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Jim300186 · 16 January 2013, 12:30 PM

Hi all I'm fairly new to Rolex ownership I have a ss Daytona and a red hand exporer 2 I was recently told by my brother that he reckons the hands and hour markers are made of gold is this true? I have no idea

FeelingTheBlues · 16 January 2013, 12:31 PM

I believe it is true for the newer models, unless your watches are vintage the hands (and I believe the rings surrounding the markers) are made of white gold.

dddrees · 16 January 2013, 12:31 PM

That is true.

Jim300186 · 16 January 2013, 12:33 PM

No they are not vintage both are brand new. That's interesting why do they use gold on a stainless steel watch instead of more stainless steel?

dddrees · 16 January 2013, 12:34 PM

Because it sounds a whole lot better.

FeelingTheBlues · 16 January 2013, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim300186

No they are not vintage both are brand new. That's interesting why do they use gold on a stainless steel watch instead of more stainless steel?

Perhaps because it shines more? I believe it's also more resistant to corrosion.

I'm really not sure about that one so that's my wild guess!

EDIT: Oh...yes...and what Dan said just above!

dddrees · 16 January 2013, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Perhaps because it shines more? I believe it's also more resistant to corrosion.

I'm really not sure about that one so that's my wild guess!

EDIT: Oh...yes...and what Dan said just above!

Nope, nope, see above Carl.

joe100 · 16 January 2013, 01:22 PM

Rolex started this in the 1980s and the introduction date varied based on model

kilyung · 16 January 2013, 01:29 PM

Corrosion resistance

jctrolex · 16 January 2013, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilyung

Corrosion resistance

I don't buy it, it's just a marketing ploy from Rolex so that they can charge a crazy amount of money for a steel watch and make you feel somewhat justified. The steel case is a lot more and constantly exposed to the elements than the markers and the hands that are hermetically sealed inside the case and therefore less prone to corrosion. If there is corrosion it will happen to the case before getting to the markers and hands inside. So by their same logic steel is more corrosion resistant than gold (which we know is not the case)? Why not use steel for the markers and hands then?
I will buy the argument that gold is probably shinier than steel for aesthetic reasons.

Joey_V · 16 January 2013, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jctrolex

I don't buy it, it's just a marketing ploy from Rolex so that they can charge a crazy amount of money for a steel watch and make you feel somewhat justified. The steel case is a lot more and constantly exposed to the elements than the markers and the hands that are hermetically sealed inside the case and therefore less prone to corrosion. If there is corrosion it will happen to the case before getting to the markers and hands inside. So by their same logic steel is more corrosion resistant than gold (which we know is not the case)? Why not use steel for the markers and hands then?
I will buy the argument that gold is probably shinier than steel for aesthetic reasons.

If you look at your vintage "hermetically sealed" Rolexes, you can see that the hands corrode. So, I do buy that they made it WG to make it more corrosion resistant.

dddrees · 16 January 2013, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joey_V

If you look at your vintage "hermetically sealed" Rolexes, you can see that the hands corrode. So, I do buy that they made it WG to make it more corrosion resistant.

After seeing Mike's post later, even I realized I was probably mistaken. I also thought about the vintage vintage watches and how common it was to see corrosion.

Sorry Carl,

Dan

jackruff · 16 January 2013, 04:42 PM

At a guess I presume that thin/fine SS (as in hand, hour markers) would be more susceptible to corrosion than a large chunk so hence corrosion resistant gold to the mostly inaccessible areas.....

joseluu · 16 January 2013, 04:50 PM

If corrosion destroys 1/10 of a mm of the case nobody would even notice. If if happens to the hands you would have levitating luminova.

77T · 16 January 2013, 05:04 PM

They make hands of gold rather than fiddle with multiple materials having different luminova deposition characteristics. Overall the supply chain and manufacturing savings in this simplicity overcomes the raw material cost differences.

16 January 2013, 12:30 PM	#1
Jim300186 "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Real Name: Jamie Location: Alloa, Scotland Watch: SS Daytona Posts: 219	Gold in Rolex watches Hi all I'm fairly new to Rolex ownership I have a ss Daytona and a red hand exporer 2 I was recently told by my brother that he reckons the hands and hour markers are made of gold is this true? I have no idea

16 January 2013, 12:31 PM	#2
FeelingTheBlues "TRF" Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Real Name: Carl Location: Always moving Watch: If you wish... Posts: 22,039	I believe it is true for the newer models, unless your watches are vintage the hands (and I believe the rings surrounding the markers) are made of white gold. __________________ Mon corps c'est un pays en guerre sur l'point d'finir, Le général de l'armée de terre s'attend au pire, J'ai faim, j'ai frette, je suis trop faible pour me lever debout, On va hisser le drapeau blanc un point c'est tout. - André Fortin

16 January 2013, 12:31 PM	#3
dddrees "TRF" Member Join Date: May 2010 Real Name: Dan Location: USA Watch: This N That Posts: 34,253	That is true. __________________ When it captures your imagination, that's when you know you have found your passion. Loyal Foot Soldier of The Nylon Nation. Card Carrying Member of the Global Association of Retro-Grouch-Curmudgeons

16 January 2013, 12:34 PM	#5
dddrees "TRF" Member Join Date: May 2010 Real Name: Dan Location: USA Watch: This N That Posts: 34,253	Because it sounds a whole lot better. __________________ When it captures your imagination, that's when you know you have found your passion. Loyal Foot Soldier of The Nylon Nation. Card Carrying Member of the Global Association of Retro-Grouch-Curmudgeons

16 January 2013, 01:22 PM	#8
joe100 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Real Name: Joe Location: New Mexico Watch: Explorer Posts: 12,840	Rolex started this in the 1980s and the introduction date varied based on model __________________ It's Espresso, not Expresso. Coffee is not a train in Italy. -TRF Member 6982-

16 January 2013, 12:33 PM	#4
Jim300186 "TRF" Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Real Name: Jamie Location: Alloa, Scotland Watch: SS Daytona Posts: 219	No they are not vintage both are brand new. That's interesting why do they use gold on a stainless steel watch instead of more stainless steel?

16 January 2013, 01:29 PM	#9
kilyung 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cave Watch: Sundial Posts: 33,940	Corrosion resistance

16 January 2013, 04:42 PM	#13
jackruff "TRF" Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Australia Watch: eclectic.. Posts: 191	At a guess I presume that thin/fine SS (as in hand, hour markers) would be more susceptible to corrosion than a large chunk so hence corrosion resistant gold to the mostly inaccessible areas.....

16 January 2013, 04:50 PM	#14
joseluu "TRF" Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Madrid (Spain) Posts: 702	If corrosion destroys 1/10 of a mm of the case nobody would even notice. If if happens to the hands you would have levitating luminova.

16 January 2013, 05:04 PM	#15
77T 2024 SubLV41 Pledge Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Real Name: PaulG Location: Georgia Posts: 42,015	They make hands of gold rather than fiddle with multiple materials having different luminova deposition characteristics. Overall the supply chain and manufacturing savings in this simplicity overcomes the raw material cost differences. __________________ Does anyone really know what time it is?

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