less than or equal to 165nm, or even less than or equal to 200nm, or even less than or equal to 225 nm. On the other hand, the thickness must have a minimum value sufficient to color the substrate. Preferably, the thickness is greater than or equal to 4 nm.

To achieve this, several deposition techniques are possible. For example, the coating may be deposited by a Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) method, a Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) method, an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) method, a sol-gel process, a Pulsed Layer Deposition (PLD) method, or a self-assembled monolayer (SAM).

Preferably, the coating is uniformly and evenly deposited with a constant thickness over at least a portion of the substrate and at least a portion of the decoration. Preferably, it also conforms to at least part of the substrate and at least part of the decor, i.e. it covers all surfaces of the substrate and decor of the component, while taking into account the possibly complex three-dimensional shape and surface finish of the component.

ALD deposition techniques are generally preferred because they have several advantages over other techniques, including the possibility of ensuring the above-mentioned consistency of the coating, even for components with possibly complex three-dimensional shapes, in particular because it is not directional and includes the possibility of achieving a wide range of possible thicknesses (in particular very small thicknesses), possibly the extremely wide chemical nature of the coating allowing a very wide range of colors.

As previously mentioned, a color change caused by the coating is considered perceptible if the coefficient Δ E is greater than 1, or even greater than 2, or even greater than 3, or even greater than 4, and more generally if the coefficient Δ E is greater than a threshold value between 1 and 3 (including 1 and 3) or between 1 and 4 (including 1 and 4). If the color deviation defined by the coefficient Δ E is less than 1, the perceived color of the decoration is considered unchanged. On large surfaces, this color change can be measured to obtain the above mentioned value Δ E. In a simplified alternative, in particular for small surfaces, this can be determined by the naked eye of an observer. The visual perception of the color change was assessed visually under D65 lighting conditions and at a distance of 30 cm.

The invention concerns a timepiece component or a jewelry component obtained by the above manufacturing method. It also relates to a timepiece, such as a watch or jewelry, comprising such a timepiece component or jewelry component.

The timepiece component may be a decal, a base, a pointer, a movement component, or a bezel. The invention can be implemented in an expanded manner as any other assembly consisting of at least two parts, which differ in their chemical nature, so that the presentation of the deposited coating can be selective. For example, a base, pointer, or movement assembly may be associated with one or more gemstones. Thus, the assembly may be, in particular, a movement made of nickel-phosphorus NiP alloy integral with synthetic ruby, or a movement made of brass integral with one or more synthetic ruby. Furthermore, the two parts of the assembly are made in one piece by any attachment means by any method known to the person skilled in the art. The decoration is preferably crimped by an operation involving deformation of the base material. Alternatively, the two parts may be inlaid together and then cast one into the other.

As previously mentioned, the invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a timepiece component or a jewelry component, comprising the steps of:

-obtaining a substrate;

-joining at least one decoration to the substrate to form an assembly;

-comprising a further step comprising depositing a coating on all or part of the substrate and all or part of the at least one decoration, such that the coating changes the perceivable color of the substrate without changing the perceivable color of the at least one decoration.

The first step in obtaining the substrate may include purchasing different parts of the assembly: a base and a decoration.

The step of engaging the at least one ornament may include the step of crimping the ornament including deforming a portion of the substrate, such as a claw, to mate with the at least one ornament. Alternatively, this step may include attaching (gluing, etc.) a casting, such as an inlay of the at least one ornament, to the substrate by any substrate attachment means. Still alternatively, this step may comprise pre-sintering the glass enamel on the surface of the substrate or in a cavity made in the substrate.

The step of depositing a coating on all or part of the substrate and on all or part of the at least one decoration advantageously comprises carrying out an ALD technique, or a Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD) method, or a Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) method, or an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) method, or a Pulsed Layer Deposition (PLD) method, or a sol-gel process, or a self-assembled monolayer (SAM).

It is worth noting that the coating deposition step is carried out without masking any part of the assembly, in particular the decoration, which makes the process easy to implement and guarantees the final quality of the coating, since no subsequent step (for example the case of attaching the decoration to the substrate after the coating deposition) could damage it. Certain areas of the assembly may be masked for technical or aesthetic reasons.

The first step comprising obtaining a substrate may comprise obtaining a substrate made of a metal or metal alloy or metalloid or opaque material, in particular platinum, rose gold, red gold or an alloy of gold, or platinum or a platinum-based alloy, or copper or a copper-based alloy, or ruthenium or a ruthenium-based alloy, or palladium or a palladium-based alloy, or an alloy of nickel or a nickel-based alloy.

The first step comprising obtaining a substrate may comprise obtaining a substrate having a transmittance of less than 86%, or even less than or equal to 50%. It may also comprise obtaining a substrate having a three-dimensional shape, in particular comprising three-dimensional attachment means for at least one ornament, in particular comprising one or more crimping claws.

The second step comprising the joining of at least one decoration may comprise the joining of at least one transparent decoration, in particular having a transmittance greater than or equal to 86%, or even greater than or equal to 90%.

This step may include engaging at least one decoration that projects most onto a planeLarge surface area less than or equal to 8cm²Or even less than or equal to 1cm²Or even less than or equal to 0.5cm²Or even less than or equal to 18mm²Or even less than or equal to 15mm²Or even less than or equal to 10mm²。

This step may comprise joining at least one decoration, which is a natural or synthetic precious stone, such as a gem, diamond, sapphire, ruby or jade, or a fine stone, such as a saffley stone, or a decorative stone, or consists of a transparent material, such as enamel, glass ceramic or glass. The at least one ornamental article may include one or more gemstones disposed in relief of the substrate, each gemstone having less than or equal to 18mm²The projected surface area of (a). The at least one decoration may consist of one or more enamel-containing regions, each of said regions having a depth of less than or equal to 8cm²The maximum projected surface area of.

The step of depositing a coating on all or part of the substrate and on all or part of the at least one decoration may comprise depositing a coating having a thickness greater than or equal to 4nm, and/or a thickness less than or equal to 100nm, or even less than or equal to 165nm, or even less than or equal to 200nm, or even less than or equal to 225 nm.

The step of depositing a coating on all or part of the substrate and on all or part of the at least one decoration may comprise depositing a coating which is a metal oxide, in particular tantalum oxide, for example of the stoichiometric Ta₂O₅Or titanium oxide, or silicon oxide, or aluminum oxide, or metal alloy oxide, or rare earth oxide, or nitride, or oxynitride, or carbide, and/or wherein the coating is transparent.

The step of depositing the coating on all or part of the substrate and on all or part of the at least one decoration may comprise depositing uniformly and evenly, and in conformity with, at least part of the substrate and at least part of the decoration, at a constant thickness over at least part of the substrate and at least part of the decoration.

The step of depositing a coating on all or a portion of the substrate and on all or a portion of the at least one embellishment may include depositing a coating on at least a portion of the substrate that participates in the attachment of the at least one embellishment.

Finally, the process may be used to manufacture a decal, base, pointer, movement assembly, or bezel.