Do you think that the shiny UltraFire finishes are actually PVD coating rather than anodization?
Physical Vapor Deposition
http://www.oerlikon.com/balzers/en/know-how/coating-technologies/pvd-process/
No expert on finishes here but I would think PVD coating is better than anodized. Have a few watches with PVD finishes and that stuff is pretty tough, think it is kind of baked into the metal. Way better finish than anything UF makes.
I believe PVD is used on steel, whereas aluminum is usually anodized.
My watch is ss black pvd-coated and it is really though, way thougher than anodised aluminium. I would not mind some ss black pvd-coated flashlights for sale, actually a bit odd that there is none.
Ya, I would love to see a PVD coated flashlight. One of my favorite watches that I never wear, because it needs to get repaired, has a nice PVD coated underbezel. This watch has seen so much abuse, and still looks as good as the day I got it almost 4 years ago. I have taken it diving, down to 120ft in Belize's reef, and Guam's Mariana's trench! I also dropped it off a balcony about 3 stories high accidentally. The internals need repair and the crystal replaced, but the watch itself, with that black PVD coated underbezel are unscathed! Not a scratch. I'm not even sure how that's possible.
PVD is the best! I wonder who is going to make the first PVD coated flashlight?
That is a fine watch!