US3786627A - Dial plates for timepieces - Google Patents

Dial plates for timepieces Download PDF

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Publication number
US3786627A
US3786627A US00292322A US3786627DA US3786627A US 3786627 A US3786627 A US 3786627A US 00292322 A US00292322 A US 00292322A US 3786627D A US3786627D A US 3786627DA US 3786627 A US3786627 A US 3786627A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
plate
dial
timepieces
thin
thin shell
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00292322A
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English (en)
Inventor
T Takagi
T Shinoyama
S Satoh
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Orient Watch Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Orient Watch Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from JP9915171A external-priority patent/JPS4864961A/ja
Priority claimed from JP3848572A external-priority patent/JPS491270A/ja
Application filed by Orient Watch Co Ltd filed Critical Orient Watch Co Ltd
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3786627A publication Critical patent/US3786627A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G04—HOROLOGY
    • G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
    • G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
    • G04B19/06—Dials
    • G04B19/12—Selection of materials for dials or graduations markings

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT A dial plate for timepieces consisting of a metallic base plate and a thin shell plate having a nacreous gloss and bonded to said metallic base plate with the nacreous surface thereof exposed to the outside by means of an adhesive, in which said thin shell plate is bonded to said metallic base plate at an opaque layer formed on said thin plate or plating applied to the back side thereof.
  • This invention relates to dial plates for timepieces and more particularly to dial plates, for timepieces, having a remarkable decorative effect which is brought about by ingenious use of the aesthetic characteristics of shells.
  • dial plates for timepieces such as a watch, a wrist watch, a bracelet watch, a pendant watch and a finger ring watch are generally comprised of a base plate consisting of a brass plate or aluminum plate and color coating or plating layers applied thereto.
  • a dial plate is one of the exterior accessories of portable timepieces which is attractive to the taste of the users and for which the aesthetic effect is required most.
  • dial plates of various patterns and colors have been provided for said timepieces heretofore but the coloring of dial plates has provided only a limited variation in pattern and color, and been unable to sufficiently satisfy the demand for entirely novel dial plates.
  • a dial plate for high grade portable timepieces which is made from a jewel such as ruby or sapphire per se.
  • a dial plate is extremely expensive and, in addition, the working on the jewel is extremely difficult because of its high hardness and especially the boring of small holes in the jewelry dial plate for implanting indexes or the like is difficult. Therefore, in such type of dial plate the time marks have in most cases been printed on the surface of the dial plate, but the printing of the time marks has proved unsatisfactory not only in that the printed marks are illegible but also in that a variety of time indexes cannot be used.
  • dial plates for use in high grade portable timepieces, which are entirely different from and overcome the disadvantages of the conventional dial plates, which have a remarkable aesthetic effect and which can be produced in a mass production with ease and at low costs. According to the present invention there can be obtained dial plates which individually have different patterns andcolor hues to each other and hence each of which has a marked originality.
  • a dial plate which comprises a thin metallic base plate made from metal such as brass 'or aluminum and a thin plate of shell material laminated on said metallic base plate by means of applying adhesive, the bonding surface (hereinafter referred to as back surface) of said plate of shell material or shell flakes (hereafter shell plate) with said metallic base plate being coated with a non-transparent coating layer, whereby an irregularity, if any, in application of said adhesive is not visible on the front surface of the dial plate and further the color hue of said paint layer and the optical refraction of the shell are ingeniously combined to produce a highly variable aesthetic effect.
  • dial plate of the character described above in which the surface (hereinafter referred to as front surface) of said thin shell plate is coated with a transparent or semi-transparent coating layer, whereby a unique change of color hue and gloss can be imparted to the dial plate.
  • front surface the surface of said thin shell plate
  • transparent or semi-transparent coating layer a transparent or semi-transparent coating layer
  • a dial plate which comprises a thin metallic base plate made from brass or aluminum and a thin shell plate laminated on said metallic base plate by means of an adhesive, the bonding surface of said shell plate with said metallic base plate being plated by an electroless plating, whereby an irregularity, if any, in application of said-adhesive is not visible on the surface of the dial plate and further the color hue of said nonelectrode plating and the optical refraction of the shell are ingeniously combined to provide a highly variable aesthetic effect.
  • dial plate of the character described above in which the front surface of said thin shell plate is coated with a transparent or semitransparent coating layer, whereby a unique variation of color hue and gloss can be imparted to the dial plate.
  • dial plate of the character described above in which small holes are bored through the laminate of said thin shell plate and said metallic base plate, and separately provided types are implanted in said small through-holes.
  • FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the dial plate according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, partially broken away, of the dial plate taken on the line IIII of FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, partially broken away, of another embodiment of the dial plate according to this invention.
  • a base plate 1 of the dial plate is made from a thin metallic sheet, such as a brass or aluminum sheet, by punching.
  • the base plate 1 has legs la by which the dial plate 1 is secured to the watch movement (not shown).
  • the base plate 1 is provided with a hole or perforation 1b at the center thereof for receiving the spindles of hour, minute and/or second hands (not shown) of the timepiece therein.
  • a thin shell plate 2 is superimposed on the base plate 1, which is obtained by peeling the nacreous layer of a shell by a known method to make flakes.
  • the thin shell plate 2 has a disc shape essentially same as the shape of the base plate 1 and is provided with a hole 20 at the center thereof in alignment with the hole 1b of the base plate 1.
  • the shells of shellfishes such as ear-shells, pearl shells, Mexican shells, black lips, yellow lips and other iridescent shells are suitably used.
  • the shell plates made from said shells respectively have different optical tastes.
