HK40037459A - External element or dial for horology or jewellery made of conductive material - Google Patents

Description

External element or dial for timepiece or piece of jewellery made of electrically conductive material

Technical Field

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an external element or dial for a timepiece or piece of jewellery, made of electrically conductive material.

The invention also relates to a watch comprising an external element and/or a dial made by this method.

The invention concerns the field of external or display parts for timepieces, and the field of jewellery.

Background

To make two-color parts, there are known methods that include:

-placing a sacrificial protective layer (photosensitive resin, varnish, adhesive, polymer film) on the entire surface of the blank;

-selectively etching the protective layer, possibly also the substrate;

-carrying out decorative treatments (electroplating, vacuum deposition, varnishes, lacquers);

removal of the protective layer (chemical etching, dissolution, ion bombardment, mechanical action).

Unless a photosensitive resin is used, the definition of the contour is not very good.

Furthermore, the material of the sacrificial protective layer may exhibit outgassing during any subsequent vacuum treatment, in particular in order to perform a decoration treatment by a metallization process.

Japanese patent application No. H05156425A in the name of SEIKO EPSON corporation (SEIKO EPSON Corp.) discloses forming hollow letters, or more generally patterns, coated with a colored film on the surface of a base material, such as sintered hard alloy, platinum or platinum alloy or ceramic, by a dry film forming process. The surface of the material is coated with a colored film as a first layer, a hollow pattern having a depth greater than the thickness of the first layer is formed on the part concerned by laser beam machining, a colored film having a composition different from that of the first layer is applied as a second layer by a dry film forming process, and then the first layer and the second layer outside the region including the pattern are removed.

JP patent No. H04160154 in the name of SEIKO discloses an economical method for producing decorative elements with decorative and stable quality by masking the surface of a stainless steel decorative element, machining a given part with a laser beam to form a pattern of recesses, and then forming a grey/black coating in the form of a film, in particular by ion plating. The cover film is then removed by etching. Thus, the recessed gray/black pattern or feature is effectively formed with stable quality.

JP patent No. H04136188 in the name of SEIKO discloses how recessed pyramids can be decorated in a high quality and efficient manner by: the surface of the stainless steel decorative member is coated with a titanium-based film by ion plating, recessed letters are formed on a desired part by laser beam machining, and then gold plating is performed by electroplating, after which the film is removed by etching.

EP patent No. 3181006 in the name of smoqi GROUP RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Ltd (THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Ltd) discloses an outer element made of a first ceramic material having a first color, the surface of the outer element being at least partially treated so as to undergo at least one color transition different from the first color.

EP patent No. 3336614 in the name of rubbatt AND WEYERMANN discloses a method for manufacturing an external element or a timepiece dial from a non-conductive material, in which a basic cycle comprising the following steps is carried out at least once:

-the susceptor is made of a non-conductive, or ceramic, or glass or sapphire substrate,

-dry coating the base with at least a first sacrificial metal protection layer;

-etching the decoration by means of an ultrashort pulsed laser of the picosecond laser or femtosecond laser type to a depth at least equal to the local thickness of the first sacrificial metal protection layer;

-dry coating the remaining part of the decorative and first sacrificial metal protective layers with at least a second metal and/or coloured decorative finish layer;

-chemically removing each first sacrificial metal protection layer.

EP patent application No. 3067220a1 in the name of roex discloses a method for decorating a timepiece element having an under-etching of the surface of the element to be decorated using a femtosecond laser; and a surface constituting a surface of the timepiece element to be decorated, the two decorations being at least partially superimposed on each other.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention proposes to develop a method for manufacturing an external element or dial for a timepiece or jewelry made of an electrically conductive material, in particular ceramic or the like, to obtain a metallized and/or colored etched decoration.

To this end, the invention relates to a method as claimed in claim 1.

The invention also relates to a watch comprising an external element and/or a dial made by this method.

The proposed process makes it possible to obtain a high-definition decoration on a conductive substrate.

Furthermore, the present invention avoids the use of an organic protective layer that may exhibit outgassing during subsequent vacuum metallization.

Finally, the solution provided does not require the acquisition of expensive lithographic equipment (spin coater, lithography machine, lithography booth) and can be carried out using common mechanical etching equipment or more particularly laser etching equipment.

Drawings

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 represents a schematic cross-section of the operating sequence of the basic cycle of the method of the invention, comprising the fabrication of a base, the coating of the base with a first sacrificial metal protection layer, the etching of the decoration, the deposition of a second decorative metal and/or coloured treatment layer, and the removal of the first sacrificial metal protection layer.

Fig. 2 shows, in a similar way to fig. 1, a single etching step, in which all etches reach the substrate of the susceptor.

Fig. 3 represents, in a similar way to fig. 1, an optional step of mechanically leveling the first sacrificial metal protection layer and the second decorative finish layer before removing the first sacrificial metal protection layer.

Figure 4 represents, in a similar way to figure 3, an optional step of mechanically leveling the second decorative finish layer after removal of the first sacrificial metal protection layer.

Fig. 5 shows, in a similar way to fig. 1, a single step of depositing a first sacrificial metal protection layer having two superimposed sacrificial metal protection layers.

Figure 6 shows, in a similar way to figure 1, a single step of depositing a second metallic and/or coloured decorative finish having two superposed decorative finishes.

Fig. 7 shows etching details including single or stacked conical etching, and single or stacked pyramidal etching.

Fig. 8 represents, in a similar way to fig. 1, a sequence of nine operations for manufacturing a part comprising two different decorations, in which, in the first five operations, a blank is manufactured in sequence as in fig. 1 and then coated, in this particular variant, first coated with a layer deposited in a drying process, then with a layer deposited in an electrolytic or galvanic process, then subjected to a second hollow etching before being entirely coated with a surface layer, and then the sacrificial metal protection layer is removed to reveal the decorations.

Fig. 9 represents, in a similar way to fig. 1, a variant of the second hollow etching of fig. 8, in which the etching is made with straight edges.

Fig. 10 represents, in a similar way to fig. 1, the variant of fig. 9, in which the final surface is subjected to a levelling or polishing treatment.

Figure 11 shows a watch comprising a bezel and a dial made of ceramic, produced and decorated by the method of the invention.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiment

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a timepiece part made of electrically conductive material, in particular an external element or dial, in which a basic cycle is performed at least once, comprising the following steps in this order:

in an initial step 100, the susceptor 1 is produced from a substrate made of conductive material, wherein the conductive material is metallic or ceramic or organic or composite, defining an upper layer 101 of the susceptor 1;

coating the base 1 with at least a first layer 2 of a first sacrificial metallic protective material in a first coating operation 200, in particular but not exclusively in a drying process;

in a first etching operation 300, the first recessed decorations 3 are etched, mechanically or by means of ultrashort pulsed lasers of the picosecond laser or femtosecond laser type, to a depth at least equal to the local thickness of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2;

coating the remaining portions of the first recessed trim 3 and the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 with at least a second layer 4 of a second metallic decorative treatment and/or colored decorative treatment material in a second coating operation 400, in particular but not exclusively in a drying process, to form a first intermediate compound 5;

in a first chemical removal operation 500, each first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 is removed, in particular by chemical means, to obtain a first blank 10 comprising a first decoration formed by the remaining part of the second layer 4, and the timepiece component is manufactured directly in the form of the first blank 10 or by finishing the first blank 10.

More particularly, during the first coating operation 200, the coating is applied at a first thickness greater than 50 nanometers.

In a variant, the base 1 is dry coated with at least a first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 during the first coating operation 200. More particularly, the first dry coating is applied by PVD or CVD or ALD vacuum deposition.

In another variant, during the first coating operation 200, the susceptor 1 is coated with at least a first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

More particularly, during the second coating operation 400 of coating with at least a second metallic and/or colored decorative finish 4, the coating is applied at a second thickness comprised between 50 nanometers and 1000 nanometers.

