Rolex White Gold Versus Stainless Steel

[DonRickles]

Does replating the WG references fall under the Rolex warranty? Or in most cases it takes longer than 5 years to tarnish.....?

My choice for metal on my highschool ring was white gold.

[STEELINOX]

Once you wear "white" then it is "allllllll riiiiiiiight" ~ !

[Calatrava r]

No comparison between gold and steel as to weight and tactile feel. The white gold adds the advantage of being able to enjoy gold in a less flashy way.

[Calatrava r]

Originally Posted by DonRickles

Does replating the WG references fall under the Rolex warranty? Or in most cases it takes longer than 5 years to tarnish.....?

My choice for metal on my highschool ring was white gold.

Rolex uses what they now call gray gold. It is not Rhodium plated. Did Rolex ever plate white gold?

[DonRickles]

Originally Posted by Calatrava r

Rolex uses what they now call gray gold. It is not Rhodium plated. Did Rolex ever plate white gold?

Not answered here but kind of neat read....

https://www.rolex.com/about-rolex-wa...of-fusion.html

[Ohiorolex]

For those of you that have a WG sub, how does it hold up as daily watch for nonabusive environment-wearing to work in office, writing and typing on keyboard, putting groceries in a bag and removing them. I love that blue bezel but get obsessed with scratches on the bracelet. My stainless oyster bracelets still look good after years of wear. Will WG hold up almost the same or have a bunch of fine scratches in a year or two. Please no responses about its a watch and it is meant to be worn and loved. We all have our quirks and I like my material things to look good to me for me to enjoy them.

[DonRickles]

Originally Posted by Ohiorolex

For those of you that have a WG sub, how does it hold up as daily watch for nonabusive environment-wearing to work in office, writing and typing on keyboard, putting groceries in a bag and removing them. I love that blue bezel but get obsessed with scratches on the bracelet. My stainless oyster bracelets still look good after years of wear. Will WG hold up almost the same or have a bunch of fine scratches in a year or two. Please no responses about its a watch and it is meant to be worn and loved. We all have our quirks and I like my material things to look good to me for me to enjoy them.

I've worn both. The SS does not scratch, equally as compared to the WG.

It only takes your shirt sleeve to leave fine scratches on the WG.

That doesn't stop me from preferring white gold. It's my favorite

[spikep]

Thanks for posting

[swish77]

Originally Posted by Megalobyte

Let’s put it this way. If you took a WG sub, put a black bezel on it and brushed the polished center links I’m very confident nobody, not even a watch enthusiast would know it’s a WG sub.

I'd take that challenge any day. They're different and visually easy to tell apart, brushed or polished. Doesn't matter. The color and luster are different, along with the feel and weight.

As I said at the beginning, not trying to convince anyone of anything except to show these metals are different. White gold is not for everyone, of course. It's expensive, softer than SS and isn't flashy, a trait that many Rolex lovers want when showing off their timepiece to others. But man, it's special when you strap it on. It's the perfect under-the-radar luxury watch metal.

[novae500]

Only those who really know Rolex models would know difference between SS and WG. For my first PM I’m still debating should I go WG or YG.


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[Sothy]

Recently, I realized that I prefer (non rhodium coated) white gold to platinum. I think that I prefer it to pink gold too even though my fav. is yellow gold. That white gold submariner date looks amazing!!

[swish77]

Originally Posted by novae500

Only those who really know Rolex models would know difference between SS and WG. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, perhaps, but the same could be said about many differences between watches. Most people couldn't tell the differences between a Submariner and Sea-Dweller, or a 16520 Daytona and a 116520 Daytona. Heck, from across the dinner table, my wife can't tell if I'm wearing my vintage 5512 Sub or my modern 126610LN Sub.

For watch lovers, though, the differences are apparent and important.

[jets]

The 216619 will be mine. Looks amazing.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by Ohiorolex

For those of you that have a WG sub, how does it hold up as daily watch for nonabusive environment-wearing to work in office, writing and typing on keyboard, putting groceries in a bag and removing them. I love that blue bezel but get obsessed with scratches on the bracelet. My stainless oyster bracelets still look good after years of wear. Will WG hold up almost the same or have a bunch of fine scratches in a year or two. Please no responses about its a watch and it is meant to be worn and loved. We all have our quirks and I like my material things to look good to me for me to enjoy them.

I have several PM and SS Rolex watches.
Basically anything that will scratch your WG will also scratch up your SS.
The difference is in the polished center links of the bracelet.
Brushed SS bracelets hide scratches very well and a SS PCL or WG PCL scratch both. All high polished steel surfaces do. No going around that.

Having worn my RG SkyD as a daily for a long time I see hardly any marks on it.
Good thing is that after touching it up with a sunshine cloth they look as new.

If you are obsessed as you say than a polished bracelet in any material is perhaps not for you

[ap1]

Originally Posted by jets

The 216619 will be mine. Looks amazing.

WhTs that one, the 10 years from now blue sunburst wg?

[ap1]

Wg for me please, it’s my favorite easily

[Iliamerk]

Agreed on the white gold. Especially in the way it ages. When you see an older DateJust you can tell the difference between the stainless steel case and the white gold fluted bezels.

