Thought this would be interesting to our Rolex comunity

[BNA/LION]

Thanks for sharing!

[horonet17]

Thanks for sharing. There was a post a while back showing the metal color/polish differences between 316 and 904 on two Explorer 114270s. The 316 was warmer looking and the 904 cooler (more blue toned).

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[lenfried29]

IMHO marketing is a part of business of any company and is nothing wrong with this.
Whether marketing or not, Rolex improving they watches all the time. And I strongly believe that modern Rolex watches has longer lifetime than ever before. I wish every company have such a standard as Rolex. And guys, we're owners of such a high quality standard time pieces. Isn't it amazing!!!

[utc66]

My Dad’s 1603 Datejust, which he wore almost every day for 30 years (1976-2006), has pitting right around the caseback. When I got it serviced shortly after inheriting it, the Watchmaker said don’t get it wet because it’s no longer waterproof. My dad was not a diver, he was a camera salesman.

[lenfried29]

Originally Posted by utc66

My Dad’s 1603 Datejust, which he wore almost every day for 30 years (1976-2006), has pitting right around the caseback. When I got it serviced shortly after inheriting it, the Watchmaker said don’t get it wet because it’s no longer waterproof. My dad was not a diver, he was a camera salesman.

thanks for sharing this. good to know from the source.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by utc66

My Dad’s 1603 Datejust, which he wore almost every day for 30 years (1976-2006), has pitting right around the caseback. When I got it serviced shortly after inheriting it, the Watchmaker said don’t get it wet because it’s no longer waterproof. My dad was not a diver, he was a camera salesman.

Quite right.
And I would add that it's not just a Rolex issue.
When one plays around with old "water proof" watches, experience has shown it becomes an issue which must be taken into consideration without exception of brand.
It's been this way for a few decades and I hope that 904 SS will extend the effective life span of the water proof component of Rolex watches enough to conclusively vindicate their decision to up-spec their materials.
Unfortunately some of us will likely be long gone from this world before it becomes remotely apparent. Even then it will be the subject of conjecture and anecdotal accounts with no conclusive proof with only Rolex themselves being in a position to gather enough data to make any determination one way or another. Or have they already with the switch to 904 SS?

[lenfried29]

Originally Posted by Dirt

Quite right.
And I would add that it's not just a Rolex issue.
When one plays around with old "water proof" watches, experience has shown it becomes an issue which must be taken into consideration without exception of brand.
It's been this way for a few decades and I hope that 904 SS will extend the effective life span of the water proof component of Rolex watches enough to conclusively vindicate their decision to up-spec their materials.
Unfortunately some of us will likely be long gone from this world before it becomes remotely apparent. Even then it will be the subject of conjecture and anecdotal accounts with no conclusive proof with only Rolex themselves being in a position to gather enough data to make any determination one way or another. Or have they already with the switch to 904 SS?

Thanks for your input You have knowledge and experience on this subject .

I'd like to add that we don't have to wait that long to see the effectiveness of 904L. It was already proven in chemistry that 904L is superior to 316L:

"904L has greater amounts of chromium and nickel than the 316L grade. It is typically used in the chemical industry for severe corrosion environments i.e better resistance to pitting, SCC, IGC etc."

Also: "The 316L Stainless steel is far less scratch resistant than the 904L because it has a much higher Rockwell hardness."

IMO Rolex is ahead of the game in terms of SS watch cases.

Enough said, there's a lot of information published on the internet including technical-study on the matter. If anyone like to read more details regarding 904L advantages: http://www.ss904l.com/sustainability...s-ss-316-blog/

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by lenfried29

Enough said, there's a lot of information published on the internet including technical-study on the matter. If anyone like to read more details regarding 904L advantages: http://www.ss904l.com/sustainability...s-ss-316-blog/

Very interesting and a good read
Thanks for the input

On reflection, i'm not entirely convinced 904L would be the best choice for heat FW-SW exchangers where fresh water cooling is desired.
I can think of other materials in the same class which may well be better.

I note the publication also states 904L "may be considered".

Either way it's a matter of a managed decline and timely obsolesence before a failure point occures.

