Reply With QuoteWhat type of watch is it going to be? Dress, sport...?
So i'm in a slightly unusual position
i'm having something of a grail made, what do i get the case made from, the standard choices are titanium, pink gold or white gold, but within reason i could ask for anything
so steel
cheap, heavy, can be challenging to polish out the swirlies
titanium
cheapish is, lighterweight, easy to refinish, no bling
white gold
kind of a cool colour, but heavy, more expensive, people don't know it's gold
pink gold
heavy, soft, looks expensive and blingy, easy to polish rebrush by jeweller, like red gold is kind of trendy at the moment, will it look like yellow gold does now?
red gold
heavy, looks like like gold, harder and more wear resistant then pink gold, but is very trendy at the moment
bronze
heavy, developed interesting patina, cool now but will it be in 20-40 years?
Platinum
expensive, heavy, looks like steel so less blingy
what would you go for?
What type of watch is it going to be? Dress, sport...?
Never really seen the point of platinum or white gold frankly.
Just looks like steel. I know it weighs differently, and feel a little different, but not enough to justify the colossal price hike in my opinion.
I like gold watches though, and have several including Rolex and AP.
So clever my foot fell off.
If I could have it made of hardened scratch resistant titanium, a la Citizen Chronomaster, that would be my choice. My second choice would be steel.
Not gold, makes no sense to me as a material for a watch that is actually worn. Heavy and easily dinged.
Platinum? I don't see the point.
Well Platinum and White Gold does not look like steel that is a bold statement.
Have you ever seen one in platinum in flesh ?
I agree I have watches in Platinum. Reckon I can spot it from across the road. Looks very different from steel.Originally Posted by JakubL
The difference is a clear as a lump of glass to an Ice cube.
Oh and in answer to the OP. Platinum
Last edited by java; 3rd July 2014 at 10:08.
If I could have anything I would take tungsten carbide. That would be very cool.
Platinum would be the way to go :-)
I'd definitely agree with this. Hard-wearing and has a lovely sheen to it.
Steel is fine.
All the golds are, too.
Titanium is foul. Very difficult to finish the surface and it weighs just too little.
Platinum is best.
I was thinking about this yesterday for no reall reason, funnily enough.
I've SEEN (but not closely examined) Platinum and White Gold watches (and examined other jewellery in both) and come to the conclusion that there's not ENOUGH of a difference to make the cost worth it over Stainless Steel, for me.
Whilst I'll concede that watches are 50% jewellery, precious metal makes them 90% so in my view, so I'd have stainless steel I think, but who knows if I was in the OP's shoes...
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I agree regarding Titanium. Has no place in watchmaking in my book .
Kryptonite.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
My vote would be Platinum.
(or Yellow gold... but Platinum is great stealth wealth)
Palladium if cost was a concern. If not, Platinum.
edit: I rather like gold in all it's forms too. White gold is nice and in the flesh very different to steel.
Last edited by kungfugerbil; 3rd July 2014 at 10:40.
That takes me back...
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rQDeU6dHX-c
(Platinum for me)
I am surprised nobody has asked yet... What are you having made and who is making it? :D
As it is going to be a special watch I would spend the extra and have it made of platinum, if funds allowed of course.
Titanium. Always titanium.
duranium metal alloy prototype: 4 class b
failing the above, a nice lump of unobtanium would do nicely.
Last edited by deerworrier; 3rd July 2014 at 12:02.
No mention of ceramics or rubber in the OP. Ceramic is hard wearing and hypoallergenic.
What type of watch would this be for? If it's going to be dress a softer precious metal will do, if sports then a hard wearing material.
Tantalum
Platinum. I tried on a platinum day-date with a president bracelet recently, and found the additional "heft" to be extremely comfortable and a joy to wear.
Panerai are making it for me, it's going to take them a year! so i have a bit of time
so it's a dive watch and is going to be a big watch
which is why i have the concern about the weight, i have a 319 which is a 47mm luminor in a pink gold case and that's a big weight, so much so the depoyant you get which it at 26/22 makes the watch to unstable, i had to get a strap made in 26/26 before it sat right
hence my concern with the weight
i have a white gold model, love the colour of it, don't have a platinum model at the moment...
oh and i'm kind of limited to materials they already use
I'd go steel if the watch is a daily and you get involved in any rufty tufty activities, otherwise, my smart grail would be platinum, without hesitation.
In that case I'd go for stainless steel.
Yellow gold.
Edit: I've just seen this:
It seems you really don't need much advice: "don't have a platinum model at the moment" implies that you will have one sooner or later; "i have a white gold model" cuts out another option...who needs two WG Panerai watches?
So I'll go with my first instinct: yellow gold.
Last edited by PickleB; 3rd July 2014 at 11:30.
Platinum would be seriously interesting, but a 'big' dive watch in platinum is going to weigh a serious amount.
Obviously feel less under water.
+1. Having tried on the F P Journe Tantalum Bleu, I have to agree it is a lovely material. Heavy like platinum, very hard wearing so resistant to scratches but warm with a lovely grey / blue colour.
Ooops ...... just re-read the post and see its going to be a dive watch so perhaps not!
