CH717730A2 - Black component decorated with stones and its method of manufacture. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interior trim or movement component for a timepiece or piece of jewelery comprising a substrate partially coated with a black layer (3) and decorated with at least one stone (4), said black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes or aluminum oxide, said substrate (2) being at least devoid of the black layer (3) on the facing portion of the stone (4). It also relates to the process for manufacturing this watch or jewelery component.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a component intended for the interior trim or the movement of a timepiece or piece of jewelry. It also relates to the manufacturing process of said component.

Background of the invention

[0002] The black “color” can be obtained in the mass of a material by virtue of its intrinsic color or via the addition of pigments or dyes within the material. The black „color“ can also be present only on the surface. This surface coloring can be obtained in different ways, generally by oxidation/sulphurization/carburization of a metallic substrate or by deposition of an oxide/sulphide/carbide on a substrate. Carbon is therefore a well-known element for blackening a surface. Deposited in a slender manner in the form of nanotubes, the material formed can approach a perfectly absorbing black body, going as far as giving light absorption coefficients of 99.96% in the visible and near infrared. This black is so perfect that it can hide 3D shapes of an object seen from the front.

[0003] The use of black coating is known in the watchmaking field. Document EP 3 327 517 discloses a dial with a first substrate coated with a black layer of nanotubes facing the watch glass and with a second substrate fixed to the first substrate on the surface opposite the glass. The first substrate is perforated in order to produce openings acting as windows intended to form indexes. The second substrate comprises a luminescent coating at least in the areas facing the openings so as to create a contrast at the level of the first substrate between the black layer and the illuminated indexes.

[0004] Thus, the contrast is obtained via the superposition of two substrates having distinct coatings. This superposition makes it possible to avoid selectively depositing one and the other coating on the same surface and to manipulate the layer of nanotubes, which is particularly fragile, more than necessary. This superposition nevertheless has the drawback of requiring the manufacture of two substrates, which increases the production costs.

[0005] Document CH 711 141 discloses a process for manufacturing a dial where the decoration, namely the indexes, is affixed to the carbon black coating. The decoration is made separately from the dial and then simply attached, which greatly facilitates the manufacture of the dial. This manufacturing technique is however unsuitable for certain types of decorations where the black color underlying the decoration impacts the aesthetics and/or the shine of the decoration.

[0006] In particular, this manufacturing technique is not very suitable for a decoration formed from stones, in particular diamonds. The difficulty lies in the crimping of the stones on the dial coated with a black layer. The latter must be discontinuous at the level of the stones under penalty of degrading the brilliance of the stones, while perfectly coating the stones to obtain the expected contrast. Particular attention must be paid to the manufacturing process so as not to damage the layer of carbon nanotubes. The layer can be so friable that it is almost impossible to touch it without degrading the surface, showing shiny veils or even holes contrasting with the original color of the carbon nanotubes.

Aims of the invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a watch or jewelery component coated in black and decorated with stones, and more particularly set with stones. This process is developed so as not to damage the black coating while having a discontinuous black layer at the level of the stones.

[0008] The manufacturing process according to the invention cannot thus be content with adding a decoration, in this case stones, to the coating as in the prior art. According to the invention, the decoration formed from the stones is manufactured directly on the substrate with the black layer deposited selectively so as to maintain a surface free of black below the decoration.

More specifically, the invention relates to a method of manufacturing a component intended for the interior trim or the movement of a timepiece or piece of jewelry, said component comprising a substrate coated at least partially with a black layer comprising carbon nanotubes or aluminum oxide, the coated substrate being decorated with at least one stone seated in a recess in the substrate, the latter being at least devoid of the black layer on the surface housing, said method comprising: a step a) of making the substrate available, followed in an unspecified order by a step b) of depositing the black layer on the substrate, a step c) of machining the housing in the substrate, a step d) of positioning and fixing the stone within the housing, said step b) of deposition being carried out selectively so that at least the surface of the housing is devoid of the black layer.

