The present invention relates to a covering element for a portable object made of a first material, the first material being a ceramic material having a first color, characterized in that the surface of said covering element is at least partially treated so as to exhibit at least one conversion having a different color from the first color.

An electronic device such as a wristwatch may include a conductive housing. A corrosion-resistant coating may be deposited on the conductive housing. The coating may include transition layers and an uppermost alloy layer. The transition layers may include a chromium seed layer on the conductive housing and a chromium nitride layer on the chromium seed layer. The uppermost alloy layer may include TiCrCN or other alloys and may provide the coating with desired optical reflection and absorption characteristics. The transition layers may include a minimal number of coating defects, thereby eliminating potential sites at which visible defects could form when exposed to salt water. This may allow the electronic device to exhibit a desired color and to be submerged in salt water without producing undesirable visible defects on the conductive housing structures.

An external part of a timepiece has a substrate that includes a base layer and a surface layer, the surface layer including Ti or stainless steel; and a coating disposed on the substrate. The coating includes an outermost layer formed primarily of TiC defining an external surface, and an interior layer formed primarily of TiC positioned between the substrate and the outermost layer. An elastic modulus of the interior layer is greater than the elasticmodulus of the outermost layer.

A method is for manufacturing a part including a support provided with at least one hollow filled with an aesthetic element forming a decoration on a face of the part intended to be visible. The method includes providing the support provided with the at least one hollow and providing a preform intended to form the aesthetic element of the part, and inlaying by pressing the preform into the at least one hollow of the support. The preform is made of a crystalline aluminium alloy. The inlaying is carried out at a temperature between the solidus temperature and the liquidus temperature of the crystalline aluminium alloy.

A watch component includes an austenized ferritic stainless steel, the austenized ferritic stainless steel including a first layer including a ferrite phase, and a second layer including an austenized phase formed of a nitrogen solid solution of the ferrite phase. An average particle size of ferrite crystal grains constituting the ferrite phase is 300 μm or greater, and an average particle size of austenitic crystal grains constituting the austenized phase is 150 μm or smaller.

A method is for manufacturing a part including a support made of an electrically non-conductive material, the support being provided with at least one recess filled with an aesthetic element made of an electrically conductive material, and the aesthetic element forms a decoration on a side of the part that is intended to be visible. The method includes inlaying by pressing a preform intended to form the aesthetic element into the at least one recess of the support, and treating the surface of the aesthetic element. The at least one recess opens in one or more places onto a side of the part that is intended to be non-visible, to respectively form one or more contact points for carrying current across the aesthetic element during the surface treatment.

A watch component is provided with a base material having light transmissivity, and a metal film layered on the base material. The metal film includes a plurality of through holes formed penetrating the metal film, and recessed portions are formed in the base material in positions corresponding to the through holes.

A watch component is provided with a base material having light transmissivity, and a metal film layered on the base material. The metal film includes a plurality of through holes formed penetrating the metal film, and recessed portions are formed in the base material in positions corresponding to the through holes.

A method for fabricating a timepiece component made of conductive material includes: making a base from conductive material; coating the base with a first layer of sacrificial metal protection material; etching a recessed decoration mechanically or with a laser; coating the first recessed decoration and the remaining part of the first layer with a second metal and/or coloured decorative treatment layer; and removing each first sacrificial metal protection layer by chemical devices, to obtain a blank including a first decoration formed by the remaining part of the second layer.

The present invention relates to a covering element for a portable object made of a first material, the first material being a ceramic material having a first color, characterized in that the surface of said covering element is at least partially treated so as to exhibit at least one conversion having a different color from the first color.