STAINLESS STEEL
Iron-Carbon Alloy Mixed With Chromium And Nickel
Traits: Lightweight, affordable and highly corrosion resistant from the chromium protective coating.
Other uses: Architecture, monuments, bridges, automotive and aerospace structures, surgical instruments.
CERAMIC
Zirconium oxide; a non-metallic material that has been created by the action of heating and cooling.
Traits: Durable, lightweight, scratch-resistant, smooth and modern. Can be produced in a variety of hues and finishes.
Other uses: Jet engines, heat shield that protects NASA space shuttles.
TITANIUM
Titanium alloyed with iron, aluminum, vanadium, molybdenum, or other metals.
Traits: Lightweight, durable, dent and corrosion-resistant, good for those with allergies to metals. It has the highest strength-to-weight ratio, about half the weight of steel and 30 percent stronger.
Other uses: Aerospace, naval ships, performance/ racing automotive, wide range of medical instruments, sporting goods.
CARBON FIBER
Carbon thermally decomposed into braided fibers and surrounded by resin. Sometimes used in combination with polymer for improved strength.
Traits: Tough, lightweight, contemporary style.
Other uses: Aviation, military, space, aeronautic, medicine industries and other high technologies.
PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition)
Steel with a vacuum coating of oxides, carbides or nitrides, deposited by ionic attraction.
Traits: Increased durability, reduced friction on metal components.
Other uses: Military, automotive, aerospace.
DLC (Diamond-like carbon)
Carbon coating with similar properties to diamond.
Traits: Ultra-hard, high resistance to wear, scratch-resistant, increased longevity of the metal, low friction, slick. Takes a lot of physical shock to damage or dent coating.
Other uses: Engines of modern supersport motorcycles, Formula 1 racecars, NASCAR vehicles, aeronautics.
GOLD
Fineness, the percentage of pure gold versus the percentage of base metals, is expressed in karats. 18 karat gold (75 percent pure gold) is standard for watch cases and high grade jewelry in the colors white, yellow, rose and red; obtained by adjusting the proportions of copper and silver in the 25% of the alloy not consisting of gold.
Yellow Gold – Pure gold alloyed with other metals.
Traits: Traditional and most frequent gold.
White Gold – Pure gold alloyed with silver, palladium or rhodium.
Traits: More discreet than yellow gold.
Rose Gold – Pure gold alloyed with percentages of copper. The more copper added, the darker the hue. A small percentage of silver or zinc can be added to give a desired tone.
Traits: Fashionable rich gold with a distinctive color. Seen mostly in formal evening watches and sophisticated sport watches.
PLATINUM
Dense, precious, transition meta Iron-carbon alloy mixed with chromium and nickel
Traits: Lightweight, affordable and highly corrosion resistant from the chromium protective coating.
Other uses: Architecture, monuments, bridges, automotive and aerospace structures, surgical instruments.