External element made of zirconia with selectively conductive zones for electronic applications

An external element for a wearable object,

• the external element being made from a first material, the first material being an insulating ceramic,
• wherein a surface of the external element is treated locally so that the surface includes an insulating zone and a conductive zone, the conductive zone including at least one conversion with a non-zero electrical conductivity.

A process for treating an external element for a wearable object, the external element being made from a first material, the first material being an insulating ceramic, the process comprising:

• providing the external element and placing the external element in a hermetically sealed chamber containing an atmosphere that is atomically heavy with a chemical element;
• locally heating, by a first focused heat source, the surface of the external element so that atoms of the atmosphere of the chamber combine with a portion of the surface of the first material to form, on a surface of the external element, at least one insulating zone and one conductive zone.

A process for treating an external element for a wearable object made from a first material, the first material being an insulating ceramic, the process comprising:

• providing the external element;
• treating the external element by placing it in a hermetically sealed chamber containing an atmosphere that is atomically heavy with a chemical element and heating its surface so that atoms of the atmosphere of the chamber combine with the surface of the first material;
• prior or subsequent to the treating the external element, structuring the external element allowing a relief to be created on its surface and localizing a carburized/nitrided conductive layer in protruding portions or recesses of the relief.