Question: Frosted look

vilts

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I was wondering, how would one do such "frosted" look on a metal as is on these Audemars Piquet Royal Oaks. I doubt they do this by hand... They are expensive, but still mass producing things. So what kind of machine does this, and how?

Bead blasting, acid etching, stamping, punching?

ap_frosted_gold.jpg

How would one do such thing manually? Some specially patterned punches and then "stipple" the surface?

Here's the biggest close-up I found of this look: AP Frosted Royal oak
 

Brian Marshall

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Hi Vilts,

My guess would be that the texture is probably in the dies - or at least starts there. They may do a little hand touch up here & there?

Take an impression of the surface texture in clay, "Silly putty" or even warmed thermoplastic - to use as a guide - and then make your stamp to match by setting the impression next to the stamp blank to look at as you work on it.

BUT, you gotta be careful of the thickness of the part you are gonna be banging on. Is it thick enough or can you support it well enough to be sure not to warp or change any of the dimensions? A tiny bit of movement would be enough to prevent the parts fitting back together...


Brian
 

Ron Spokovich

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The textured finish brought to mind an application using a, perhaps, micro version of a welder's needle gun with an array of needles, air powered, used for descaling a weldment. Could be, also, that some sort of die arrangement was used to press in the texture just prior to some final fitting. I'd be interested in knowing, if done by chemical or mechanical means!
 

Eric Olson

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Search # 11-7100 at stuller.com
I call it "the Rake". Very similar to sand blasting and works quickly, comes in 3 different "grits".
The real name is Minimat brush
 
Last edited:

Brian Marshall

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That's a pretty coarse texture, but I suppose it coulda been done by stippling? The makers have the other half of the die to support the piece while doin' it...

If the poor guy or gal who had to do it does very many of them - they'll likely be candidates for a rubber room.

Stippling hard/deep enough to give that effect may also cause some warpage to thin parts? (spel chucker didn't like that word?)


I've got the texture "brushes". The finish they give looks quite different to my eye... directional and uniform.


I'd still bet the texture is in the die and touched up if need be, by hand?


I've been wrong before. I think that the last time was around 1976?


Brian
 

C Driver

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This type of finish can be made on die with
EDM, electrical discharge machining, we used
to do this on injection molds and stamping dies.
Charlie, retired journeyman toolmaker
 

Sinterklaas

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They are Audemars Piquets top secret and very old rusty and pitted rolling mills that produce this :)

All joking aside hammering/stippling right up to the edges where the band links starts is very difficult. So I think thats out. They must use machines for this because all watches must have the same finish quality. Uniform in depth, pattern etc. Thats very difficult to do by hand.

Sand blasting could also be a possibility and after that they use cnc machines to cut the facets on the bezel and watch body.

Maybe there is something to find in youtube video's.

EDIT:

After 10 sec on YT I Found this to answer your question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGYf2B-ukvc
 
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Omar Haltam

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wow, machine stippling .... that is amazing thanks Volta for starting this thread.
And thanks for the video Sinterclass
 

Big-Un

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Now, if we can figure out how to make a "wobbly" stipple device! I like the look.
 

dlilazteca

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I like the look also, then some bright cut engraving on it would look really nice

GunEngraver.com Custom Guns Knives and More PAYMENT PLANS Available
 

vilts

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Oh man, how come I didn't search for it on YT. Usually the second place I look for stuff, after Google.

So it is stippling after all. Good to know :)

They are Audemars Piquets top secret and very old rusty and pitted rolling mills that produce this :)

All joking aside hammering/stippling right up to the edges where the band links starts is very difficult. So I think thats out. They must use machines for this because all watches must have the same finish quality. Uniform in depth, pattern etc. Thats very difficult to do by hand.

Sand blasting could also be a possibility and after that they use cnc machines to cut the facets on the bezel and watch body.

Maybe there is something to find in youtube video's.

EDIT:

After 10 sec on YT I Found this to answer your question:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGYf2B-ukvc
 

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