On the Sea-Guide black and smoky and the REC black pearl guides the finish is achieved by Physical Vapour Deposit (PVD)

So what is PVD

PVD Coating refers to a variety of thin film deposition techniques where a solid material is vaporized in a vacuum environment and deposited on substrates as a pure material or alloy composition coating.

As the process transfers the coating material as a single atom or on the molecular level, it can provide extremely pure and high performance coatings which for many applications can be preferable to other methods used. At the heart of every microchip, and semiconductor device, durable protective film, optical lens, solar panel and many medical devices, PVD Coatings provide crucial performance attributes for the final product. Whether the coating needs to be extremely thin, pure, durable or clean, PVD provides the solution.

It is used in a wide variety of industries like optical applications ranging from eye glasses to self-cleaning tinted windows, photovoltaic applications for solar energy, device applications like computer chips, displays and communications as well as functional or decorative finishes, from durable hard protective films to brilliant gold, platinum or chrome plating.

The two most common Physical Vapor Deposition Coating processes are Sputtering and Thermal Evaporation. Sputtering involves the bombardment of the coating material known as the target with a high energy electrical charge causing it to “sputter” off atoms or molecules that are deposited on a substrate like a silicon wafer or solar panel. Thermal Evaporation involves elevating a coating material to the boiling point in a high vacuum environment causing a vapor stream to rise in the vacuum chamber and then condense on the substrate.

What Makes PVD Coatings Highly Durable, Corrosion and Scratch Resistant?

Being able to apply coatings at the atomic level using PVD allows control of structure, density and stoichiometry of the films. Using certain materials and processes, we can develop specifically desired attributes of the physical vapor deposited film like hardness, lubricity, adhesion and more.

These coatings can reduce friction and provide a barrier against damage. The applications for these coatings are ever expanding. Aerospace, automotive, defence, manufacturing and more where long lasting durability is crucial.

This type of physical vapor deposition coatings can also be highly resistant to tarnishing and corrosion, enabling them to be used for a wide range of decorative finishes with colours that do not fade. A PVD gold or platinum coating produces brilliant finishes that make watches highly resistant to scratches and scrapes that cause less resilient processes to wear off.

Titanium nitride and similar coatings offer beautiful finishes that are also very resistant to corrosion and wear. This makes them widely used on household items such as door handles, plumbing fixtures and marine fixtures as well as machining tools, knives, drill bits, etc. It produces coatings with superior hardness, durability and resistance to wear.