In a variant, during the second coating operation 400, the base 1 is dry coated with at least a second metallic decorative finish and/or a colored decorative finish 4. More particularly, the second dry coating operation 400 is applied by PVD or CVD or ALD vacuum deposition.

In another variant, during the second coating operation 400, the base 1 is coated with at least a second metallic decorative finish and/or a colored decorative finish layer 4 by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

In particular, during the operation 300 of etching the first recessed trim 3, the etching is carried out everywhere down to the substrate of the susceptor 1.

More particularly, during the first coating operation 200, the first coating is applied at a first thickness greater than or equal to the difference between, on the one hand, the second thickness of the second metallic and/or colored decorative finish layer 4 to be applied during the step 4 of coating the remaining portions of the first recessed decoration 3 and the first sacrificial metallic protection layer 2, and, on the other hand, the etching depth in the substrate of the susceptor 1 during the operation 300 of etching the first recessed decoration 3.

More particularly, during the etching operation 300, etching is performed to form juxtapositions of deep conical or pyramidal recesses.

More particularly, during the etching operation 300, an etch is carried out in the susceptor 1 to a depth between 20 nanometers and the total thickness of the susceptor 1.

In a variant, during the first coating operation 200, the coating is applied by the superposition of several first layers 2, 21, 22 of different types, at least partially in the drying process, or completely in the drying process.

In another variant, during the first coating operation 200, the coating is applied by superposition of several different types of first layers 2, 21, 22, at least partly by electrolytic or electrochemical means or entirely by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

In yet another variation, some of the layers are deposited in a dry process and some other layers are deposited by electrolytic or electrochemical methods.

In a particular variant, as shown in fig. 6, in a step 400 of coating the recessed decorations 3 and the remaining part of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 with at least a second metallic and/or colored decoration treatment layer 4, the coating is applied by superposition of several second layers 4 of different types 41, 42.

In a variant, during the second coating operation 400, the coating is applied by the superposition of several second layers 4, 41, 42 of different types, at least partially in the drying process, or completely in the drying process.

In another variant, during the second coating operation 400, the coating is applied by superposition of several different types of second layers 4, 41, 42, at least partly by electrolytic or electrochemical means or entirely by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

In yet another variation, some of the layers are deposited in a dry process and some other layers are deposited by electrolytic or electrochemical methods.

More particularly, several second layers 4, 41, 42 are stacked with at least a chromium layer 41 of 50 to 250 nm and a gold layer 42 of 50 to 150 nm. More particularly, a chromium layer about 200 nm thick and a gold layer about 100 nm thick are deposited in a stacked manner.

Fig. 1 shows a variation 410, which variation 410 is more difficult to achieve, wherein the operation 400 is modified by depositing a second decorative finish level with a first sacrificial metal protection layer 2.

For a particular application for the manufacture of electrically conductive, metallized and/or colored etched dials, an advantageous operating sequence of the invention comprises particular parameters:

-200: depositing a sacrificial metal protection layer: preferably, but not exclusively, aluminium, or chromium or copper. The sacrificial metal protection layer may be manufactured in a dry process, more particularly by PVD, CVD, ALD or similar methods; it may also be produced electrolytically or electrochemically or otherwise.

-300: laser etching of the decoration with ultrashort pulsed lasers (of the picosecond or femtosecond type) or nanosecond lasers or attosecond lasers at the other extreme, wherein the sacrificial metal protection layer 2 is selectively ablated and possibly the substrate 1, called lower etch GI, as shown in the figure;

-400: decorative metal (gold, rhodium, chromium, silicon or others) or coloured (oxides, such as silica, or corundum or others, metal nitrides and carbides and any layer combination thereof) treatment, in a dry process, more particularly PVD, CVD, ALD or similar methods, or produced by electrolytic or electrochemical treatment or other methods;

-500: the protective layer is removed by chemical means (alkaline solution of the NaOH type for aluminium, but also acid for chromium or others).

The choice of materials is directly defined by the constraints of the operating sequence.

