Reply With QuoteWould that be a Pelagos with a Rolex movement dial and handset?Originally Posted by ryanb741
As far as I am aware Rolex has never made a watch in titanium whereas for the likes of Omega and Breitling titanium is seen in their premium non precious metal sports watches.
Does anyone have any insight as to why Rolex hasn't gone down this path? I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks a titanium Sub would be awesome
Last edited by ryanb741; 5th January 2015 at 09:32.
Would that be a Pelagos with a Rolex movement dial and handset?
We (WIS) are not the real customer base base for Rolex.
The average Rolex buyer still wants his/her watch nice and shiny.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
That's true, but I have also wondered about the absence of Titanium in the Rolex range.
Modern bright Titanium similar to that used by Omega and Grand Seiko would be a lovely alternative to SS.
Maybe titanium is too modern material for them?
As was pointed out, it is not absent but offered to a different group of clients under a different flag in the Rolex company range.
I love my Dia-Shield titanium Seiko's.
But it's quite difficult and expensive to refinish.
And Rolex can do wonders with a good polish of their 904L, even on a heavily used watch.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Oh and of course 3 x the price.
Even the ones that are brushed?
I'd have thought a watch buyer looking for something large, flash and noticeable would skip right past Rolex and head for Omega, Breitling, IWC... All wissy brands that sell watches by the foot!
Because high-grade stainless steel is the best material available for making watches. Nothing else is as durable, repairable and good-looking. I appreciate titanium, but I'll take stainless over it any day for a normal-sized watch.
I suspect that Breitling, Panerai and others use titanium because so many of their watches are so damn big and bulky. Rolex's design doesn't need the weight reduction to make it wearable (the excessive 116000 excepted, and even that has titanium in its construction).
So yes, they do use titanium and they use it well, but it's not necessary for anything except their novelty diver's watch.
My neighbour is THE average Rolex buyer, and he certainly likes them shiny.Even the ones that are brushed?
I'd have thought a watch buyer looking for something large, flash and noticeable would skip right past Rolex and head for Omega, Breitling, IWC... All wissy brands that sell watches by the foot!
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
I expect weight is an issue as well. The average customer wants something hefty in their hand to just the cost.
Evolution, not revolution... yawn!
DSSD caseback is Titanium which I think is their first and only use of it. It's a start perhaps.
A 'Rolexed' Pelagos would be a fantastic watch.
The Pelagos is actually pretty hefty (as is the Seamaster PO) in Titanium.
Their HEV's are Ti :)
It's just a matter of time...
Steel is better. Harder. Shinier.
The weight of the Pelagos was one of the things Imhad against it. My old Ti SMP's were fantastic, and you'd forget you had a watch on your wrist.
It's just a matter of time...
So they are, thanks!
Quite a few seem to be speaking for the 'average customer'.
Who is this mythical character?
People buying a Rolex are a heterogenous group. The myth that their average customer is someone buying a watch because it is recognized and shiny and showy is a myth,IMO. Sure there are some who buy a watch for these reasons but that they constitute the vast majority of non WIS Rolex buying population is an erroneous belief.
I like titanium watches and have several (Aerospaces, SMP Ti, GP Sea Hawk Pro 3000) but steel always looks 'smarter' than titanium's gun-metal's sleekness. For that reason I can see why Rolex concentrate on steel.
Brushed steel perhaps, but titanium can take a polish just as well as stainless steel does, except hardly anyone bothers to go the extra mile and do so, bar Seiko and Citizen.
I heard a story from someone once that Red Adair had a titanium rolex watch.
Red Adair wore a Gold Day-Date
If we're talking about extra miles, then the polished grade 5 ti from Omega is as good as it gets.
And Omega. Easy to forget the Swiss of course ;)
And asbestos underwear!!
He’d need them if he came on here with a gold Rolex. ;-)
R
Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.
And Certina....
Polishing titanium is not that special/difficult.
