Rhodium to Slate just name change?

[Jim P]

Originally Posted by rolexobgyn

slate is definitely much darker than rhodium. Totally a different colour.

yes!

[77T]

Differences twixt Dark Rhodium and Slate are pretty hard to distinguish. Of course the owners know by the dial color printed on their warranty cards.

Even side-by-side could you choose which is which?...




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[goodolejr]

Is the dial on this DD2 slate, rhodium, or something else?

[HansSolo]

I would call that baseline Rhodium.

[Goose 104]

This description on the Rolex website suggests that rhodium dials are created using electroplating which often uses the metal itself or a combination of metals to achieve the colour. It is still a bit ambiguous.

https://www.rolex.com/about-rolex-wa...lchemists.html

“Once the most noble form of coating, electroplating emerged in the first half of the 19th century in Europe as a means of producing silverware as well as gold-plating. In watchmaking it is the predominant method of achieving pure metallic colour dials such as shades of silver grey, rhodium or ruthenium – often using the very same metals themselves. Silver-plating is mostly used as a base layer for the sunray finish, where further colour is added to the prepared dial. Sometimes colours such as champagne-colour are achieved through electroplating with more than half a dozen different metals, hinting at the added complexity of the technique.”

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Goose 104

This description on the Rolex website suggests that rhodium dials are created using electroplating which often uses the metal itself or a combination of metals to achieve the colour. It is still a bit ambiguous.

https://www.rolex.com/about-rolex-wa...lchemists.html

“Once the most noble form of coating, electroplating emerged in the first half of the 19th century in Europe as a means of producing silverware as well as gold-plating. In watchmaking it is the predominant method of achieving pure metallic colour dials such as shades of silver grey, rhodium or ruthenium – often using the very same metals themselves. Silver-plating is mostly used as a base layer for the sunray finish, where further colour is added to the prepared dial. Sometimes colours such as champagne-colour are achieved through electroplating with more than half a dozen different metals, hinting at the added complexity of the technique.”

No matter the technique in the real world it's still paint on a brass dial,I remember when Rolex first introduced the ceramic insert they came out with this.The new quasi-technical magnetron cathode sputtering for the Rolex specifications for the ceramic bezel indices.Absolutely brilliant words from Rolex and their marketing department,but they do say marketing talk brain washes and often baffles brains

[Soultime]

It's not a very Rolex thing to do - change the name just for the sake of it.
How long have Rhodium dials been around?

It will be interesting when someone can get both on the same watch side by side.

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by goodolejr

Is the dial on this DD2 slate, rhodium, or something else?

IMHO, slate.

[slillestrand]

They are different without question....We own both in our home and the Slate is darker.

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by slillestrand

They are different without question....We own both in our home and the Slate is darker.

Did you see my photos of Slate Daytona VS. Dark Rhodium YM? Slate is much lighter.

[Goose 104]

Comparing colours is going to be difficult because my rhodium at least can shift from silvery light grey to almost glossy black depending on the light and angle. Here are a few of mine to try and show the difference.

[JSol1]

Originally Posted by Goose 104

Comparing colours is going to be difficult because my rhodium at least can shift from silvery light grey to almost glossy black depending on the light and angle. Here are a few of mine to try and show the difference.

Great shots! These are exactly the variations that I’m hoping mine have. So frustrating that I can’t verify till Xmas. Not worth spoiling the ‘surprise’ from my wife.
I know I’ll be able to return it if they ruined that Rhodium look...when did you purchase yours?

[Goose 104]

Originally Posted by JSol1

Great shots! These are exactly the variations that I’m hoping mine have. So frustrating that I can’t verify till Xmas. Not worth spoiling the ‘surprise’ from my wife.

I know I’ll be able to return it if they ruined that Rhodium look...when did you purchase yours?