In fact, the properties of each sacrificial layer and the properties of each decorative layer must be chosen such that:

the stripping solution removes the protective layer without degrading the decorative coating;

the protective layer is not degraded during etching, in particular during laser etching (in particular, but not exclusively, ultrashort pulsed lasers of the picosecond laser or femtosecond laser type, but also nanosecond lasers or others), outside the defined etching area (etching, possible degradation in the vicinity of the projection of the incandescent particles);

the protective layer must resist any intermediate cleaning operations.

The selection of the sacrificial metal protection layer avoids any outgassing in step 200. In practice, this sacrificial metal protection layer is made of a material that is subjected to the pressure (which may be as low as P = 1.10) encountered during the decoration process in step 400^-8mbar) and temperature (generally T.ltoreq.300 ℃) which, unlike the varnishes/lacquers used in the prior art, have the disadvantage of degassing and/or of partial decomposition under these conditions, which impairs the quality and/or the aesthetics of the decorative treatment.

Preferably, before carrying out the step 200 of coating the base 1 with at least the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, a cleaning operation is carried out: detergents and/or solvents, with/without ultrasound, with/without mechanical stress, with/without temperature are used to ensure surface cleanliness and thus good adhesion of the sacrificial metal protection layer.

In a particular variant, during the operation 300 of etching the recessed trim 3, etching is carried out everywhere in the substrate of the susceptor 1, as shown in fig. 2.

Naturally, the blank should be cleaned after the etching operation and then subjected to a second deposition of the decorative treatment material, in particular by PVD or CVD or ALD. This is a conventional cleaning operation (use of detergents and/or solvents, with/without ultrasound, with/without mechanical stress, with/without temperature), but it must not deteriorate the protection of the sacrificial metal. In particular, in the case of sacrificial metal protection comprising aluminium, cleaning solutions with too basic a pH value have to be excluded.

In a variant of the invention, the compound thus formed on the upper layer of the submount 1 is mechanically leveled (in step 550) before or after the chemical removal of each first sacrificial metallic protection layer 2 (in step 500).

In a particular variant, after the application step 40, in which the recessed decorations 3 and the remaining part of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 are coated with at least a second metal and/or colored decorative finish layer 4, the compound thus formed on the upper layer of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 is mechanically leveled in a step 450.

In another particular variant, the compound thus formed on the upper layer of the submount 1 is mechanically leveled in step 550 before the chemical removal 500 of each first sacrificial metal protection layer 2.

In another particular variant, after the chemical removal 500 of each first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, the compound thus formed on the upper layer of the submount 1 is mechanically leveled in step 550.

In a variant, in the step 200 of coating the susceptor 1 with at least a first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, the dry coating is applied by PVD or CVD or ALD vacuum deposition; various methods may also be suitable: vacuum evaporation, vacuum sputtering, PECVD, or others. In another variant, the coating is applied by electrolytic or electrochemical methods.

In a particular variant, in the step 200 of coating the base 1 with at least the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, the coating is applied with a first thickness greater than 50 nanometers.

In an advantageous variant, in the step 400 of coating the remaining portions of the recessed decoration 3 and of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 with at least a second metal and/or a coloured decoration treatment layer 4, the coating can be applied in a drying process, in particular by PVD vacuum deposition (different methods may be suitable: vacuum evaporation, vacuum sputtering, CVD, ALD or others), or by electrolytic or electrochemical methods.

More particularly, in the step 400 of coating the recessed decorations 3 and the remaining portion of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2 with at least a second metallic and/or colored decoration treatment layer 4, the coating is applied in a second thickness comprised between 50 nanometers and 2000 nanometers, more particularly between 50 nanometers and 1000 nanometers.

Preferably, in the step 200 of coating the base 1 with at least a first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, the coating is applied with a first thickness greater than or equal to the difference between, on the one hand, the second thickness of the second metal and/or colored decoration treatment layer 4 during the step 400 of coating the first recessed decorations 3 and the remaining part of said first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, and, on the other hand, the etching depth in the substrate of the base 1 during the operation 30 of etching the recessed decorations 3.