  • the back side of the thin shell plate is coated with an opaque paint layer, such as a lacquer layer, or an electroless plating layer 3.
  • the opaque coating layer 3 can be of an optional color hue and its color tone can be freely selected over a wide range. Further, the back side of the thin shell plate can be coated not only with a single paint of certain color but also with a combination of paints of different colors.
  • the back side of the thin shell plate 2 is coated with an electroless plating layer
  • an electroless plating layer such an electroless plating layer may be deposited directly on said thin shell plate.
  • the metals which can be used for the electroless plating layer there can be mentioned single metals such as nickel, cobalt, copper, silver, gold and platinum, and alloys such as nickel alloys and cobalt alloys. A remarkable decorative effect can be obtained particularly when silver or gold is used.
  • the color tone of the electroless plating layer can be optionally changed.
  • the back side of the thin shell plate can be coated not only with a single plating of certain color but also with a combination of platings of different colors.
  • the thin shell plate 2 described above is fastly adhered to the base plate 1 by means of an adhesive layer 4.
  • adhesive epoxy type adhesives which are widely used can be employed by the adhesive to be used is of course not limited only thereto.
  • the adhesive layer 4 is provided over the entire area of the outside surface of the base plate 1, it has been revealed through testing of the actual product that the provision of the adhesive layer only at several locations on the base plate 1 is sufficient to prevent disengagement or distortion of the thin shell plate 2.
  • Reference numeral 5 designates time markings provided on the surface of the dial plate, which are directly printed on the surface of the thin shell plate 2.
  • the opaque coating layer or electroless plating layer 3 are provided on the back surface of the thin shell plate 2, so that the adhesive layer provided between the surface of the base plate and the thin shell plate is not visible through said thin shell plate, and therefore, said thin plate 2 can be directly bonded to the base plate 1.
  • dial plate when the dial plate is viewed squarely from the front side thereof, an irregularity, if any, in application of the adhesive is not visible through the shell plate as it is covered with the opaque coating layer or electroless plating layer 3 and, therefore, the aesthetic effect of the dial plate is not impaired. Consequently, it is unnecessary to exercise unnecessary care during production of the dial plate and the dial plate can be produced by mass production system with ease.
  • the aesthetic effect of the dial plate is brought about by the combined effect of the nacreous color and optical refraction characteristic of the thin shell plate 2 and the opaque coating layer or electroless plating layer 3.
  • a high colorful dial plate emitting a variety of color lights can be obtained.
  • Dial plates for use in portable timepieces are required to be as thin as possible.
  • the dial plate can be formed in the shape of a thin plate as a whole, as the shell plate 2 is adhesively bonded directly to the base plate 1.
  • the base plate 1 has a thickness of 400 microns and the shell plate 2 has a thickness from 200 to 250 microns so that the entire thickness of the dial plate may be as small as not greater than 700 microns.
  • FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the dial plate according to this invention.
  • This embodiment is similar to the preceding embodiment in that the thin shell plate 2 having the back surface thereof coated with opaque paint layer or electroless plating layer 3 is laminated to the base plate 1 by means of the adhesive layer 4, but is different from the preceding embodiment in that the front surface of said thin shell plate 2 is also coated with a paint layer 6.
  • the paint layer 6 is formed of a transparent lacquer, semi-transparent lacquer or industrial varnish, and imparts various changes to the surface gloss of the plate 2 and slightly colors said plate. By properly selecting the coating materials used, an almost infinite number of color combinations can be obtained.
  • Reference numeral 7 in FIG. 3 designates time marking types provided on the front surface of the dial plate, which are separately made of such a metal as brass and coated with a plating, and are secured to the dial plate at its legs 7a which are extended in small holes, bored through the shell plate 2 and base plate 1 and fixed therein as by spot welding.
  • the thin shell plate 2 of the dial plate according to the present invention is lower in hardness than jewelries, such as ruby, and therefore, can be worked relatively easily.
  • the through-holes can be bored therein also by a conventional boring machine. This also facilitates the mass production of the dial plate without adding to the production cost.
  • the dial plates for timepieces exhibit a variety of colors and patterns which are basically created by the nacreous color possessed by the shell and are variable in an indefinite number of ways in combination with the color or colors of the paint or paints used in a variety of ways, and which give a sense of quality to the dial plate.
  • the dial plates of the invention can be produced in large quantities at low costs and the product dial plates individually have different aesthetic effects of their own and are entirely novel. It should be noted that the dial plates of the invention are not necessarily of round shape as shown in the embodiments but may be of square or rectangular or any other irregular shapes, and are of great practical commercial value.
  • a dial plate for timepieces of the type comprising of a laminate of a thin metallic base plate and a thin shell plate bonded thereto by means of an adhesive, characterized in that said thin shell plate is adhered to said thin metallic base plate at an opaque layer applied to the substantially entire area of the back surface of said thin shell plate.
  • a dial plate for timepieces according to claim 1, wherein the front surface of said thin shell plate is provided with a transparent coating layer.
  • a dial plate for timepiece according to claim 1, wherein the front surface of said thin shell plate is provided with a semi-transparent coating layer.
  • a dial plate for timepieces according to claim 1, wherein said opaque layer is formed by means of an electroless plating.
  • a dial plate for timepieces according to claim 1, wherein said opaque layer is formed by coating of opaque paints.
  • a dial plate for timepieces according to claim 1, wherein the laminate of said thin shell plate and said base plate is formed with small through-hole and time marking types having mounting legs are secured to the front surface of said thin shell plate by inserting said mounting legs into said small through-holes.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Adornments (AREA)
  • Other Surface Treatments For Metallic Materials (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Chemically Coating (AREA)
US00292322A 1971-12-08 1972-09-26 Dial plates for timepieces Expired - Lifetime US3786627A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP9915171A JPS4864961A (de) 1971-12-08 1971-12-08
JP3848572A JPS491270A (de) 1972-04-17 1972-04-17

