Rolexes come in all colors and materials, from stainless steel and titanium to rose gold, yellow gold, white gold, and platinum. With such a range of metallic elements, there’s definitely a color and style for everyone’s taste. Depending on the metal used, the value of the watch can vary.
In this post
What is Rolex white gold made of?
Even if the percentages wouldn’t be exact, we can say that Rolex’s special white gold alloy consists of 75% gold, palladium, platinum, copper, and a little bit of silver and trace metals. What is interesting is that Rolex has not come up with a proprietary name for white gold.
Are Rolex watches made of platinum?
Rolex uses 950 platinum, an alloy consisting of 950‰ (thousandths) of platinum generally combined with ruthenium. This allows the metal to be robust enough to be used in watch cases, while maintaining its legendary shine and brilliance.
Does Rolex use white gold?
Gold. Rolex has its own in-house foundry to ensure the quality and purity of all precious metals used in the manufacture of their watches. Rolex uses palladium in its white gold, so no rhodium plating is required.
Is platinum watch better than gold?
Platinum is generally valued higher than gold. This is because platinum is rarer than gold, has a higher density and is purer. Platinum rings require more platinum than gold rings require gold, which can increase the overall cost.
Does Rolex white gold turn yellow?
Unlike practically every other manufacturer in the industry, Rolex do not rhodium-plate their white gold to ensure its luster. Instead, they add a palladium/silver mix that keeps it looking radiant, long after the electroplating of lesser pieces has started to wear off, revealing the yellow metal underneath.
What is the cheapest Rolex you can buy?
36mm Oyster Perpetual
What Is The Cheapest Rolex. The cheapest Rolex is the 36mm Oyster Perpetual which costs $5,800 MSRP. The Oyster Perpetual is a no date stainless steel sports model that is considered the most affordable or entry level men’s Rolex.
How can I tell if my Rolex is platinum?
Deciphering the Rolex Material Codes
218206 Rolex Day-Date, the ‘6’ in its reference number denotes its solid platinum construction.
Does Rolex use real gold?
Rolex uses mainly 18-carat gold for its watches, which has a purity of 750 ‰ (thousandths) of pure gold, i.e. three quarters. The remaining 25% consists of other elements such as silver, copper, platinum or palladium, depending on the alloy to be achieved.
How do I know my Rolex is genuine?
Here are some factors to look out for:
- Rolex serial number. Every Rolex watch has a unique serial number consisting of 4 – 8 characters.
- Serial number placement & quality.
- The Rolex logo.
- Metal case back.
- Movement.
- Seconds hand.
- Sound.
- Date display.
Are all Rolex hands white gold?
5. All modern Rolex models use white gold in the hour indices and hands. Vintage Rolex watches have watch hands that corrode. But modern Rolex watches have white gold for hands and indices such that they do not corrode.
When did Rolex start using white gold?
Rolex started to implement the white gold hands in the middle to the late 1980s. Some examples are seen from the early 1980s with white gold hands are seen. For natural reasons, not all steel Rolex watches got white gold hands at the same time.
What’s so special about Rolex watches?
Rolex watches show time accurately and are robust, sturdy and reliable. Maintaining consistently high quality with estimated annual production numbers of about three-quarters of a million pieces is an art unto itself. And it’s to Rolex’s advantage to omit unusual complications.
Is platinum and white gold same?
While Platinum is a naturally white metal, White Gold is made by combining pure gold (which is yellow in colour) with alloying metals such as Palladium. Because of the yellow metal content, White Gold is actually slightly grey/off-white in colour. This can be corrected by a surface treatment called Rhodium plating.
Which is better platinum or white gold?
Platinum vs white gold: durability — it’s a tie
14K white gold is harder than platinum and scratches less, but platinum is stiffer and does a better job of holding the diamond in place for the long term. Both are durable enough for daily wear and significantly more durable than yellow gold.
Why are platinum Rolexes so expensive?
When it comes to manufacturing, platinum is indeed more dense and therefore, it takes its toll on the instruments used to shape and fabricate. Platinum (PI) takes about 4 times longer to mill, polish, etc, than gold. Furthermore, Rolex, for example, uses 75% pure gold and 95% pure platinum.
Does white gold wear off?
It’s natural for white gold to fade, sometimes yellowing, here’s why. Most white gold rings are flash plated with a very, very thin coating of rhodium (a pure white metal) to give them a more brilliant, pure white appearance. This rhodium plating will wear off over time and reveal the white gold ring underneath.
Why is my white gold turning yellow?
When you see a yellow sheen on your white gold jewelry, it is not the result of oxidation or another chemical reaction, meaning the metal does not actually change color. The outer layer of rhodium slowly wears away over time, eventually revealing the creamy-yellow color of un-plated white gold.
Is white gold more expensive than yellow gold?
Price & Value
However, white gold jewellery can be slightly more expensive than yellow gold jewellery, because of the manufacturing process it undergoes while being mixed and coated. At the end of the day, choosing white or yellow gold is mainly a question of personal preference.
How long will a Rolex last?
In the majority of cases, a Rolex timepiece can last a lifetime, especially if it’s serviced regularly. While Rolex recommends service every ten years, it’s a good idea to have your watch looked at every 5 to 7 years to ensure optimal performance.
Is Rolex cheaper in Switzerland?
Rolex approves the jewelers that sell their watches and is very strict about retail pricing. The retail price will not be significantly less in Switzerland and I am confident that you realize that Rolex watches are expensive, beginning at $7,500 USD ≈ $9,000 CAD ≈ $8,500 CHF.