Thanks - very kind of you.I got mine back in August. I wouldn't worry I'm sure yours will be the same and it is definitely not worth spoiling the surprise. Plus it is something to look forward to on Christmas day

[Jimmy66]

Originally Posted by Goose 104

Comparing colours is going to be difficult because my rhodium at least can shift from silvery light grey to almost glossy black depending on the light and angle. Here are a few of mine to try and show the difference.

Bloomin' lovely pics! What a watch.

[Goose 104]

Cheers Jimmy the watch definitely deserves more attention but I'm very happy to be in the YM club!

[Max 66]

I have just visited my AD and they said that they have not yet received any detailed information about the incoming Slate dial that will replace Rhodium.
Anyway, due to the fact that the Wimbledon dial has always been marked as Slate, they showed me side by side the DJ Rhodium (watch already sold waiting for client collection) and the DJ TT Wimbledon dial.
To my eyes they looked more or less the same color, also because bought dials change a lot the tone of grey when taken light at different angles (from almost silver to almost anthracite).
The lady at the Rolex showroom said that the Wimbledon dial is slightly lighter as grey, while to me it simply looked slightly warmer grey (maybe the yellow golden bezel of the watch with Wimbledon dial contributed to give such a feeling).
Anyway, assuming that the new Slate will be like the current Wimbledon, my opinion is that any differences between the two dials are negligible.

[JSol1]

Originally Posted by Max 66

I have just visited my AD and they said that they have not yet received any detailed information about the incoming Slate dial that will replace Rhodium.
Anyway, due to the fact that the Wimbledon dial has always been marked as Slate, they showed me side by side the DJ Rhodium (watch already sold waiting for client collection) and the DJ TT Wimbledon dial.
To my eyes they looked more or less the same color, also because bought dials change a lot the tone of grey when taken light at different angles (from almost silver to almost anthracite).
The lady at the Rolex showroom said that the Wimbledon dial is slightly lighter as grey, while to me it simply looked slightly warmer grey (maybe the yellow golden bezel of the watch with Wimbledon dial contributed to give such a feeling).
Anyway, assuming that the new Slate will be like the current Wimbledon, my opinion is that any differences between the two dials are negligible.

Thanks for this. I suspect because Rolex is so secretive about everything, the only way to decide will be through the visual experience. I tried to use the ‘Compare’ feature on DavidsW website as they had a Slate and Rhodium advertised but could not get it to work...
That variation in the above photos is the main attraction for me with this watch which is why I’ve been trying so hard to determine any difference...

[MRPWRPATX21]

I don't think the Rhodium and Slate colored dials are the same; I don't think this is a naming convention issue. If Rolex is moving to a Slate dial on the YM, it will be a new dial. Seems odd that they would make such a small change, though (and I don't buy that raw material pricing, if the dial did/does include Rhodium, would be driving that change...not how Rolex works).

[MRPWRPATX21]

Oddly enough, there has already been a Slate dial option in the past for the YM...5-digit 2-tone reference offered one along the way at some point.



The Rolex website has definitely changed the name of the non-blue dial SS YM from Dark Rhodium to Slate, but I don't think the picture has been updated. Is this an error in the name, picture, or is it really a simple change in the name? I suppose it's hard to tell, but the other Slate dial options that Rolex has offered in the past definitely all seem to be a markedly different color; even if in the same family.

The DJ previously offered the Rhodium dial, as well, and the Rolex website has adjusted that name to "Slate" also, but again the picture doesn't appear to have changed at all. Not that images on the Rolex website are true to life, but you can look at the "Wimbledon" dial (which was always called "Slate" if I remember correctly) side by side with the image of the old Rhodium/now Slate dial option (sans Romans), and get a sense of the difference between the two colors.

https://www.rolex.com/watches/config...6334-0009/dial

[Max 66]

As I wrote above, I just saw late this morning the DJ Rhodium and the TT DJ Wimbledon side by side and to me is quite difficult to see the difference between the two dials.

[Goose 104]

Originally Posted by Max 66

As I wrote above, I just saw late this morning the DJ Rhodium and the TT DJ Wimbledon side by side and to me is quite difficult to see the difference between the two dials.