[kanderson1965]

So does anyone know why Rolex have abandoned 904L and now refer to Oyster-steel? I am aware it is one and the same thing, however the term “oyster” was originally referring to the case construction and, by tenuous association, to a style of bracelet supplied with the oyster cased watches. Unless you know otherwise, I have not come across a 904L SS shelled oyster. :)

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by kanderson1965

So does anyone know why Rolex have abandoned 904L and now refer to Oyster-steel? I am aware it is one and the same thing, however the term “oyster” was originally referring to the case construction and, by tenuous association, to a style of bracelet supplied with the oyster cased watches. Unless you know otherwise, I have not come across a 904L SS shelled oyster. :)

It's just the marketing men at work. Sadly

In some ways i suppose Rolex is fully entitled to market their product as they see fit, but i genuinely believe this "Oyster-steel" business has gone much too far.
Of course we don't know if they are now commissioning the production of a unique grade of SS (which is not technically 904L) that is exclusively supplied to Rolex and therefore they have applied a proprietary name to it
If that is indeed the case, then i say good luck to them.

[Robbyman]

If 904 steel is so good, why are the Sports models when polished have narrow lugs and we really see cases shapes change.

I don’t think it is anything but a sales gimmick. My Breitling with regular steel at a similar age has held up better to many Rolex worked in a similar manner. My wife batters her watches and really cheap SS have weathered it just as well if not better than SS Rolex.

Overall the change to case dimensions when polished shows me they don’t hold up any better, and it shows they need the polishing just as much if not more.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by Robbyman

If 904 steel is so good, why are the Sports models when polished have narrow lugs and we really see cases shapes change.

I don’t think it is anything but a sales gimmick. My Breitling with regular steel at a similar age has held up better to many Rolex worked in a similar manner. My wife batters her watches and really cheap SS have weathered it just as well if not better than SS Rolex.

Overall the change to case dimensions when polished shows me they don’t hold up any better, and it shows they need the polishing just as much if not more.

Sorry.
There are no fixed data points in your argument.
More anecdotes do not help with the discussion

[J!m]

904 is more resistant to CREVICE CORROSION. This is what happens between mid Case and back as well as crystal retainer and back.

For surface corrosion, they are about equal. It only addresses one type of corrosion.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by J!m

904 is more resistant to CREVICE CORROSION. This is what happens between mid Case and back as well as crystal retainer and back.

For surface corrosion, they are about equal. It only addresses one type of corrosion.

Absolutely correct.

I remember back in the day when I was still learning about these trade related and technical matters.
There was this really old school Ship Wright who had legendary status and his own slip way back in the day that used to keep a 3/4" 316 SS bolt about 3" long.
It was pulled out of some engine room on a pleasure boat about the time I was born.
The bolt was not rusty in any meaningful way, but it was all eaten out from the inside (like cancer), right up the length of the grain structure through the threaded section and well into the shank of the bolt.
The corossion started from where the thread was cut into it and the thread cutting process cut across the grain structure.

He used to keep it as a good example of show and tell for all us young blokes who would (as a matter of course) select 316 SS bolts for its superiority in preference to 304 SS. (There's entirely another matter around all that as well)

Anyway, these days we would either coat the bolt ot fastener in something like Duralac or Anti-seize as a matter of course(depending on application).
This would be intended to mitigate the corrosion issue.

[J!m]

Rolex admitted the choice of 904 was partially due to its ability to take a polish.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by J!m

Rolex admitted the choice of 904 was partially due to its ability to take a polish.

True enough
And certainly a major consideration for them.

[Time4aRolex]

Originally Posted by lenfried29

Don't know if this was previously posted(probably many times) but want to share this article who don't know:
https://www.fourtane.com/2015/10/19/...ason-for-904l/

Great Article - thanks for posting

[fastfreddie]

Are there any pictures of this crevice corrosion or any other corrosion on a genuine Rolex watch, I have heard of it on stainless knife blades on edges that have been overheated on sharpening which allows for this effect, though this was during 70/80s not much sign of it in later years I believe.

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by fastfreddie

Are there any pictures of this crevice corrosion or any other corrosion on a genuine Rolex watch, I have heard of it on stainless knife blades on edges that have been overheated on sharpening which allows for this effect, though this was during 70/80s not much sign of it in later years I believe.

Yes, there are pics floating around on this forum as well as another watch forum that i know of.
The issue always comes up from time to time and subject to great debate.
Inevitably someone will come forward with a pic.

[Flier]

Cool