In an advantageous variant, in the step 30 of etching the recessed decorations 3 to a depth at least equal to the local thickness of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, the etching is carried out mechanically or with the aid of a laser, in particular a nanosecond, picosecond or femtosecond laser.

As an alternative to the present invention, in a similar process, the etching can be carried out in different ways, alone or in combination: laser, tooling, ion bombardment, chemical etching, and the like.

In a particular variant, in the step 300 of etching the recessed decorations 3 to a depth at least equal to the local thickness of the first sacrificial metal protection layer 2, an etching is carried out to form a juxtaposition of deep conical or pyramidal recesses.

More particularly, this etching 300 is carried out in the susceptor 1 to a depth comprised between 20 nanometers and the total thickness of the susceptor 1.

Thus, for example, it is possible to form a very deep conical depression over the entire thickness of the dial, for example over a thickness of the order of millimetres.

More particularly, for other applications, particularly display applications, a substantially planar laser etch is carried out to a depth of about 20 μm.

In another variant, deeper laser etching is carried out, for example to define a recessed or chamfered date hole or the like. The present invention can produce very fine, two-color, chamfered holes that are extremely difficult to manufacture by other methods.

In a particular variant, as shown in fig. 5, in the step 200 of coating the base 1 with at least a first sacrificial metallic protection layer 2, the coating is applied by superposition of a first layer 2 of several different types 21, 22.

The choice of materials that can be used is very wide:

for conductive substrates, many different materials can be used;

for sacrificial metal protection, for example aluminum or chromium:

for sacrificial metal protection including aluminum, the decorative treatment may include: au, Cr, Rh, Ti, Si and/or alloys and/or oxides and/or nitrides and/or carbides and/or combinations of these metals;

for sacrificial metal protection containing chromium, the decorative treatment may include: au, Rh, Ti, Si and/or alloys and/or oxides and/or nitrides and/or carbides and/or combinations of these metals;

in a variant, after the first chemical removal operation 500, in a third coating operation 600, the first blank 10 is coated with at least a surface layer 7 of a first sacrificial metallic protective material or another sacrificial metallic protective material in an electroplating process. However, the plating process must be applied to the conductive substrate.

In another variant, after the first chemical removal operation 500, in a third coating operation 600, the first blank 10 is coated with at least a third layer 6 of the first sacrificial metallic protective material or another sacrificial metallic protective material in a drying process, more particularly by PVD, CVD, ALD or similar methods. This coating mode is independent of the nature of the substrate.

In a further variant, during the coating operation 600, once this third layer 6 has been formed, the third layer 6 is then coated in an electroplating process with at least a surface layer 7 of the first sacrificial metallic protective material, or of the sacrificial metallic protective material of the third layer 6, or of another sacrificial metallic protective material. The conductive third layer 6 is chosen such that the electroplating method used for forming the surface layer 7 can be applied. Nothing prevents that the material of the third layer 6 can be the same as the material of the surface layer 7, for example copper.

More particularly, after the third coating operation 600, a second etching operation 700 is carried out in which the second recessed decoration 8 is etched, mechanically or by means of a laser, to a depth at least equal to the combined thickness of the layers deposited on the first blank 10 during the third coating operation 600, so as to produce a second intermediate compound 15.

More particularly, after this second etching operation 700, a fourth coating operation 800 is carried out during which the outermost surfaces of the second recessed decorations 8 and of the second intermediate compound 15 are coated with at least a fifth layer 9 of a fifth metallic and/or colored decorative treatment material to obtain a third intermediate compound 16.

More particularly, after this fourth coating operation 800, a second chemical removal operation 900 is carried out in which each sacrificial metal protection layer is removed by chemical means so as to obtain a second blank 20 comprising a first decoration formed by the remaining part of the second layer 4 and a second decoration formed by the remaining part of the fifth layer 9, and the timepiece part is made directly in the form of this second blank 20, or by finishing the second blank 20.

