Effect pigments based on Al.sub.2O.sub.3 flakes with high weather resistance and less photoactivity and to their use thereof in paints, industrial coatings, automotive coatings, printing inks, cosmetic formulations. The effect pigments have a ratio of the amount by weight of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 of the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 flake and the amount by weight of the metal oxide(s) of the coating layer(s) in the range of from 27:73 to 83:17 based on the total weight of the effect pigment.

The invention relates to metallic effect pigments with coating, comprising a platelet-shaped substrate, where the coating comprises at least one hybrid inorganic/organic layer, the hybrid layer having at least partly an inorganic network that has one or more inorganic oxide components, and having at least one organic component, the organic component being at least partly an organic oligomer and/or polymer which is covalently bonded at least partly to the inorganic network via one or more organic network formers. The invention further relates to a method of producing these metallic effect pigments, and to their use.

A method is provided for manufacturing pigments of defined size and shape, and to pigments manufactured accordingly. The method has the steps of: a) producing a three-dimensional surface structure on a substrate, where surface regions are formed each having a gradient extending obliquely to a base level of the surface structure, and are arranged in columns which are offset relative to one another; b) applying a pigment material layer on the surface structure; c) releasing the pigment material layer from the surface structure and producing pigments.