Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

A novel material for watch crystals and watch cases: Mg-spinel transparent ceramics

Project description

Time for new scratchless watches

Watchmaking is a booming industry, which has been dominated by the Swiss since the 1800s. From the Swiss watches (synonymous with luxury) to the new Apple watches (mini computers with a watch strap), watches are changing. Not only are they integrating digital technologies, they are also evolving in terms of materials used. There are so many different types of materials used in wristwatches – from leather (genuine and faux) to wood, nylon, stainless steel, titanium and ceramic. The EU-funded Mag-Spin project is developing a new technology using transparent ceramics (TCs) for scratch-resistant watch crystals and cases. This hi-tech TC material (Mg-spinel) is highly durable in extreme conditions and almost impossible to be scratched in daily use.

Objective

Watch companies over the last century have continuously experimented with watch materials: from precious metals to simple plastics, watches can be made out of almost anything. Consumers’ expectation from a watch is now not only just for timekeeping but also for their craftsmanship, appeal and design. Therefore, a fresh scratch on an otherwise flawless crystal is a devastating sight for such a watch user. The feeling can be even worse on a brand-new watch, or one that just returned from servicing. The growing preferences of mid & high-range branded watches are therefore contributing significantly to the timepiece demand almost all around the world and Europe is still leading the market as the heart of the watch industry. Thus, vendors have to keep up with the trends by introducing innovative products/parts to satisfy the various needs of the customers. Watch crystals and watch cases are unquestionably important parts since they protect the sensitive working mechanism from the external effects. We are now proposing a novel yet promising approach so as to use transparent ceramics (TCs) as scratch resistant watch crystal and case.

Our technology is unique in a way that this hi-tech TC material (Mg-spinel ) is applied to watch crystal & case market. Mag-Spin has built-in advantages over the transparent materials such as acrylic (plexiglass), mineral glass and sapphire used for watches. Mag-Spin is highly durable in extreme conditions and hardly possible to be scratched in everyday use. Our ability to introduce embedded design and colour and to customize the level of transparency also make it suitable material to be used in elegant and fashionable timepiece products. On top of it, unlike sapphire, Mag-Spin’s microstructure allows future improvements from the scientific & engineering perspectives; there is still plenty of space for much better performance. Our progressive material engineered, designed and built is currently at TRL6 stage.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

MAGSPIN ILERI TEKNOLOJI MALZEMELERIARASTIRMA GELISTIRME URETIM TICARET SANAYI ANONIM SIRKETI
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 50 000,00
Address
75 YIL OSB BILIM CAD 1/4 ODUNPAZARI
26110 ESKISEHIR
Türkiye

See on map

SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Doğu Marmara Bursa Eskişehir
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 71 429,00
My booklet 0 0