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3786627A true US3786627A (en) 1974-01-22

Family

ID=26377750

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00292322A Expired - Lifetime US3786627A (en) 1971-12-08 1972-09-26 Dial plates for timepieces

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3786627A (de)
DE (1) DE2247910B2 (de)
FR (1) FR2162349B1 (de)
GB (1) GB1356534A (de)

Cited By (21)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4006586A (en) * 1974-02-14 1977-02-08 Casella Frank P Clock housing and decorative means therefor
US5555535A (en) * 1994-07-19 1996-09-10 Davis; Gerard D. Watch dial
US6295251B1 (en) * 1999-04-23 2001-09-25 Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha Timepiece dial plate and timepiece dial plate manufacturing method
US20060133219A1 (en) * 2004-12-20 2006-06-22 Roland Dubach Timepiece dial and processes for manufacturing this dial
US20130094333A1 (en) * 2010-06-23 2013-04-18 Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd. Timepiece display plate
USD743827S1 (en) * 2013-04-19 2015-11-24 Alexander Wellen Watch face
USD746713S1 (en) * 2013-11-01 2016-01-05 Tudor Watch U.S.A., Llc Watch dial
USD748516S1 (en) * 2014-12-26 2016-02-02 Albedeaux Watch Co. Watch face
USD781737S1 (en) * 2015-03-05 2017-03-21 Harry Winston Sa Dial
USD791632S1 (en) * 2014-06-18 2017-07-11 Withings Watch
USD797577S1 (en) * 2015-12-07 2017-09-19 Richemont International Sa Watch
USD798181S1 (en) * 2016-02-09 2017-09-26 Harry Winston Sa Dial
USD809413S1 (en) 2013-04-19 2018-02-06 Alexander Wellen Watch face
USD836476S1 (en) * 2017-03-03 2018-12-25 Harry Winston Sa Dial
US20190018367A1 (en) * 2017-07-11 2019-01-17 Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse Oscillating winding weight for a timepiece with an automatic movement and timepiece fitted with such a winding weight
CN109839813A (zh) * 2017-11-28 2019-06-04 奥米加股份有限公司 用于脆性表盘的结构
USD861506S1 (en) 2016-07-20 2019-10-01 Withings Watch
USD863072S1 (en) 2016-08-22 2019-10-15 Withings Watch
US20210141342A1 (en) * 2019-11-07 2021-05-13 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Dial and timepiece
US11625007B2 (en) * 2019-03-14 2023-04-11 Omega Sa Composite component for horology or jewellery with a ceramic structure and inserts
USD1011932S1 (en) 2018-07-25 2024-01-23 Alexander Wellen Watch