It is probably hard to tell indoors - the real test will be in sunlight I suspect

[slillestrand]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

Did you see my photos of Slate Daytona VS. Dark Rhodium YM? Slate is much lighter.

I have a 116509 White Gold Daytona with a Slate Dial and my wife has the Yachtmaster 37....my dial is darker than hers without question.

One would deduct that the Daytona Slate dials are indeed different with the White Gold version having a darker dial?

[Max 66]

Originally Posted by slillestrand

I have a 116509 White Gold Daytona with a Slate Dial and my wife has the Yachtmaster 37....my dial is darker than hers without question.

One would deduct that the Daytona Slate dials are indeed different with the White Gold version having a darker dial?

I have in mind, but I might be mistaken, that the dial of the WG Daytona, which has been discontinued some years ago, was named Slate Grey.
As far as I know the only Slate dial in production is the DJ Wimbledon.

[slillestrand]

Originally Posted by Max 66

I have in mind, but I might be mistaken, that the dial of the WG Daytona, which has been discontinued some years ago, was named Slate Grey.
As far as I know the only Slate dial in production is the DJ Wimbledon.

Just pulled the card on my 116509 White Gold Daytona. “Slate Arabic Numerals”
Purchased by me in September 2017 new with my name on the card.
Random serial numbers green lume making it a late green lume and early random serial version. Actually quite a rare watch.

My $.02

Scott

[slillestrand]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

Not so certain...

Below are both. Not too certain about the change. Next time I'm at the AD I'll inquire; last time they were still calling the YM Dark Rhodium!!! Seems like they may have changed the name as it suggested the dial was PM and it's not. Perhaps there could be Slate and Dark Slate in the future.

Slate dial




Dark Rhodium (YM):

What is the color stated on the warranty card for the Daytona?

[georgekart]

I think it is the same color. Here is my motivation. On Rolex website it is listed as 126622-0001. If they changed the dial, they wouldn't keep it as 0001. Why they changed it to slate when slate in DJ lineup means rhodium with green Roman markers with black outline and Rhodium is same as what was in YM, I don't know. But seems like it's just a name change.

[CaptT]

Seems like just a name change, no?

I wonder if rhodium might show up as a composite or dial of either (a) an entirely new model, or (b) a revamp to an existing model, and all legacy rhodium dials assume the descriptor "slate". For instance, is there way to integrate rhodium into a (new) Explorer 2? Or with the DayDate line?

[HogwldFLTR]

Originally Posted by slillestrand

What is the color stated on the warranty card for the Daytona?

Slate

[slillestrand]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

Slate

Thanks for the info.

I did some looking....

The 268622 Yachtmaster 37 came out in Dark Rhodium....was that way through 2019 from what I can research.

My wife has a June 2020 version with the new warranty card from Rolex so that does not have the name of the dial color on it.

At some point between 2019 and today there was a change with this dial.

That is interesting.....now I want to know if it was a color change or a name change?

This particular model is a good control group as it is same model number and still in production with a recent name / color change.

After taking another close look with this one to my slate daytona....it is so very hard in daylight to decide. The Daytona dial is busier so harder to see the sunburst on it...making the Yachtmaster look a bit lighter in the grey color....also learned that Rolex spells Grey with the e...not the a.

I am starting to realize I may have extra time on my hands after doing this shallow dive into the "Great Slate Debate" of 2020

Best,
Scott

[powerfunk]

Originally Posted by georgekart

I think it is the same color. Here is my motivation. On Rolex website it is listed as 126622-0001. If they changed the dial, they wouldn't keep it as 0001.

I agree. If it's still dial number #0001, then it hasn't changed.

Originally Posted by Soultime

It's not a very Rolex thing to do - change the name just for the sake of it.

They have before. "Glacier blue" became "ice blue." And some are lighter than others; there's natural variation. So people argued if "glacier" or "ice" was darker when in reality there's variation on both and it was just a name change.