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| Joined: | Sun Sep 4th, 2005 |
| Location: | Florida &, Arizona USA |
| Posts: | 11288 |
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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.
Yes...I am seeing the scratch...and when you are dealing with 5 microns or so, it tends to scratch thru the coating...AND IT SHOWS UP MORE THAN AN EQUIVALENT SCRATCH ON A PURE METAL (such as Stainless Steel or solid gold). The PVD coating is put on the watches for the cosmetic "look" and when one scratches thru it...the "look" tends to suck! If you want to put it on tools, etc. for durability...fine, but I still dislike PVD watches!
