[Scott D]

A Rolex ceramic bezel is:

Super heated to 1500* to harden & purify

Impervious to scratches (extremely scratch resistant)

Virtually indestructible

Completely covered in gold, then polished until only the gold of the numerals remain*

Takes over 40 hours to produce

I'm surprised that it's scratch resistant & virtually indestructible. When I think of ceramic (like tile) you think of brittle or fragile. Obviously not with a Rolex ceramic... :thumbup1:



Source Rolex.

*the say every bezel is covered in gold, so makes me wonder - is the SS version white gold? That I don't know but assume to be true....

 

[JPS]

Wow! No wonder a price increase is upon us!

 

[timefinder]

Why is it they can not do this for the Pepsi Bezel?

 

[GMT4me]

I am wondering about the SS too?? Gold on both? and I have heard that the pepsi prob is mixing the colors while in the process of making the bezel. Sure they will figure it out or prob already have...

 

[DarkHeart]

A Rolex ceramic bezel is:

Super heated to 1500* to harden & purify

Impervious to scratches (extremely scratch resistant)

Virtually indestructible

Completely covered in gold, then polished until only the gold of the numerals remain*

Takes over 40 hours to produce

I'm surprised that it's scratch resistant & virtually indestructible. When I think of ceramic (like tile) you think of brittle or fragile. Obviously not with a Rolex ceramic... :thumbup1:



Source Rolex.

*the say every bezel is covered in gold, so makes me wonder - is the SS version white gold? That I don't know but assume to be true....

I would think it would be brittle, though. Haven't heard any horror stories, so maybe it has super powers.:thumbup:

 

[Scott D]

I wouldn't say they can't (rumors are there may be one in the works) but it's a technological issue. Ceramic is made by taking powder and baking the heck out of it to fuse at the atomic level & harden it. So, how do you do that with different 'colored' powders and still have an even, crisp, defined 'line' between the red & black (or blue)? Also, you can't make them separately, as then you'd have to glue them together, making a possible weak point. So that presented challenges, in addition to making colored ceramic (All I've seen to date is black & blue).

not to say they can't, just that they haven't yet... :wink:

 

[Classicfitness]

This kind of ceramic is called Hi-Tec ceramic and last forever. I think it's about the same kind of ceramic used on Channel or Rado watches.

 

[Skerfan_17]

The ceramic Rolex is working with is the same type of ceramic that is used in armor for tanks by many countries. Isreal, France the UK and the US all have ceramis armor on their taks that are extremely resistant to small arms and small rocket fire.

 

[bullandvodka]

I am wondering about the SS too?? Gold on both? and I have heard that the pepsi prob is mixing the colors while in the process of making the bezel. Sure they will figure it out or prob already have...

GMT, I believe they use platinum or white gold in place of gold for the SS model. If you look closely, you'll see that the fill of the numbers on the bezel isn't quite the same color as the SS of the watch. Its not much, maybe a couple milligrams max.

I'm sure Rolex would have preferred SS fill, but remember SS is a material, not an element. SS is just iron with carbon, nickel, and some other elements in it. It can't be vapor deposited without the metals separating out.

I think Sheldonsmith found a Rolex patent that covered multi-color ceramic s for bezels and other parts. Maybe Baselworld will show us what Rolex has been working on!

 

[Scott D]

GMT, I believe they use platinum or white gold in place of gold for the SS model. If you look closely, you'll see that the fill of the numbers on the bezel isn't quite the same color as the SS of the watch. Its not much, maybe a couple milligrams max.

I'm sure Rolex would have preferred SS fill, but remember SS is a material, not an element. SS is just iron with carbon, nickel, and some other elements in it. It can't be vapor deposited without the metals separating out.

I think Sheldonsmith found a Rolex patent that covered multi-color ceramic s for bezels and other parts. Maybe Baselworld will show us what Rolex has been working on!

Yea, the site says all of them are coated in gold, so I assumed white gold too....

I remember Sheldon posting that patent info now that you mention it.. I guess the question is when it'll be in production, not if.. It would be great to see that for this years Basel... :thumbup: