Need Help - SD4K Inner Clasp Engravings

[trackingtime]

my friend came across this SD4K which has no black ink engraving on the inner clasp.
was comparing to his own and mine, which both has black ink.

Anyone knows why? manufacturing difference in the period?

[Divingdeep87]

Depends on what year it is produced. They made the chance around 2015 ish I remember correctly.

[trackingtime]

both 2015 and 2017 has black ink engravings

the one without the ink is dated 2017 as well.

[WatchTimes]

Were they both purchased from trusted dealers?
If so no worries.

[Divingdeep87]

Originally Posted by trackingtime

both 2015 and 2017 has black ink engravings

the one without the ink is dated 2017 as well.

One has been sitting in the safe then.

[trackingtime]

Originally Posted by WatchTimes

Were they both purchased from trusted dealers?
If so no worries.

trusted dealer or not, i like to know when did rolex did the change?

[Kevin of Larchmont]

I’m curious as well. Mine has black ink, purchased CPO with no original documentation so unsure of year of origin.

[Jake Sully]

May have been lightly media blasted to remove some sin.

[Divingdeep87]

I know there is a topic on it here on Rolex Forums. - just the right search needed

[nyc2la]

Originally Posted by trackingtime

my friend came across this SD4K which has no black ink engraving on the inner clasp.
was comparing to his own and mine, which both has black ink.

Anyone knows why? manufacturing difference in the period?

The one I bought from you has the black ink engraving.

[Gearjockey]

This may have been the post:

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=503512

[JMGoodnight369]

This looks real strange to me. So usually with those older ceramic model clasps that have the sandblasting the branding relief is filled in dark. This one isn’t. Also the sandblasting looks quite different. Looking closer the act tang that attaches to the flip lock is blasted. It should be nice and smooth right there. If it was a newer style clasp like the 2017s have it’s a high mirror polish with no darkened engraving.

[Gearjockey]

Here’s mine

Bothered me for a minute til I received clarification.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[trackingtime]

Originally Posted by nyc2la

The one I bought from you has the black ink engraving.

yes sir, that's right, my personal piece has the black in as well.
was doing a deep dive, can't seem to find anything on the net.

maybe i am using the wrong keywords

[trackingtime]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

Here’s mine

Bothered me for a minute til I received clarification.[IMG]https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20240907/d49967ae6b68922dde4d56077d46e222.jpg[/MG]


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

those are fine, rolex changed from sand-blasted inner clasp finishing to polished finishing, so all the the newer pieces are polished.

[trackingtime]

Originally Posted by Gearjockey

This may have been the post:

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=503512

from sandblasted to polished inner clasp, that's fine.

now the question is where is the black ink on the rolex logo?

i am guessing, it was refinished?

[trackingtime]

Originally Posted by JMGoodnight369

This looks real strange to me. So usually with those older ceramic model clasps that have the sandblasting the branding relief is filled in dark. This one isn’t. Also the sandblasting looks quite different. Looking closer the act tang that attaches to the flip lock is blasted. It should be nice and smooth right there. If it was a newer style clasp like the 2017s have it’s a high mirror polish with no darkened engraving.

yeap, you're right on the part on the "hook", both with black ink are smooth out while the one without the ink is blasted.

[Bill_H]

The welding where the bracelet attaches to the clasp looks suspicious. Small weld beads are visible on the no-ink clasp. This is much cleaner on the other "inked" clasp.

On the other hand, the weld beads might be a photo artifact.