[bullies]

Originally Posted by Ohiorolex

For those of you that have a WG sub, how does it hold up as daily watch for nonabusive environment-wearing to work in office, writing and typing on keyboard, putting groceries in a bag and removing them. I love that blue bezel but get obsessed with scratches on the bracelet. My stainless oyster bracelets still look good after years of wear. Will WG hold up almost the same or have a bunch of fine scratches in a year or two. Please no responses about its a watch and it is meant to be worn and loved. We all have our quirks and I like my material things to look good to me for me to enjoy them.

Bought a 116619 in July and it’s seen, almost, daily wear.

It’s holding up fine. PCL’s are going to get hairlines no matter what

[donas]

Originally Posted by Ohiorolex

For those of you that have a WG sub, how does it hold up as daily watch for nonabusive environment-wearing to work in office, writing and typing on keyboard, putting groceries in a bag and removing them. I love that blue bezel but get obsessed with scratches on the bracelet. My stainless oyster bracelets still look good after years of wear. Will WG hold up almost the same or have a bunch of fine scratches in a year or two. Please no responses about its a watch and it is meant to be worn and loved. We all have our quirks and I like my material things to look good to me for me to enjoy them.

If scratches bother you, I'd say either get thicker skin or avoid white gold watches. I had an 116619 for a few years, wearing as I would any other watch and not babying it, and it really showed a lot of scratches. I respectfully disagree with those who say it scratches or shows wear the same as a stainless model; this was not my experience at all. I do not care about scratches so this did not bother me nor cause me not to want another in the future, but if you know these things bother you, you may not be happy.

The metal is obviously softer than steel. I banged mine on a dumpster, throwing trash in, and had a nice size ding in the case. I do not think this same impact would have caused the same level of damage on a steel case, but there is no easy way to know. Those without scratches are probably the same people who worry 24/7, inspecting their watches at the end of each day with a loupe. I just wear my stuff and don't worry about it.

[asiparks]

Yes WG has a slightly different hue from SS, but it's far from obvious to an observer- and isn't that the point ? Value and luxury of gold, but super stealthily.
That's why Rolex "usually" offers other distinguishing features, bezels or dials, so the watch spotters can tell the difference.

I'd like to see the same side by side the old, black dialed, WG Pepsi on oyster vs SS Pepsi on Oyster.
As I recall, that caused some clutched pearls when the SS version came out...

When the same watch is offered in both gold tones, I'd take WG over YG every time.

[pdnb]

I like this comparison. If not side by side and not knowing of the bezel/dial colors a layperson would not know.


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[NiJaRo1225]

Nice watches, Aaron!

Originally Posted by Fleetlord

They are different in tone, but VERY different in appearance is a stretch, especially when they are isolated.

This is a good (and obvious) point.

OP, to me the differences are quite clear when compared side-by-side (which I think is your point: direct comparison).

However when isolated, with no ss to compare to, it’s a different story. WIS obviously will know the references by sight and “know”, but the vast majority of people and then some wouldn’t have the slightest clue.

Regardless of who interprets what/why/how, Rolex WG is definitely special.


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[Runnin' Rebel]

It has to be correct lighting to really see it, plus for comparison reasons you should have polished center links on let’s say 116619/116710 if you just show the bracelet clasp area you’ll notice it has a different hue, WG seems softer

File pic from 3 years ago

[bestwatch1]

I won't pay the price difference for WG.

[VegasBaby]

Your pics kind of prove the point that there isn't much difference in appearance, even relatively close up. I've seen them in person and there is a difference but, come on.......not that much!!!

[George58]

pay the price for gold but it doesn't look like gold

[garyk]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

It has to be correct lighting to really see it, plus for comparison reasons you should have polished center links on let’s say 116619/116710 if you just show the bracelet clasp area you’ll notice it has a different hue, WG seems softer

File pic from 3 years ago

Cool shot!!

[IamJacky]

Very nice side by side photos, the White Gold does appear to be warmer in tone. Lovely pieces, thanks for sharing!

[BroncoOne]

Originally Posted by ratty

If you have to “Look closely” it’s certainly not obvious!

I speak as someone who has had WG and SS watches for years, to the vast majority of people looking at them, they look the same. Lots of people have probably never ever heard of WG let alone be able to tell it from SS!

I am not knocking WG here, as I have said I’ve got WG watches, but I feel we have to be realistic here. Yes WG is heavier and fells a bit different to wear, but then again my 16520s feel different to my 116520 which feels different to my 116509. WG looks a bit different, the same as my brushed 16520 looks a bit different to my 116520 etc etc .....

I have no doubt the differences may be more obvious to some than others. Some people can tell a mk1 bezel or dial from a mk2 version at 10 paces and the differences are life or death, but the vast majority can’t and couldn’t care less.

The difference between SS and WG is not obvious to most people.

In person the WG just pops much more and has a luster that the SS doesn’t. Yes, the average person will not know the difference but I don’t care. I wear the watch because I appreciate it. After all, no one look at the watch more than the person wearing it.

[joli160]

Originally Posted by George58

pay the price for gold but it doesn't look like gold

I am sure your wedding band is made out of brass and perhaps the Mrs has a nice real zirconia on her ring