According to a variant of the invention, step b) of selective deposition can be carried out via the deposition of a layer of precursor promoting the deposition of the black layer at selected locations or even via the fixing of coated plates of the black layer at these selected locations.

[0011] The present invention also relates to the interior trim or movement component for a timepiece or piece of jewelery comprising a substrate partially coated with a black layer and decorated with at least one stone seated in a housing provided in the substrate, said black layer comprising carbon nanotubes or an aluminum oxide, said substrate being at least devoid of the black layer on the portion facing the stone or, in other words, on the surface of the housing .

[0012] For the variant with a decoration of diamonds on a coating of carbon nanotubes, the present invention proposes making a watchmaking or jewelery component with two allotropic forms of carbon on the surface, one very black for the nanotubes carbon and the other very white for the diamond allowing very marked contrasts in brilliance.

[0013] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will appear in the description presented with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a plan view of a timepiece provided with a dial coated and decorated with stones according to the method of the invention. In enlargement, a stone with the crimping element is shown. Figures 2 to 4 are schematic representations of the different embodiments of the method according to the invention with the successive steps implemented.

Description of the invention

[0015] The invention relates to a component intended for the interior trim or the movement of a timepiece or piece of jewelry. It can be chosen from the non-exhaustive list comprising a dial, a hand, an index, an applique, an oscillating weight, a plate, a bridge, etc. According to the invention, this component is at least partially coated with a black layer. The invention also relates to an assembly of two of said components at least partially coated with the black layer.

The invention will be described below in the context of an application to a watch dial 1 formed of a substrate 2 coated with a black layer 3 as shown schematically in Figure 1. Said substrate can be made in a metallic material such as steel, titanium, aluminum, a titanium or aluminum alloy, brass or any other copper alloy. It can also be made in a ceramic material, a cermet, in sapphire, in a composite or in a polymer. The substrate 2 is decorated and preferably set with one or more stones 4 distributed within the black layer 3. These may be precious stones such as diamonds, semi-precious stones or even synthetic stones such as zirconia , etc According to the invention, the substrate is at least devoid of the black layer on the facing portions of the stones. The black layer can be present so as to be flush with the table of the stone. It is also possible to decorate the substrate with several rows of stones, the substrate comprising a black layer between the rows.

The substrate 2 comprises a housing 5 shown schematically in Figure 2 serving as a seat to the stone 4 and more particularly to the cylinder head of the stone. The fixing of the stone within the seat is preferably carried out by crimping using a crimping element 6 shown in the enlargement of Figure 1. It may be claws of a kitten placed in the housing, grains that are an integral part of the substrate, grooves in a housing for bead or invisible crimping, etc. According to the invention, the crimping element is preferably also coated with the black layer so as to produce a crimping which seems invisible to the eyes of the user. Visually, this blends into the black background of the dial. Alternatively, the present invention does not exclude the stone being glued within the seat with an adhesive that does not degrade the shine of the stone.

According to a variant of the invention, the black layer comprises carbon nanotubes. The layer of carbon nanotubes comprises at least 1% by weight, preferably at least 10% by weight, of carbon nanotubes. Said layer can be a varnish comprising by weight at least 1%, preferably at least 10% by weight, of carbon nanotubes. The larger the proportion, the darker the hue. In this varnish, the carbon nanotubes are randomly dispersed. This varnish can be deposited, for example, by spraying. Alternatively, the layer comprises at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90% by weight of carbon nanotubes aligned vertically with respect to the plane of the substrate, the remainder being made up of other forms of carbon. Preferably, the layer comprises 100% carbon nanotubes aligned vertically with respect to the plane of the substrate. The vertical alignment of the nanotubes makes it possible to obtain a deeper black compared to the random orientation of the carbon nanotubes in the varnish, but has the disadvantage of having less mechanical strength than the varnish. To overcome this drawback, a protective layer can be deposited on the black layer with, however, the corollary of a reduction in the light absorption coefficient. The protective layer can be a varnish or a thin layer of a material, for example Al2O3, TiO2 or SiO2, or a stack of layers of one or more of these materials deposited by ALD (for Atomic Layer Deposition ). The nanotubes having a vertical orientation are deposited by vacuum processes such as PVD (for Physical Vapor Deposition in English), CVD (for Chemical Vapor Deposition in English) or else synthesis by laser ablation. The layer of carbon nanotubes has a thickness between 1 and 100 µm.

