The invention relates to a method for decorating a timepiece component comprising: a) a step of preparation of the timepiece component optionally comprising a first step of depositing a first material on the timepiece component to form a first sub-layer, b) a second step of depositing a second material on the timepiece component obtained in step a) to form a second sub-layer, c) a colouring step comprising the deposition of a third coloured material on the timepiece component obtained in step b) to form a coloured external decorative layer, According to the invention, at least step b) and step c) are achieved by a physical vapour deposition method.

An ornamental part, for example for a timepiece, jewellery or telephone, in particular a watch case middle, and its manufacturing method, the part at least partly including a hard material having a Vickers hardness greater than 1000 HV, the method including the following main steps: a step of producing a precursor from a mixture of at least one powder material with a binder, a step of injecting the precursor into a mould in order to form a green body, a step of sintering the green body in order to form a body of the future part from the hard material, and a step of depositing a polymer material coating on one face of the part, the deposition being carried out by moulding on the body, in particular by injection into a mould, the coating and the hard material being inseparable.

Included is austenitized ferritic stainless steel including a base composed of a ferrite phase, a surface layer composed of an austenitized phase, and a mixed layer formed between the base and the surface layer, the ferrite phase and the austenitized phase being mixed with each other, wherein the surface layer includes a mirror surface and a streak, and Sa_m/Sa is 0.01 to 0.2 and Sa/Sz is 0.03 to 0.1, where average roughness of the mirror surface is Sa_m, average roughness of the streak is Sa, and maximum roughness is Sz.

A method for protecting a watch magnet against corrosion, wherein a magnet is provided, and that a surface preparation operation is carried out on the magnet, before subjecting it to an ion implantation treatment, in order to create an impervious surface layer acting as a barrier against oxidation with all of the surface bonds saturated by the implanted ions, in order to prevent the corrosion of the magnet in a humid environment, under the usual conditions for wearing watches.

A layer of lanthanum boride of stoichiometry LaB.sub.x where x is between 9 and 12 is deposited on substrate, for example a stainless steel watch dial, and subsequently treated with a laser, such that the portion(s) of the layer treated with the laser change colour according to the laser power. This produces multicoloured surfaces having high resistance to corrosion and abrasion. The layer of LaB.sub.x is deposited by PVD and by cathode sputtering, using a LaB.sub.6 target of purple-violet colour, such that the colour of the deposited layer differs from the colour of the target. The laser treatment at specific powers changes the stoichiometry of the layer in the treatment portions, such that the colour of these portions changes according to the stoichiometry obtained. At higher powers, the laser will remove the layer of LaB.sub.x. Thus the colour of the treated portions is determined by the material of the substrate.

An ornamental part, for example for a timepiece, jewellery or telephone, in particular a watch case middle, and its manufacturing method, the part at least partly including a hard material having a Vickers hardness greater than 1000 HV, the method including the following main steps: a step of producing a precursor from a mixture of at least one powder material with a binder, a step of injecting the precursor into a mould in order to form a green body, a step of sintering the green body in order to form a body of the future part from the hard material, and a step of depositing a polymer material coating on one face of the part, the deposition being carried out by moulding on the body, in particular by injection into a mould, the coating and the hard material being inseparable.

Disclosed is a coating composition for watch elements, comprising a binder, preferably a two-component polyurethane; one or more pigments, preferably in quantities from 19 to 58% by weight of pigments (based on total solids of the composition); at least one filler; a solvent or a solvent combination, preferably butyl acetate and/or ethyl lactate. optionally one or more commonly used additives, customary auxiliaries or combinations of them. Further disclosed are a kit-of-parts, a coating on a watch element, a process for coating a watch element and a watch obtainable by said process or comprising said coating.

A watch case (10) including a middle (11) to which a crystal (12) and a back (13) are fastened so as to form an internal volume, the watch case (10) including, in the internal volume, an external part component (14) whereon a stack of thin layers (15) comprising a substrate layer (150), a solid-state phase switching layer (151) inserted between a transparent encapsulation layer (152) and a spacing layer (153) separating the phase switching layer (151) from the substrate layer (150) is deposited, the phase switching layer (151) being configured so as to have a refractive index capable of varying under exposure from light rays so as to impart to the stack of thin layers (15) at least two interferential colours.

The invention concerns a timepiece member including a first axis and a first threading intended to cooperate with 5 a second threading provided on a second timepiece member. The first threading is configured so that a zone of contact between the first threading and the second threading extends over less than 50% of the height of the threads of the second threading or is configured so that the zone of contact between the first 10 threading and the second threading extends over less than 0.3 times the pitch of the threading.

Provided is a method for protecting a complex watch component against gaseous environment, characterized in that the entire surface of the complex watch component or parts of said surface is/are coated with a protective coating, which is not visible by observation with the naked eye, by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Further provided are a method for obtaining a complex watch component, and a complex watch component comprising a protective ALD coating.