View single post by Topher1556
 Posted: Wed Oct 8th, 2008 01:25 pm
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Topher1556



Joined: Sat Sep 15th, 2007
Location: Northeast, Ohio USA
Posts: 282
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e.avery has it on this one.

PVD is extremely robust.  Ken, what you're seeing on watches that scratch, is the scratch (I'm assuming it's scratched to the point you can see a different colored metal) was actually severe enough to take with it a layer of the watch.  It's the same with PVD gun coatings.

PVD bonds with the top surface of the watch metal.  If you ding it, the metal underneath is dinged too...just like an untreated watch.  If you manage to scratch/gouge it, the damage to a PVD watch will be far less than to an untreated watch.  What's happening is not a scratching off of the PVD layer but a scratching off of a layer of the watch!  Take an untreated watch and scratch it just as hard...and a major gouge will occur...one that might make you sick ;).

The tough part is that visually, your eye picks up on the contrast of the light vs. dark metal, so the imperfections are noticed easier if you pick up some.  I've had a few PVD treated watches.  One was absolutely abused for years...and was still a nice looking watch in the end...with just a little wabi on some links and the clasp.  I'd say it held up stunningly well.