[0019]According to another variant, the black layer is a layer mainly comprising aluminum oxides AlxOys such as Al2O3 with, in addition, non-ferrous metal oxides such as, for example, oxides of copper, zinc or manganese. This layer comprises at least 90% AlxOy, preferably 100% AlxOy. The aluminum oxide has an aluminum content of between 45% and 65% by mass and preferably between 45% and 50% by mass. This layer has a thickness of between 1 and 50 microns, preferably between 2 and 10 microns, and more preferably between 4 and 7 microns. It can be deposited by PVD, CVD or PECVD (for Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition in English).

The component according to the invention can be manufactured according to several embodiments which are illustrated schematically in Figures 2 to 4. For simplicity, Figures 2 to 4 only illustrate the substrate provided with a housing for the seat of the stone without representing the crimping element. Any step referring to the machining of the housing includes, where applicable, the mechanical preparation of the crimping element such as the grains.

The component manufacturing process comprises in an unspecified order for steps b) to d): A step a) of making the substrate 2 available, A step b) of depositing the black layer 3 on the substrate 2, A step c) of machining the housing 5 in the substrate 2, A step d) of positioning and fixing, and preferably crimping, of the stone 4 within the housing 5. The fixing covers crimping in general and other fixing techniques such as gluing.

According to the invention, the deposition in step b) is carried out selectively so that at least the surface of the housing 5 is devoid of the black layer 3.

For the examples of Figures 2 to 4, the component manufacturing process comprises successively: step a) of providing the substrate 2, step c) of machining the housing 5 in the substrate 2, step d) of positioning and fixing the stone 4 within the housing 5 of the substrate 2, step b) of depositing the black layer 3 on the substrate 2, said step b) of depositing being carried out selectively so that at least the surface of the housing 5 is devoid of the black layer 3.

For the variant of Figure 2, there is an additional step f) of depositing and annealing a layer of a precursor 7 on the substrate 2. Step f) includes the deposition of the precursor layer and annealing to polymerize the precursor. This variant is applicable for a black layer based on carbon nanotubes.

There is then an additional step g) of selective removal of the layer of precursor 7 deposited in the housing 5. The removal can be carried out mechanically and more specifically manually using a crimping tool. According to a preferred variant, this selective removal is carried out by laser ablation and more preferably with a pulsed laser such as a picosecond, nanosecond or femtosecond laser. Then follows step d) of positioning and fixing the stone 4 within the housing 5 of the substrate 2. Finally, there is step b) of adding the black layer 3 on the substrate 2 which is carried out selectively on the parts covered with the layer of precursor 7. Alternatively (not shown), step f) can be carried out before step c) of machining the housing, steps c) and g) then being a same concomitant step of machining the housing and selective removal of the layer of precursor at the level of the housing. In another alternative way (not shown), the deposition of the layer of precursor can be carried out on the substrate set with the stone, the selective removal of the precursor then being carried out on the stone.

The precursor comprises a polymer and carbon nanotubes. The percentage by weight of carbon nanotubes is between 0.1 and 15% and the percentage by weight of polymer is between 85 and 99.9%. The polymer can be chosen from thermoplastics such as a polyamide, polybutene, polyethylene, polyimide, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate and a polymethyl methacrylate or from thermosettings such as a polyepoxide and a polyurethane. To improve the adhesion between the polymer and the carbon nanotubes, the latter can be functionalized beforehand. By way of example, for a polyimide matrix, the carbon nanotubes can be functionalized beforehand by an attack in an acid medium, for example in nitric acid. The precursor comprising the mixture of carbon nanotubes distributed in the polyimide matrix is deposited and polymerized at a temperature of between 150 and 350° C. for a time of between 1 and 7 hours.

