Ceramic Bezels or Classic Aluminum?

[Macro80]

Aluminium all the way, except for the precious metal models which are more jewllery anyway.

Personally i will be gutted if the new SS Sub has a ceramic bezel. I think it looks awful on the GMT, i would much prefer to own a pepsi or coke rather than the latest incarnation.

I agree with Tools re. the new cases. Its genuinely sad.

[cmr]

Originally Posted by jclevoy

DEFINITELY Aluminum over ceramic. The ceramic looks nice, but it will not stand the test of time, and it is also not end-user replaceable. Too expensive also.

I like my DSSD, but for a tool-watch...............................aluminum bezel inserts all the way

will not stand the test of time? why?

i have hit my gmt2c bezel on titanium aircraft parts hard enough to put small dents in the 904 stainless bezel and there is not a mark on the ceramic insert, mine is a tool watch. if it was a old style gmt i would have been through a dozen or so inserts by now. how much are they a piece plus a trip to rolex and back? i have no access to buy them from rolex and my ad won't sell them, they carry no parts what so ever. you can change the ceramic insert the same as the aluminum, it just snaps into place.

i want to see pictures of one of these that's cracked, bezel and all. if you crack one of these the bezel assy will also be bent or dented. i have to assume most people don't work with their hands with one of these on so they have no idea how tough they are. i am an inspector for boeing and i am constantly reaching back into structure assembly's looking at things.

judging from my hands on experience there is no comparison of durability between the 2, the ceramic is certainly much more durable than a soft anodized piece of aluminum and obviously will never fade from the sun's uv rays.

[sakuraba]

Originally Posted by cmr

will not stand the test of time? why?

i have hit my gmt2c bezel on titanium aircraft parts hard enough to put small dents in the 904 stainless bezel and there is not a mark on the ceramic insert, mine is a tool watch.

i want to see pictures of one of these that's cracked, bezel and all. if you crack one of these the bezel assy will also be bent or dented.

here's a thread on a cracked ceramic DeepSea bezel insert.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...hlight=ceramic

[cafejenna]

I am a huge fan of the aluminum; my Sub Date looks so amazing, and I used to own a GMT Coke which was awesome and the bezel was smashed, dropped on the floor, scraped against brick and it was virtually mint when I parted with it. So far, my Sub Date has taken a few shots and the bezel rocks! The GMTIIc is a beautiful watch, there's no doubt, but the ceramic bezel is a bit much IMHO. I hope that rolex doesn't go too far in changing all their materials.

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by sakuraba

here's a thread on a cracked ceramic DeepSea bezel insert.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...hlight=ceramic

Will be interesting to see the outcome...

[Green Arrow]

I wore the ceramic bezel on two watches, one for 2 years, and one for 1 year (overlapping GMT and Deepsea ownership). No problems of any type at all. Of course, I don't have a real job, so I don't know what would happen if I was whacking it into rebar on a regular basis. I'm buying ceramic again. Plus the new Glidelock clasps are simply the best. The big dots get you better lume. There are good reasons for the changes, IMHO.

[cmr]

Originally Posted by sakuraba

here's a thread on a cracked ceramic DeepSea bezel insert.

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...hlight=ceramic

dude, that watch either got smashed or had the living crap knocked out of it. either way what ever happened hit the pearl very hard and obviously the bezel has a hollow place under it at that point. if the op don't remember doing that i can't imagine the circumstances he was under. i can assure you it was something totally out of the ordinary regardless of his i don't remember statement. it's not cracked, the pearl has been broken out of it.

i have hit mine hard and i knew very well when i done it. it don't have a mark on the insert.

edit to add,

i got to thinking about this and remembered the pearl is sitting higher than anything else at the edge of that watch. makes since if it got hit that would take the impact. the crystal on a deepsea is flush with the insert. on my gmt2c the crystal is higher than the insert and there is no pearl sticking up to hit. on my watch basically things hit the crystal and slide across the insert to the edge of the bezel.

[Singslinger]

It's all about appearance for me, so it's ceramic because it simply looks better.

[ashu2289]

Originally Posted by Otto

After owning a ceramic bezel for a while and parting with the watch, I have to say I prefer the aluminum bezels. The ceramic bezel is beautiful in certain lighting but washes out in other light.

Very well said Otto

[Speed]

Originally Posted by Tools

That's about right.........

And I think that if anybody thinks that it will be as cheap as 7,500 will be in for a shock.........

Thanks Larry.

Well, the pre-owned market seems robust enough to last me a while...We'll see. Even $7500 seems high to me right as a relative noob to quality watches.

[hotfiber]

I hear ya. Although I love my GMT IIc, I feel I missed the boat for what I was REALLY after all these years, a pepsi-bezel classic.