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14 August 2013, 05:59 AM | #1 |
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Heard a rumor about Rolex gold alloys
We all know how rumors are and their reliability, but my work partner (who is also a Rolex guy) was talking to an AD one day recently while window shopping. The AD said that his rolex rep had been by a while back and told him that Rolex has recently tweaked their gold alloy slightly to harden it up a little but, conceivably to help with scratch resistance, as opposed to the older softer alloy.
So, anyone notice any difference between a newer gold piece and how it holds up versus say a watch from five or six years ago? My first watch with gold on it was a TT GMT back in 2001 and it was so prone to scratches I was paranoid to wear it, but the Day Date I have now hardly has any wear on it at all. Granted, I am way more cautious with this one than my first, but I just wonder if they did change the formula to harden it a touch? |
14 August 2013, 06:10 AM | #2 |
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sounds like "tweaked" would mean less gold content in their watches in order to make them harder, $mart....
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14 August 2013, 06:57 AM | #3 |
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Possibly. What my partner said exactly, was that the AD claimed that Titanium was now added to the alloy. Not sure what that would do, as I'm a pilot, not a metallurgist, but I'm assuming the rumor falls into the category that most do, i.e., BS.
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14 August 2013, 06:57 AM | #4 |
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The only brand that I've heard to do this was Hublot and their Magic Gold. It's still 18k but mixed with ceramics to improved scratch-resistance. Only thing is it no longer looks like YG.
As for Rolex, I only know that they went from 14k to 18k decades ago... thus worsening scratch-resistance. Although I don't know if any of the alloys used in the modern gold help. |
14 August 2013, 07:14 AM | #5 |
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All this fancy gold concoctions.
Just get a platinum Rolex, problem solved. |
14 August 2013, 07:38 AM | #6 |
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Sounds like typical AD twaddle to me.
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14 August 2013, 07:45 AM | #7 |
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14 August 2013, 08:17 AM | #8 | |
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Quote:
If they wanted to make the alloy harder they might sub out something in the remaining 25%.
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14 August 2013, 08:21 AM | #9 |
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I remember a jeweller once telling me that titanium was added/used to make gold "harder".
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14 August 2013, 09:34 AM | #10 |
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14 August 2013, 09:37 AM | #11 |
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http://www.ganoksin.com/borisat/nenam/gold-alloys.htm
Enjoy. I'm a little surprised that someone hasn't marketed their own proprietary super hard 14k gold for watches. If the color was good, I'd buy it.
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14 August 2013, 09:39 AM | #12 | |
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Like gold alloys, not all titanium is the same.
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14 August 2013, 10:57 AM | #13 |
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14 August 2013, 11:32 AM | #14 |
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If Rolex made some gold alloy with titanium they would have some fantastic name for it.
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14 August 2013, 12:11 PM | #15 |
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14 August 2013, 12:13 PM | #16 |
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I heard they use 25% viagra to make it harder
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14 August 2013, 12:18 PM | #17 |
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14 August 2013, 12:19 PM | #18 |
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14 August 2013, 12:36 PM | #19 |
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14 August 2013, 01:01 PM | #20 |
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14 August 2013, 02:04 PM | #21 |
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14 August 2013, 05:01 PM | #22 | |
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14 August 2013, 05:08 PM | #23 |
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14 August 2013, 09:38 PM | #24 |
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14 August 2013, 09:43 PM | #25 |
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14 August 2013, 09:45 PM | #26 |
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If Rolex wanted to make their 18k harder they simply would go back to 14k which is less soft ! But I love 18k because of the weight. Collage ring is 10k to make stand up to more abuse.
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14 August 2013, 09:46 PM | #27 |
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Lange did something similar recently when it introduced watches made in "honey gold". I never looked into the composition, but they claim it was significantly harder and more scratch resistant than regular gold.
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15 August 2013, 03:52 AM | #28 |
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Good one, Jeff!
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