I'm sure some believe that only 200 year old Japanese elves trained in the ways of Katana can polish titanium.
No, nobody believes that, it's only in your mind, and has, again, nothing to do with the thread.I'm sure some believe that only 200 year old Japanese elves trained in the ways of Katana can polish titanium.
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
I thought you had left the forum last year? I guess it was just another one of your porkies.
You obviously can't read.I thought you had left the forum last year? I guess it was just another one of your porkies.
So, best wishes Cap, and don't let it get to you, you are an angry young man as it is.
Ta,
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
If you like your watches to look shiny and new, Ti isn't for you. Unless treated in some way, it quickly forms a dull grey patina of titanium oxide, which creates a nice satin finish (and very effectively prevents against corrosion, because it is corrosion). It's also very soft and marks easily, which suits those of us who want to look as though we're industrial divers, not jewellery addicts.
Grade 5 keeps its polish and is much harder than grade 2 which was previously used.
Perhaps you might get more enjoyment from the forum if you did not follow me around trolling my posts
True; 'myths galore' is the Rolex nickname ;-)
Last edited by Huertecilla; 6th January 2015 at 14:08.
And, Pussy Galore is the nickname for Rolex haters club? Sounds appropriate!True; 'myths galore' is the Rolex nickname ;-)
Thanks for that as I've often wondered what was so special about grade 5 and why Breitling used it on the aerospace.
It's perfectly possible to have a polished titanium watch. Longines did one 15-20 years ago. To keep it shiny it needs polishing just as much as stainless steel does. In the flesh it's a slightly darker metal, which should come as no surprise:
...but what do I know; I don't even like watches!
If that's as good as it gets, then it looks like they need to try harder – you won't see the distortion on a Grand Seiko like you do there on the Omega.If we're talking about extra miles, then the polished grade 5 ti from Omega is as good as it gets.
Not knocking Omega or bigging up Seiko – just pointing out what can be seen by anyone if they choose to notice.
It may be a small point that other aspects of either brand are more important to the individual, but still one nonetheless.
Last edited by PJ S; 6th January 2015 at 17:49.
Must admit the new SM 300 Master coaxial in ti that I bought on Sunday has terrific finishing, the best I ever had though was my Grand Seiko Snowflake (sadly departed) that was made of titanium but had such an incredible polishing job done that it 'zinged' more than the brightest SS watch. How on earth Seiko can achieve that level of finish I don't know *they call it 'Zaratsu' polishing based on century old techniques for polishing samurai swords but whatever they did it was terrific
I'm not sure what "distortion" you are referring to, also can you tell me if the GS use grade 5 ti or not?
I'm sure some believe that only 200 year old Japanese elves trained in the ways of Katana can polish titanium.There you go, you were right.....
🙌😜
Daddel.
Got a new watch, divers watch it is, had to drown the bastard to get it!
Black reflection to the right of the crown, it's hard not to see it.
Titanium grade that Seiko uses for the GS models? Don't know, don't care.
If it's something you're genuinely interested in knowing, for whatever reason, then the CS team in Japan will be only too happy to assist in furnishing you with that info.
Of course, that assumes the titanium alloy Seiko uses is identical in composition to that which Omega and others do – they may not be, and it's that, with the polishing technique employed, which creates the distortionless mirror appearance they've become renowned for since the introduction of the Ananta International range, almost a decade ago.
Last edited by PJ S; 6th January 2015 at 19:23.
If you are taking a low res photo as evidence of a lower quality of finish, then I will leave you to it.
As for the Grade 5 ti, if your watch does not have it, you don't have the best, the "sounds just like a golf" tv ad springs to mind.
I'd like to know too. If I can point it out to the salesman in the Omega shop perhaps I can get %50 off or more, just like Grand Seikos?
I have a GS diver in polished Ti and Omega PO in Ti. Omega wins IMO as far as the finish goes.
Thanks for the reply, however you might have induced a bouts of Seppuku and Harakiri among the devoted.
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