Three distinct materials by Rolex that set it apart from others

　　Introduction: MentionRolex, whether you like it or not, I believe you cannot deny its standing in the watchmaking world. Rolex is a guarantee of quality; dignity, practicality and understated elegance define Rolex as a paragon of high watchmaking. Today we will focus solely on materials, looking at three unique Rolex materials that differ from those of other brands.

　　RolexRegarding Everose Gold

　　Rose gold is a very popular watch material nowadays; compared to luxurious yellow gold it is more understated, and compared to restrained white gold it is more luxurious. This mid-range character, combined with its warm and romantic pink hue, makes rose gold beloved by many. The technique for creating reddened 18K gold has been passed down for centuries, and the principle is simple: adjusting the proportions of the 6 parts of other metals mixed with 18 parts of gold within the 24 parts total. Adding more copper makes the colour redder, while decreasing the proportion of copper and increasing silver shifts the colour from red to pink. However, this technique has a major drawback: it is prone to fading.

　　To solve this problem and maintain a more enduring and everlasting lustre for its rose gold, Rolex invested heavily in research. Rolex's first-generation Everose gold technology filed a European patent EP1512765 as early as 2003 on 9 4 to make the rose gold colour more durable, with as many as 8 inventors. The approach at the time was to add platinum, utilising platinum's immutable properties to slow down colour degradation. Methods similar to adding platinum for anti-oxidation are currently used by many brands such as Hublot and Panerai. Rolex's latest Everose gold technology filed the newest Everose gold patent WO2014122235 this year on 2014 2 6, with inventors PASCAL DUBOS and JEAN-FRANÇOIS RICARD, introducing a superior solution that completely resolves the issue. To protect the red-yielding copper, more reactive calcium, indium and silicon are added. If corrosion occurs, these more reactive elements corrode first, thereby protecting the copper and preserving the beautiful red and pink tones. In principle, the name Everose is truly well deserved.

　　RolexRegarding 904L stainless steel

　　The refined steel and stainless steel we often see used for watch cases, bracelets and crowns refers to 316L steel. This is a common austenitic stainless steel, which offers exceptional corrosion resistance and a wonderful finish while having no adverse effects on human skin; in fact, it is also a grade of steel used for surgical scalpels. However, Rolex chooses to use 904L steel for its steel watches, remaining the only watch brand to fully adopt this material. Compared with 316L steel, 904L steel is more resistant to corrosion and rust, as well as being sturdier. Furthermore, the cases and bracelets polished from it achieve a more attractive appearance, regardless of whether a brushed or polished finish is applied. Or, to put it more intuitively: 904L stainless steel is frequently used in high-tech, aerospace and chemical industries, and its outstanding corrosion resistance is comparable to that of various precious metals, with production costs far exceeding those of 316L steel. Consequently, some watch experts remark that, for Rolex, even stainless steel is a precious metal.

　　In fact, Rolex and other brands used 316L steel in the early days, but around 2003, all steel products began to use 904L steel. However, as early as 1985, it became the first watchmaking brand to adopt 904L stainless steel, using 904L steel for the first time in a few versions of the Sea-Dweller. Although 904L steel has superior performance, it also has a disadvantage: as the hardness of the steel increases, the difficulty of forging also increases. Therefore, from 1985 to 2003, a period spanning 18 years, Rolex had to replace the processing equipment and tools for its entire production line in order to fully utilise 904L steel. This is the main reason why other brands besides Rolex cannot fully use 904L steel in the same way.

　　RolexRegarding the Ceramic Bezel

　　Just how popular are Rolex ceramic bezels? One only needs to look at the Submariner, the recently introduced black and white Daytonas, and the Pepsi bezel GMT. What is the appeal of Rolex ceramic bezels? In 2005, Rolex developed the patented Cerachrom ceramic bezel, crafted from a special ceramic material that is extremely hard, corrosion-resistant and scratch-resistant, and will not fade even when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. This material boasts an exceptional polishing finish, lending the bezel a striking and lasting lustre. For optimal legibility, the numerals and graduations are engraved directly into the ceramic, then coated with a thin layer of gold or platinum via Physical Vapour Deposition (PVD). Finally, it is diamond-polished to achieve a flawless sheen. The production of the Cerachrom bezel is carried out entirely in-house by Rolex. To meet the brand's stringent requirements, Rolex applies uniquely developed cutting-edge equipment to ensure the highest product quality.

　　Alongside monochromatic ceramic bezels, Rolex's two-tone ceramic bezels possess a distinct charm. Rolex created an innovative, self-developed method to craft unique dual-colour inserts, fitted to the GMT-Master II. At the Baselworld 2013 watch fair, Rolex showcased the fruit of years of development—the brand-new blue and black ceramic bezel GMT-Master II—which sent shockwaves through the watchmaking world and remains a sought-after Rolex model to this day. The entire production process of the Cerachrom insert and the overall bezel undergoes numerous quality control procedures to ensure they meet requirements in shape, mechanical performance and colour. Only after passing all tests does the Cerachrom bezel truly begin its function. An interesting anecdote illustrates this: it is said that the red and blue bezel GMT version released in 2014 had already been prepared as early as 13, but prior to launch, it was discovered that the transition between the red and blue sections did not reach a flawless standard, so its release was held back for another year.

　　Precision, reliability and durability are well-known hallmarks of Rolex, and the brand consistently proves this through its actions. For instance, even for a minor difference in steel composition, it is willing to spend years replacing a production line; similarly, to preserve the everlasting lustre of Everose gold, it continually researches and develops more advanced techniques; and that captivating patented ceramic bezel also demonstrates to the world that Rolex never rests on its laurels, waiting only to astonish.