For the variant of Figures 3 and 4, step b) of depositing the black layer 3, which can also be described as a step of adding the black layer, is carried out by fixing one or several plates 9 coated with a black layer 3 on the substrate 2. Steps b), c) and d) can be carried out in different orders. Preferably, the fixing of the plates is carried out after the positioning and the fixing of the stone. In FIG. 4, said plates 9 are inserted into recesses 10 made in substrate 2 during machining step c).

[0028] All the embodiments are presented for a crimping element which is covered with a black layer so as to merge with the bottom of the dial. However, the present invention does not exclude the crimping element from being devoid of the black layer.

Finally, the present invention also covers an assembly comprising a first component and a second component each intended for the interior trim or the movement of a timepiece or piece of jewelry. According to the invention, the first and the second components comprise at least one portion coated with the black layer. Preferably, the first component has a relative movement with respect to the second component and is mounted facing the latter. This first component is decorated with one or more stones. For example, the first component is a hand coated with the black layer and decorated with a stone set or glued to the tip of the hand, and the second component is a dial coated with the black layer.

Legend

[0030] (1) Dial (2) Substrate (3) Black layer (4) Stone (5) Housing (6) Crimping element (7) Precursor layer (9) Plate (10) Recess

Claims (32)

1. Interior trim or movement component for a timepiece or piece of jewelery comprising a substrate (2) partially coated with a black layer (3) and decorated with at least one stone (4) seated in a housing (5) formed in the substrate (2) positioned on the substrate (2), said black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes or aluminum oxide, said substrate (2) being at least devoid of the layer black (3) on the portion facing the stone (4). 2. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that the black layer (3) is flush with the table of the stone (4). 3. Component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the stone (4) is crimped within the housing (5) with a crimping element (6). 4. Component according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said crimping element (6) is also coated with the black layer (3). 5. Component according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises several rows of stones (4), the black layer (3) being arranged between the rows. 6. Component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the black layer (3) is a varnish comprising by weight at least 1%, preferably at least 10% of carbon nanotubes, said carbon nanotubes having an orientation random within the varnish. 7. Component according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the black layer (3) comprises at least 50%, at least 60%, at least 70%, at least 80%, at least 90% by weight of carbon nanotubes aligned vertically with respect to the plane of the substrate (2), the rest being made up of other forms of carbon. 8. Component according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the black layer (3) comprises 100% by weight of carbon nanotubes aligned vertically with respect to the plane of the substrate (2). 9. Component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes has a thickness of between 1 and 100 µm. 10. Component according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the black layer (3) comprises at least 90% by weight of aluminum oxide, preferably 100% by weight of aluminum oxide. 11. Component according to claim 10, characterized in that the aluminum oxide has an aluminum content by weight of between 45% and 65% and preferably between 45% and 50%. 12. Component according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the black layer (3) has a thickness of between 1 and 50 microns, preferably between 2 and 10 microns, and more preferably between 4 and 7 microns. 13. Component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is chosen from the group comprising a dial, an index, a hand, an applique, an oscillating mass, a plate and a bridge. 14. An assembly comprising the component according to one of the preceding claims and another interior trim or movement component for a timepiece or piece of jewelry, said other component being coated at least partially with said black layer (3). 15. Assembly according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the component is arranged facing said other component and mounted with relative movement with respect to said other component. 16. Assembly according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the component is a needle and in that the other component is a dial. 17. Timepiece or piece of jewelery comprising the component according to one of claims 1 to 13 or the assembly according to one of claims 14 to 16. 