More particularly, at least a sixth metallic decorative finish and/or colored decorative finish material is selected and the sequence of combining the third coating operation 600, the second etching operation 700, the fourth coating operation 800 and the second chemical removal operation 900 is repeated in order to have the blank with the same sacrificial metallic protective material or other similar sacrificial metallic protective material to produce at least one other decoration in addition to the first and second decorations.

More particularly, after the fourth coating operation 800 and before the second chemical removal operation 900, an intermediate etching operation 810 is performed during which the third recess decoration 81 is etched, either mechanically or by means of a laser.

More particularly, before or after the operation of chemical removal of the sacrificial metal protection layer, a mechanical levelling operation 550 or 910 is carried out, during which the compound thus formed is subjected to mechanical levelling on the upper layer 101 of the base 1 or below this upper layer 101, so as to form a decorative visible surface on the upper layer 411 of the remaining part of the component. Thus, after completion of the first basic cycle and cleaning, at least one other basic cycle is carried out with modified parameters for the etching operation and/or for selecting a decoration process.

The present invention is particularly suitable for the preferable case in which a ceramic substrate is used in the step 100 of manufacturing the susceptor 1.

More particularly, at least one sacrificial metal protection material is used, which is copper or aluminum or gold or platinum.

More particularly, the timepiece part is made to form an external element or dial.

More particularly, therefore, the method according to the invention is very suitable for making external elements for timepieces or jewellery, such as watch cases, bezels, flanges or dials, or elements of jewellery parts, for example bracelet or jewellery, made of electrically conductive material (in particular ceramic or similar material), so that a metallized and/or coloured etched decoration can be obtained.

The invention allows the manufacture of two or more coloured components.

In practice, the method may be repeated using different etch decorations and/or different decoration processes.

Thus, after performing phase 500 and completing the first basic cycle, and after cleaning, at least one other basic cycle may be performed with modified parameters for the etching operation and/or for selecting a decoration process.

Thus, the entire operating sequence of the basic cycle can be restarted with the modification parameters without limiting the number of repetitions:

-depositing a sacrificial metal protection;

etching another decoration, for example on the substrate and/or elsewhere in part on the etching already carried out at the previous stage;

-depositing a further decoration treatment;

dissolving the sacrificial metal protection.

This cycle may be repeated several times to obtain a multicolored part, for example, with parts having different appearances made of Au, Ti, Si, Rh, or other materials.

Depending on the roughness, density and depth of etching to produce the reflection, or the particular finish of the applied decorative treatment, such as satin, semi-matte, bright or otherwise, the particular etched texture may also provide a particular visual appearance.

The invention also relates to a watch 1000 comprising an external element 110, such as a bezel, a watch case or the like, in particular made of ceramic, and/or comprising a dial 120 made by a method according to the invention, in particular made of ceramic.

This process avoids the use of expensive lithographic equipment to obtain very high definition decoration.

Furthermore, the use of a sacrificial metal protection layer avoids any outgassing problems during the preferred vacuum process for applying the metal and/or colored decorative finish.

The invention is very suitable for decorating conductive dials, conductive watch glasses, conductive parts, such as watch cases, case middles, watch rings, crown and others. The quality, dexterity and contrast of the decoration, which can be made of noble metals, are such as to allow a highly sophisticated decoration, compatible with luxury watches, in particular of complex elements, such as for example high resolution lunar phase indicators. The reasonable cost of implementing the method also permits its use in more widely used timepiece components.

Naturally, the invention is advantageous not only for timepieces or jewelry parts, but also for pieces of jewelry or jewelry parts or for glasses or fashion items.

Indeed, the invention makes it possible to modify and substantially enhance the appearance of the parts directly visible to the user through innovative decorations and to contribute to the spread of brands and products. More particularly, the present invention may be used for identification marks and/or security marks.