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2945188C2 (de) * 1979-11-08 1983-09-08 Citizen Watch Co., Ltd., Tokyo Stirnplatte für eine Uhr
US4545687A (en) * 1984-02-13 1985-10-08 Umbra Shades Ltd. Clock construction

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3633355A (en) * 1969-07-05 1972-01-11 Sakata Watch Co Ltd Watch crystal and hands with reflective mirror dial

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3633355A (en) * 1969-07-05 1972-01-11 Sakata Watch Co Ltd Watch crystal and hands with reflective mirror dial

Cited By (26)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4006586A (en) * 1974-02-14 1977-02-08 Casella Frank P Clock housing and decorative means therefor
US5555535A (en) * 1994-07-19 1996-09-10 Davis; Gerard D. Watch dial
US6295251B1 (en) * 1999-04-23 2001-09-25 Seiko Kabushiki Kaisha Timepiece dial plate and timepiece dial plate manufacturing method
US20060133219A1 (en) * 2004-12-20 2006-06-22 Roland Dubach Timepiece dial and processes for manufacturing this dial
JP2006177957A (ja) * 2004-12-20 2006-07-06 Rolex Sa 時計部品の文字盤及びこの文字盤の製造方法
US7420884B2 (en) * 2004-12-20 2008-09-02 Rolex S.A. Timepiece dial and processes for manufacturing this dial
US20130094333A1 (en) * 2010-06-23 2013-04-18 Citizen Holdings Co., Ltd. Timepiece display plate
USD743827S1 (en) * 2013-04-19 2015-11-24 Alexander Wellen Watch face
USD809413S1 (en) 2013-04-19 2018-02-06 Alexander Wellen Watch face
USD746713S1 (en) * 2013-11-01 2016-01-05 Tudor Watch U.S.A., Llc Watch dial
USD791632S1 (en) * 2014-06-18 2017-07-11 Withings Watch
USD748516S1 (en) * 2014-12-26 2016-02-02 Albedeaux Watch Co. Watch face
USD781737S1 (en) * 2015-03-05 2017-03-21 Harry Winston Sa Dial
USD797577S1 (en) * 2015-12-07 2017-09-19 Richemont International Sa Watch
USD798181S1 (en) * 2016-02-09 2017-09-26 Harry Winston Sa Dial
USD861506S1 (en) 2016-07-20 2019-10-01 Withings Watch
USD863072S1 (en) 2016-08-22 2019-10-15 Withings Watch
USD836476S1 (en) * 2017-03-03 2018-12-25 Harry Winston Sa Dial
US20190018367A1 (en) * 2017-07-11 2019-01-17 Eta Sa Manufacture Horlogere Suisse Oscillating winding weight for a timepiece with an automatic movement and timepiece fitted with such a winding weight
CN109839813A (zh) * 2017-11-28 2019-06-04 奥米加股份有限公司 用于脆性表盘的结构
CN109839813B (zh) * 2017-11-28 2021-04-16 奥米加股份有限公司 表盘和表
US11221588B2 (en) 2017-11-28 2022-01-11 Omega Sa Structure for a fragile dial
USD1011932S1 (en) 2018-07-25 2024-01-23 Alexander Wellen Watch
US11625007B2 (en) * 2019-03-14 2023-04-11 Omega Sa Composite component for horology or jewellery with a ceramic structure and inserts
US20210141342A1 (en) * 2019-11-07 2021-05-13 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Dial and timepiece
US11906933B2 (en) * 2019-11-07 2024-02-20 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Dial and timepiece

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
FR2162349B1 (de) 1975-03-07
GB1356534A (en) 1974-06-12
DE2247910A1 (de) 1973-06-20
FR2162349A1 (de) 1973-07-20
DE2247910B2 (de) 1973-11-22

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