nickzac wrote:
While not super creative, I think it looks good. However, it's not for me.
breanach78 wrote:
Hi Rick,
What's that bracelet going to look like after a few years of ware?
While I don't know much about Breitling's DLC, items I have used with DLC coatings have been exceptionally durable even when exposed to high wear, high friction, and high temp applications. Certain DLC coatings greatly extend bit life for tooling saving time and money. It will likely be far more durable than their standard finishes.
http://forums.watchuseek.com/f7/looking ... 74924.htmlWhile watchmakers may use DLC coatings for looks, DLC offers real performance enhancements against abrasion...
Quote:
The hardest, strongest, and slickest is such a mixture, known as tetrahedral amorphous carbon, or ta-C. For example, a coating of only 2 μm thickness of ta-C increases the resistance of common (i.e. type 304) stainless steel against abrasive wear; changing its lifetime in such service from one week to 85 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond-like_carbonAgreed it IS very tough, but there are people here who own Blacksteel watches that have managed to scratch the coating, and without particularly try to. Additionally I'm pretty sure there are people here who have noted that the DLC on exposed sharp edges can also show signs of wear after just a couple of years.
I've seen that "extending the life of service from 1 week to 85 years" quote before, and I must be honest but I'm a little dubious of it's real-world application. Perhaps it would hold true for something like a bearing assembly where the metal on metal contact is regular and predictable, but I just don't think it's possible to make the same claims for watches that can be exposed to a variety of knocks and abrasions from various angles.
Personally you couldn't pay me to own a DLC watch : I agree they can look pretty cool, but a damaged coating is not repairable (other than a professional bare-metal recoat), so that alone is enough to make me steer well clear. If I wanted a black watch, I'd go ceramic.... but that's just me, and ultimately it's each to their own.
I'm with you on that...you can fix a brushed stainless finish with a ScotchBrite and a polished stainless finish with a Cape Cod...not quite the case with DLC! And personally I am a sucker for brushed stainless. I don't know much about DLC coatings and even less about what Breitling uses specifically...some seem to be used almost solely for cosmetics and others for exceptional abrasion resistance... I believe the 'one week to 85 years' pertains to t-aC...which I am 99.9991% sure is not what Breitling uses or the DLC watches would cost a good bit more than non-DLC counterparts...and to my understanding t-aC is really only used on industrial application (
kinda a cool read although a little old). And that makes sense that the edges show wear as the DLC pieces I have show wear first on the sharpest angles...which would be a nightmare given the angle the bezel uses. eek! Most of the DLC coated items I have are tools with the coating for better wear resistance...so if the cosmetics get wrecked it's not an issue in the least. I've also noticed the color on the DLC tools I have does change over time as well...not sure if that would be an issue with a watch with DLC given it would not be exposed to the same elements a drill bit, cutting/tooling bit, or bearing joint would be.
Now I really, really wish Breitling would explore 6AL4V anodized titanium or liquid metal cases... 6AL4V would give one heck of a performance advantage (strength and weight) and it looks amazing when anodized. IMO 6AL4V would be better suited for a watch than stainless with a DLC coating given it is easy to 'ding' a stainless watch where as you have to try hard to ding grade 5 titanium and you could live in a saltwater lagoon without worrying about oxidation.
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