Claims (33)

1. Method for manufacturing a timepiece part made of electrically conductive material, in particular an external element or a dial, in which at least one basic cycle is carried out, comprising the following steps in this order:

-in an initial step (100), producing a base (1) from a substrate made of electrically conductive material, metallic or ceramic or organic or composite, defining an upper layer (101) of said base (1);

-coating the base (1) with at least a first layer (2; 21; 22) of a first sacrificial metal protection material in a first coating operation (200);

-etching, in a second etching operation (300), the first recessed decoration (3) mechanically or by means of an ultrashort pulsed laser of the picosecond laser or femtosecond laser type to a depth at least equal to said local thickness of said first sacrificial metal protection layer (2; 21; 22);

-coating said first recessed trim (3) and said remaining portion of said first sacrificial metal protection layer (2; 21; 22) with at least a second layer (4; 41; 42) of a second metallic and/or coloured decorative treatment material in a second coating operation (400) to form a first intermediate compound (5);

-removing each of said first sacrificial metal protection layers (2; 21; 22) by chemical means in a first chemical removal operation (500) to obtain a first blank (10) comprising a first decoration formed by the remaining portion of said second layer (4; 41; 42);

-and manufacturing the timepiece component directly in the form of the first blank (10) or by finishing the first blank (10),

the method is characterized in that:

-during said first coating operation (200), or respectively during said second coating operation (400), said coating is applied at least partially in a drying process, or at least partially by electrolytic or electrochemical means, by the superposition of several said first layers (2; 21; 22) or by the respective superposition of several said second layers (4; 41; 42) of different types;

-or after the first chemical removal operation (500), in a third coating operation (600), coating the first blank (10) with at least a surface layer (7) of the first sacrificial metallic protective material or another sacrificial metallic protective material in an electroplating process, or coating the first blank (10) with at least a third layer (6) of the first sacrificial metallic protective material or another sacrificial metallic protective material in a drying process;

-the coating is at least partially in a drying process either simultaneously during the first coating operation (200) or separately during the second coating operation (400), or at least partly by electrolytic or electrochemical means, by the superposition of several said first layers (2; 21; 22) or of several said second layers (4; 41; 42) of different types, respectively, and after said first chemical removal operation (500), in a third coating operation (600), coating the first blank (10) with at least a surface layer (7) of the first sacrificial metallic protective material or another sacrificial metallic protective material in an electroplating process, or coating the first blank (10) with at least a third layer (6) of the first sacrificial metal protection material or another sacrificial metal protection material in a drying process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein during the first coating operation (200), the coating is applied at a first thickness greater than 50 nanometers.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said first coating operation (200) said base (1) is dry-coated with at least one said first sacrificial metal protection layer (2; 21; 22).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first dry coating is applied by PVD or CVD or ALD vacuum deposition.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said first coating operation (200) said base (1) is coated with at least one of said first sacrificial metal protection layers (2; 21; 22) by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said second coating operation (400) of coating with at least a second metallic and/or colored decorative finish (4; 41; 42), said coating is applied at a second thickness comprised between 50 nm and 1000 nm.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during the second coating operation (400) the base (1) is dry-coated with at least the second metallic and/or coloured decorative finish (4; 41; 42).

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the second dry coating operation (400) is carried out by PVD or CVD or ALD vacuum deposition.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said second coating operation (400), said base (1) is coated with at least one of said second metallic decorative and/or coloured decorative treatment layers (4; 41; 42) by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during the operation (300) of etching the first recessed decoration (3), the etching is carried out everywhere down to the substrate of the base (1).

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said first coating operation (200), said first coating layer is applied with a first thickness greater than or equal to a second thickness of a second metallic and/or coloured decorative finish layer (4; 41; 42) to be applied during said step (400) of coating said first recessed decoration (3) and said remaining portion of said first sacrificial metallic protection layer (2; 21; 22), on the one hand, and, on the other hand, a difference between said etching depths in said substrate of said susceptor (1) during said operation (300) of etching the first recessed decoration (3).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein during the etching operation (300), the etching is carried out to form juxtapositions of deep conical or pyramidal recesses.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said etching operation (300), said etching is carried out in said susceptor (1) with a depth comprised between 20 nanometers and the total thickness of said susceptor (1).

14. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said first coating operation (200), said coating is applied by said superposition of several different types of said first layers (2; 21; 22), at least partially in a drying process, or completely in a drying process.

15. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said first coating operation (200) said coating is applied by said superposition of several different types of said first layers (2; 21; 22) at least partly by electrolytic or electrochemical means or entirely by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

16. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said second coating operation (400), said coating is applied by said superposition of several different types of said second layers (4; 41; 42), at least partially in a drying process, or completely in a drying process.

17. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said second coating operation (400) said coating is applied by said superposition of several different types of said second layers (4; 41; 42), at least partly by electrolytic or electrochemical means or entirely by electrolytic or electrochemical means.

18. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that said superposition of several of said second layers (4; 41; 42) is carried out with a chromium layer (41) of at least 50 nm to 250 nm and a gold layer (42) of 50 nm to 150 nm.

19. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that said superposition of several of said second layers (4; 41; 42) is carried out with a chromium layer (41) of at least 50 nm to 250 nm and a gold layer (42) of 50 nm to 150 nm.

20. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that after the first chemical removal operation (500), the first blank (10) is coated in a third coating operation (600) with at least a surface layer (7) of the first sacrificial metallic protective material or another sacrificial metallic protective material in an electroplating process.

21. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that after the first chemical removal operation (500), the first blank (10) is coated in a third coating operation (600) with at least a third layer (6) of the first sacrificial metal protection material or another sacrificial metal protection material in a drying process.

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that during the coating operation (600), after the third layer (6) is generated, the third layer (6) is then coated in an electroplating process with at least a surface layer (7) of the first sacrificial metal protection material, or of the sacrificial metal protection material of the third layer (6), or of another sacrificial metal protection material.

23. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that after the third coating operation (600), a second etching operation (700) is performed, in which a second recessed decoration (8) is etched, mechanically or by means of a laser, to a depth at least equal to the combined thickness of the layers deposited on the first blank (10) during the third coating operation (600), so as to produce a second intermediate compound (15).

24. The method according to claim 23, characterized in that after the second etching operation (700), a fourth coating operation (800) is carried out, during which the outermost surfaces of the second recessed decorations (8) and of the second intermediate compound (15) are coated with at least a fifth layer (9) of a fifth metal and/or coloured decorative treatment material.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, wherein after said fourth coating operation (800) a second chemical removal operation (900) is carried out, via which each sacrificial metal protection layer is chemically removed to obtain a second blank (20) comprising said first decoration formed by said remaining part of said second layer (4; 41; 42) and a second decoration formed by said remaining part of said fifth layer (9), and characterized in that said timepiece component is made directly in the form of said second blank (20) or by finishing said second blank (20).

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein at least a sixth metallic decorative finish and/or colored decorative finish material is selected, and wherein said sequence of combining said third coating operation (600), said second etching operation (700), said fourth coating operation (800) and said second chemical removal operation (900) is repeated with the same sacrificial metallic protective material or other similar sacrificial metallic protective material, so as to produce at least one other decoration than said first and second decorations.

27. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that after the fourth coating operation (800) and before the second chemical removal operation (900), an intermediate etching operation (810) is carried out, during which a third recess decoration (81) is etched mechanically or by means of a laser.

28. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that before or after the operation of chemical removal of the sacrificial metal protection layer, a mechanical levelling operation (550; 910) is carried out, during which the compound thus formed is mechanically levelled above the upper layer (101) of the base (1) or below the upper layer (101) to form a decorative visible surface on the upper layer (411) of the remaining part of the component.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said basic cycles is performed after completion of a first of said basic cycles and cleaning operations, using modification parameters for said etching operation and/or for selecting said decoration process.

30. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during said step (100) of manufacturing said susceptor (1), a ceramic substrate is used.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one sacrificial metal protection material is used, said sacrificial metal protection material being copper or aluminum or gold or platinum.

32. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said timepiece part is made to form an outer element or dial.

33. Watch (1000) comprising at least one timepiece component (100) made by the method according to claim 1.