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What a Beauty Grim!!! I've been lusting for this or a 004B for years!
I have a good friend that is starting the manufacturing an American made watch of very high quality. It will at first have an ETA movement, and they are designing an"in house" movement for it as I type this.
It is his goal to put the U.S.A. back in the high quality Horology World.
At one time, decades ago, we were one of the world leaders. But no more. Some of the Grand o'l names are still around, but now are nothing more than low end asian manufactured pieces, with the Ghost of the bygone names on the dials.
He, owns a very well respected company in his field of endeavor, and is known world wide.
He has access, and a trade mark on a process that is similar to PV'd DLC. It is a patent owned by the U.S. Navy, and is used for ultra high speed bearing in Turbines.
He has, and is the ONLY person in the world allowed to use out side of Military Tracts, which are currently for the Navy, and as I understand it, NASA is experimenting with it. He is only however, allowed to use it in a cosmetic application. No mechanical application. Grrrrrr! But this really got my gears spinning. Hummm Cosmetic only eh?
Oh Hell Yeah!!! :hypnotized: Is this perfect for us or what?
This new proprietary coating is much harder than the already VERY Hard DLC that we all know and appreciate. and has the added bonus of being only One Micron in thickness, and is self lubricating (Man, this just keeps getting better and better!)!
He has applied the treatment to many of his products, and has just finished a prototype on one of his Watches with outstanding results.
We have just struck a deal, for me to send in one of my Pam's for a test,, and I will be sending it in August.
Needless to say, I am stoked!!!
On a side note, I told him that the parts would arrive fully prepped, bead blasted and cleaned. He had one question, and comment, as follows---
"Mike, If you bead blast it, it will come out more of a graphite color. Will this be acceptable to you"?
Don't ya just love it when the stars align!unk: I do. I just love it when a plan comes together!!! I will of course, keep everyone here informed as to how the project proceeds. But it will not begin until mid August.
KnifeMaker
Keep us posted! I will bead blast my house! [emoji6]
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The surface prep is a main key to the whole coating. You can execute a perfect coating from a color perspective, but if the surface prep is off, then the watch can look anywhere from too chalky to too shiny. Make sure you request a fine bead blasted surface preferably with a glass media. I'd love to see some pics along the way!
opcorn:And back on the topic of my 203/A build.... It turns out it was only "done" and not truly DONE. I'm going to be coating a custom CG more to my liking and selling off of watch or two to fund a gen dial and hands from a friend. I can't wait to update this thread when my ultimate franken is truly complete.
Grim, The DLC pam's are what first drew me to the Pam world in the first place. I found them truly striking.
Very much enjoying your build. Took me years to finally obtain a DLC example. Not a correct one in many ways, but a personal for me, joy nonetheless!
On the surface pep., I did the surface prep myself, to my liking. Using, uncontaminated, very cracked glass bead media. It should work out very well indeed! :greedy:
Very much enjoying your build. Took me years to finally obtain a DLC example. Not a correct one in many ways, but a personal for me, joy nonetheless!
On the surface pep., I did the surface prep myself, to my liking. Using, uncontaminated, very cracked glass bead media. It should work out very well indeed! :greedy:
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Humm, I never ask him. All DLC is PVD, but not all PVD is DLC.
What always struck me as odd, for years, when it comes to watches, is "NO One", ask what the PVD is.
You see, PVD is a process, and can be a number of substances actually coated onto the surface, whereas DLC is Carbide applied by the PVD process. Odd, No?
With todays modern DLC coatings, I would not consider anything less than full DLC.
Now the other side fo the coin. Why did I say "Full" DLC, well there are two types of DLC.
A rather HOT process, that gives a very tight matrix, and is extremely hard, and a somewhat newer process that gives a more porous surface, and is less abrasion resistant, and thinner. It is also a lot faster.
The newer process is MUCH cheaper. And really makes me wonder just what process our Rep. Manufacturers are using. Especially considering that they sell DLC coated watches at far less cost, than what the process itself cost. Kinda hard to figure that one!
Knife
What always struck me as odd, for years, when it comes to watches, is "NO One", ask what the PVD is.
You see, PVD is a process, and can be a number of substances actually coated onto the surface, whereas DLC is Carbide applied by the PVD process. Odd, No?
With todays modern DLC coatings, I would not consider anything less than full DLC.
Now the other side fo the coin. Why did I say "Full" DLC, well there are two types of DLC.
A rather HOT process, that gives a very tight matrix, and is extremely hard, and a somewhat newer process that gives a more porous surface, and is less abrasion resistant, and thinner. It is also a lot faster.
The newer process is MUCH cheaper. And really makes me wonder just what process our Rep. Manufacturers are using. Especially considering that they sell DLC coated watches at far less cost, than what the process itself cost. Kinda hard to figure that one!
Knife