Different types of PVD

[mrnixon]

I was looking at this watch

http://cgi.ebay.com/UNITAS-ETA-6497-WATCH-...1QQcmdZViewItem

The PVD on this one appears rather shiny compared with the ones i have seen previously. Are there different types of PVD or is it just that the one in the add is polished?

[sssurfer]

Assumed that it is true PVD, it must be so shiny because directly applied on polished surfaces in order to simulate a ceramic look. That is the factor that mostly affects the final shiness. Full matte PVD is essentially due to properly beadblasting the surfaces before applying the PVD coating.

But yes, there are also minor differences between PVD coatings too, related with different manufacturers and procedures.

[Watchmeister]

In addition to the quality of the bead blasting effecting the sheen there are also different chemical compositions for "PVD" which will provide very different results in terms of the actual colors. Even within gen PAM's the color can vary dramatically. I have two 5218 PVD crowns and the colors are markedly different. I can't remember which is which but the right process vis a vis older PAM's give a lighter color and coupled with bead blasting with small beads provides for excellent sheen. It is interesting because Palp offered a PVD service from one of the original OEM providers to PAM but they had changed their chemical composition and as a result the PVD was much darker. I don't know if he still offers it but the person who had the closest to gen PVD appearance was finepics. In short, Palp's coating was fabulous quality but way too dark. Davidsen's has a different beadblasting process so his PVD has no sheen. IMHO, looks a little dull. I think of PVD as the poor man's ceramic (but I do love it). I look for lighter grey with excellent sheen. IMHO, the PVD should look like it is part of the metal. I am referring only to older PAM's of course.

[sssurfer]

Kruzer00 is absolutely correct, I did not make it clear enough, even on a same producer the results may vary from batch to batch -- or at least it was so for OP.

To make the things even more complicated, on some series OP applied a special carbonium PVD that they also called DLC (Diamond-Like Coating), that was the most whitish and shiny grey of all.

[Watchmeister]

And I have one of those crowns as well as the traditional PVD (ti an).

[sssurfer]

And I have one of those crowns as well as the traditional PVD (ti an).

I never suggested I was the greatest crown collector here

[Watchmeister]

The reason why that one looks so different is because it is coated with something else after the Ti N forms on the case. Longines claims they are using 23k gold. I have no idea what is on that watch but it ain't natural. It does give it the ceramic look though.