Where did you see that FP Journe Bleu please?
(and why not for a dive watch?)
-flugzeit
There is an F P Journe AD inside the Palazzo Hotel in Las Vegas. I was there on holiday and tried it on. I was offered it for £11k and wish I had bought it. Even pre-owned they don't drop much below that.
Tantalum is extemely heavy, I would imagine it would be uncomforable on a large watch such as a diver. It is perfect on the Journe being 39mm and 8mm thick.
Last edited by Top Cat; 3rd July 2014 at 12:22. Reason: spelling
Trying my best to bite my tongue.....failing miserably – such utter nonsense spouted as fact!
Titanium has a perfectly legitimate role to play in watchmaking – it's hypoallergenic!
Bulkier watches can be made perfectly weighted without going OTT – prime example the forum favourite, Tudor Pelagos.
Titanium can be as blingy as you want it to be – most manufacturers (bar Seiko) can't be bothered to polish theirs or cheap out by just brushing, so as to maximise profit.
Examples of highly polished titanium jewellery:
http://www.titaniumkay.com/Titanium-...g-P104368.html
http://www.fantasyjewelrybox.com/mr1100.html
http://www.amazon.in/Peora-Titanium-...dp/B00F7CX41I/
http://www.newweddingrings.com/7mm-p...titanium-ring/
http://watchgeeks.net/showpost.php?p...46&postcount=6
http://www.bluelinegear.com/product/...ni-High-Polish
http://www.topvaluejewelry.com/titan...nes-domed-8mm/
Yeah, titanium is wholly unsuitable as a material for watches and can't be polished to shine like the other metals mentioned........pfft!
I am sure Titanium has it's industrial uses. However i certainly would not wear a piece of jewelery made from it. As for it's use in watch cases, IMHO it is too light. I like a little weight to my watches.
For a dive watch either high Vickers stainless steel or cermet as used by JLC
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
I'd get a platinum case and red gold highlights on the face / hands if I were getting something made.
But that's just me....
+1 Agreed.
Titanium is a fantastic material all-round. One of the best materials out there for watches, IMO.
-flugzeit
Titanium or perhaps Tantalum? I love the colour of Tantalum, paired with a nice matte Blue Alligator, looks sublime.
am i the only one wnating to know how the heck panerai are making you a custom watch? Isnt that going to literally cost an arm and a leg/fortune?
Panerai are making you a custom watch!!????? How did you manage that? I assume you must be someone very important or famous???
Define "a little weight" and "too light", please.
For argument's sake, the Pelagos weighs 150g – that's SS weight for a SubC!
Again, I'll reiterate – titanium is hypoallergenic, allows for bulkier design without the weight penalty, looks significantly different to SS when brushed, but can take a high polish if you like that thing or are trying to make it look like more expensive metals.
I don't accept your premise that it has no right to be selected as a material for usage in watches or jewellery in general – you've a personal prejudice (sheer snobbery?) against the material rather than any engineering principles.
1 I am not allergic to Gold , platinum or SS. So that it is Hypoallergenic is of no consequence to me.
2 I don't believe it has no right to be selected as a jewellery or watch metal. I wouldn't choose it though.
3 I have no prejudice against it, I just don't like it.
4 I am not a snob.
5 Case for case it is around 40% lighter than steel. ( I am not looking for lightness in something as small as a watch, I am looking for weight)
6 I won't define too light as it is a subjective notion and therefore not definable.
I have said before. My choice in a watch is not about Value for money, timekeeping, or pure engineering. It is about if I like it or I don't. I don't like Titanium watches, at all.
Last edited by java; 3rd July 2014 at 14:15.
Surprised no-one's gone with bronze yet - it certainly gets a vote from me, especially if it's going to be used as a dive watch, the patina will be amazing. But then I like my watches to show their age and character, which is not to most people's taste.
Oh, and this:
Yes, but many others are – so titanium solves that issue for those who suffer with an allergic reaction to SS, without the look and cost of YG/RG/WG/Pt and the brittleness of ceramic or its plasticky look for high gloss designs.
Your first reply, agreeing with and quoting Tinker's comment, stated "titanium has no place in watchmaking" – that's a completely different stance from, "I don't like it"!
Last edited by PJ S; 3rd July 2014 at 14:40.
I think I'd go for Platinum. Given it's to be a dive watch the metal is the most resistant to salt corrosion and somewhat harder that gold. From that perspective choosing it would make technical sense and it is an aesthetically pleasing material that will take a polish.
I said "I agree regarding Titanium. Has no place in watchmaking in my book"
That's a bit like saying IMO.
I agree it is very handy for those who are allergic to the other metals. I'm not.
Titanium for me. The harder grade, whatever that is.
Tungsten as it removes the need for a dive belt...
Personally I'd choose Ceramic or Ceramos to prevent scratches but don't drop it...
A
Without seeing the watch, however I have a major desire for a Red Gold Watch at the moment. As for diving - it will never even get wet so that's a red (pun) herring. More importantly I hope you are getting them to fit a decent movement - AngelusSF240 or perhaps a Rolex Cal 618 (hopefully). Good luck with whatever you decide.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
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