Watchmaking gasket
A watchmaking gasket, in particular a watch glass gasket for a timepiece, includes a polymer matrix charged with phosphorescent and/or fluorescent pigments.
1. A timepiece comprising:
a middle part;
a watch glass disposed in a seat of the middle part;
a bezel positioned radially outside of the watch glass; and
a watch glass gasket interposed between the middle part and the watch glass to form a seal, wherein the gasket comprises a polymer matrix charged with phosphorescent and/or fluorescent pigments.
2. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix contains between 1 and 70% by weight phosphorescent and/or fluorescent pigments.
3. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent pigments are alkaline earth oxide doped with rare earths.
4. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix comprises a mixture of phosphorescent pigments and fluorescent pigments.
5. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix is made from an elastomeric, thermoplastic or thermoplastic elastomer material.
6. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix contains a bicomponent polyurethane, silicone, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyamide, polyester, photopolymerisable resin.
7. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the fluorescent pigments are selected from a group consisting of fluorescein, naphthyl, anthracene, coumarin, rhodamine, and fluorobenzoate.
8. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein, on the periphery of an outside face of the watch glass that is outside the timepiece, the watch glass has a converging lens extending outward from a central portion of the outside face.
9. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein, on the periphery of an inner face of the watch glass that is inside the timepiece, the watch glass has a converging or Fresnel type lens extending inward from a central portion of the inner face.
10. The timepiece according to claim 8 , wherein the lens occupies an annular space with a thickness less than 10 mm and preferably less than 5 mm.
11. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein on an outer face outside the timepiece the bezel has a dome transparent to wavelengths suitable for exciting the pigments allowing the light to be focused and directed towards a portion of the bezel acting as waveguide up to the watch glass gasket, wherein on the outside face said portion has a layer that is reflective or has a refractive index that is slightly lower than the portion to reflect the light within the bezel.
12. The timepiece according to claim 8 , wherein the bezel and the middle part are completely or partly made from a material that is transparent to wavelengths suitable for exciting the pigments.
13. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix contains between 2 and 20% by weight phosphorescent and/or fluorescent pigments.
14. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix contains between 2 and 10% by weight phosphorescent and/or fluorescent pigments.
15. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer matrix contains between 2 and 5% by weight phosphorescent and/or fluorescent pigments.
16. The timepiece according to claim 1 , wherein the watch glass gasket is positioned beneath the bezel.