Puzzled by PVD

[paulsax]

No quite so simple Buddy13. DLC can be applied several different ways such as

Ion sputter
Ion dep of carbon
RF plasma dep
several CVD processes.

BIggest issues with DLC dep no matter the method are that in general the films are pretty thin and that surface prep is key and easy to botch. Previous poster (cyanicotes) that mentioned that a good coating is available from expert vendors is correct. the seperator for shoddy and good is as often as not the surface prep. All are not equal. Surface prep and chamber cleaning are boring and unsexy jobs that seperate the men from the boys.

By the way congrats on graduation Buddy 13. Materials are a great field.

for reference I'm also a ME and material scientist with a fair bit of experience with DLC sputtered on plastic and the like. I would suggest that who you buy from is perhaps as important as what you buy in this arena.

[putnam dan]

Funny, I like the look of vintage worn coatings but not the modern shiny DLC.

Wabi-Sabi is enhanced by a good PVD.

[Severian]

From the buyer's perspective, what questions should I be asking a maker about their PVD process? Sometimes a quite reputable manufacturer will be trying to pass off a rotten PVD job in a given model, so reputation alone cannot always be a guide. A company can make excellent watches in baseline design but yet through their own lack of expertise might outsource the PVD application to a bad subcontractor...

[buddy13]

No quite so simple Buddy13. DLC can be applied several different ways such as

Ion sputter
Ion dep of carbon
RF plasma dep
several CVD processes.

BIggest issues with DLC dep no matter the method are that in general the films are pretty thin and that surface prep is key and easy to botch. Previous poster (cyanicotes) that mentioned that a good coating is available from expert vendors is correct. the seperator for shoddy and good is as often as not the surface prep. All are not equal. Surface prep and chamber cleaning are boring and unsexy jobs that seperate the men from the boys.

By the way congrats on graduation Buddy 13. Materials are a great field.

for reference I'm also a ME and material scientist with a fair bit of experience with DLC sputtered on plastic and the like. I would suggest that who you buy from is perhaps as important as what you buy in this arena.

Thanks for your good wishing my friend...

Yes I am aware of the various processes etc..but I just wanted to keep it simple..

Actually I also have some experience with PVD, such as nitriding of mould inserts (using NH3) and PVD of manufacturing cutting tools with TiN

Yes actually the layer is only a few microns thick..but it is very hard and I agree that it actually ages better than an untreated surface watch..

[caesarmascetti]

Not a materials guy here , but just speaking from experience of owning quite a few watches. Brushed stainless steel is relatively easy to keep looking good with a simple 3M pad just be patient wet the pad and go with the grain with nice even strokes. Most scratches will be blended in nicely and the watch cleans up. In the long run I think a nicely doen brushed stainless finish is both elegant and easy to keep looking good. If your really set though on a watch with some kind of surfacing coating Bathy's actuall gives you the hardness rating of their finish on the website.

[watt]

All I know is that there is PVD, PVD and then PVD.
I have had a couple of Sinn's with PVD'd tegimented steel and there was never a mark on them! The finish was very durable and flat and very black. Nice.
I obtained a Kobold Phantom steel PVD - one of the reasons I booted it was the shiny PVD! It defeated the object of a 'tactical' watch for people who kick in doors and are snipers!
I had another Kobold Phantom, this time titanium and PVD - this one was the business and the finish was a flat matte. A nice solid black color. It went however, but not due to the finish.
BOth Phantom bracelets seem to 'peel' and wear much faster than the head. Strange.
I've had an Enzo Mechana and it was the chintziest PVD I've seen with a very 'uneven' application on the case and especially on the bracelet which seemed to have been PVD'd while assembled, rther than doing the individual links! Overall a cheapo, toy-like watch compounded by the PVD finish.
My current wearer is a DLC by CVD process watch. Nice flat finish and a nice tactical-gray/black color.
So, PVD/DLC or whatever varies by uniformity, color, finish (shiny/black).

[Jason71]

I personally like PVD'd Watches

[Rafael_T]

Period. I should have done that to mine. But, I sold it to a good friend, so all is good.

[EROKS]

One of my Seasl has a DLC coated case and it is matte black. When I compare it to the PVD coated Bezel on my other Seal the PVD seems much more shiney. Anyway, I like the look of worn PVD. It seems to me it wears away on the edges before any where else. A really cool look IMO.

[1R0NH31D3]

Funny, I like the look of vintage worn coatings but not the modern shiny DLC.

Wabi-Sabi is enhanced by a good PVD.

SO true. Tista has a wicked squale cased eagle star that has an awesome pvd coating that is broken in perfectly.