Mark, thank you for the better description. I have a tendency to sometimes leave out the details in my efforts to be to the point and not ramble.

One of the things that I have found is that passivation is the broad term for a whole family of processes such as gun bluing, black oxide, anodizing, Parkerizing etc…. And of course different industries and different companies will call the same process a different thing. Some are just a cold chemical bath, most are a hot bath. Some have other additives such as manganese to give a different finish. To say the least there are a seemingly endless variety of finishes.

Know back to watches. In the research that I have done, I have come to the conclusion that our pvd watches first had some sort of passivation (I think black oxide), then some sort of light coating of a baked on paint, i.e. powder coating. I don’t know if the factory started with an unfinished case that was never brought to a high polish or if the blank case was blasted before and then had the blacking process.

This process would make sense as it jives with a number of the black watches (both in as new condition and well loved) that I have handled and studied photos of online. The powder coated pieces tend to have a little bit more of a matte finish than the pieces that have only had some sort of passivation. This seems to only apply to the black watches though. I have an olive Heuer 510.502 with some chipping and a beat up pewter Regatta that both show no evidence of a passive finish underneath. I think that both of these just have a powder coated finish. Maybe those with the colored pvd can chime in with there experience, as I have only handled a few of these.

As far as showing the step by step that won’t be a problem. I don’t really have any trade secrets so to speak, its all out there to be found. Anyway I doubt most would go this far in getting equipment just coat a watch case. Would I like to maybe do a few cases for those that would like, sure but I don’t plan on making a business out of it. If I can do a few cases here and there and make a little extra watch money then all the better;) so yeah as soon as I get another case I will document.

Stewart, yes pvd is a tougher than powder coating, but it too will eventually show wear, I don’t know how much longer it would take vs. powder coating. Although I think quite a bit longer though because it has industrial uses such as aerospace and tool and die making. Here is a YouTube video of a Rolex getting the real pvd treatment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88gEB3KeAy0

The couple of true pvd watches that I have held don’t look anything like the pvd of old to me that is found on the Heuer Black Corals or Pasadena’s. It looks and feels to me much more like something that has been plated. Similar to plating, the finish of the pvd depends on the finish below. If you want a brushed finish than you start with a brushed finish and so on. Powder coating will smooth out some of imperfections just by its nature.

The coating that I’m using right now is just a plan matte black, but just like paint there are an endless number of powder coating colors. I plan on getting a few of the textured matte black powders to hopefully find an even better match than what I have now. Which I think is already relatively good, but it could always be better. I also would like to get a match for both the pewter and olive watches too. I’m just trying to replicate the finish that Heuer and other watch companies were using so that I can return them to original. Similar to what someone like Able does with plain stainless cases. Speaking of Able, maybe he can let us know what he does or has done to the cases that he re-pvd's because they look real good.

And lastly I don’t claim to be an expert on any of this in any way. If anyone has anything to add, correct, or just shoot a hole, please do. I’m just a hobbyist trying to recreate the original black/olive/pewter finish on old watches.
Eddie