18. A method of manufacturing a component intended for the interior trim or the movement of a timepiece or piece of jewelry, said component comprising a substrate (2) coated at least partially with a black layer (3) and decorated with at least one stone (4) seated in a recess (5) provided in the substrate (2), said black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes or aluminum oxide and said substrate (2) being at least devoid of the black layer (3) on the surface of the housing (5), the method comprising: – a step a) of providing the substrate (2), followed in an unspecified order of – a step b) of depositing the black layer (3) on the substrate (2), – a step c) of machining the housing (5) in the substrate (2), – a step d) of positioning and fixing the stone (4) within the housing (5), said deposition step b) being carried out selectively so that at least the surface of the housing (5) is devoid of the black layer (3). 19. Manufacturing process according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises successively for a substrate (2) coated with a black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes: – step a) of providing the substrate (2), – step c) of machining the housing (5) in the substrate (2), – a step f) of depositing and annealing a layer of a precursor (7) on the substrate (2), including on the surface of the housing (5), – a step g) of selective removal of the layer of precursor (7) deposited on the surface of the housing (5), – step d) of positioning and fixing the stone (4) within the housing (5) of the substrate (2), – step b) of depositing the black layer (3) on the substrate (2) carried out selectively on the precursor layer (7). 20. Manufacturing process according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises successively for a substrate (2) coated with a black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes: – step a) of providing the substrate (2), – a step f) of depositing and annealing a layer of a precursor (7) on the substrate (2), – step c) of machining the housing (5) in the substrate (2) leading to the selective removal of the layer of precursor (7) at the level of the housing (5), – step d) of positioning and fixing the stone (4) within the housing (5) of the substrate (2), – step b) of depositing the black layer (3) on the substrate (2) carried out selectively on the precursor layer (7). 21. Manufacturing process according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises successively for a substrate (2) coated with a black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes: – step a) of providing the substrate (2), – step c) of machining the housing (5) in the substrate (2), – step d) of positioning and fixing the stone (4) within the housing (5) of the substrate (2), – a step f) of depositing and annealing a layer of a precursor (7) on the substrate (2), y on the free surface of the stone (4), – a step g) of selective removal of the layer of precursor (7) deposited on the free surface of the stone (4), – step b) of depositing the black layer (3) on the substrate (2) carried out selectively on the precursor layer (7). 22. Manufacturing process according to one of claims 19 to 21, characterized in that the precursor comprises a polymer and carbon nanotubes. 23. Manufacturing process according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the percentage by weight of carbon nanotubes is between 0.1 and 15% and the percentage by weight of polymer is between 85 and 99.9%. 24. Manufacturing process according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the polymer is chosen from a polyamide, a polybutene, a polyethylene, a polyimide, a polypropylene, a polystyrene, a polyvinyl acetate, a polymethyl methacrylate, a polyepoxide and a polyurethane. 25. Manufacturing process according to one of claims 19 to 24, characterized in that the layer of precursor (7) has a thickness of between 10 and 200 microns, preferably between 100 and 200 microns. 26. Manufacturing process according to claim 18, characterized in that step b) of depositing the black layer (3) on the substrate (2) is carried out selectively by fixing one or more plates (9) coated with the black layer (3) on the substrate (2). 27. Manufacturing process according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises successively: – step a) of providing the substrate (2), – step c) of machining the housing (5) in the substrate (2), – step d) of positioning and fixing the stone (4) within the housing (5) of the substrate (2), – step b) of depositing the black layer (3) on the substrate (2) carried out selectively by fixing one or more plates (9) coated with the black layer (3) on the substrate (2) . 28. Manufacturing process according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the plate or plates (9) are fixed respectively in one or more recesses (10) made in the substrate (2). 29. Manufacturing process according to claim 19 or 21, characterized in that step g) of selective removal of the layer of precursor (7) is carried out by laser ablation or mechanically. 30. Manufacturing process according to one of claims 18 to 29, characterized in that the black layer (3) comprising carbon nanotubes is deposited by spray, PVD or CVD. 31. Manufacturing process according to one of claims 18, 26 to 28, characterized in that the black layer (3) comprising aluminum oxide is deposited by PVD, CVD or PECVD. 32. Manufacturing process according to one of claims 18 to 31, characterized in that the fixing of the stone (4) is carried out by crimping.