Bakelite Bezel Durability

[vitalsignsrn]

Hi All...

My only familiarity with Bakelite is the box made by Breitling. I don't know anything about the material other than its some type of Resin. I don't know how tuff it is.

How durable is a bakelite bezel? Is a metal bezel all around a better choice?

Thanks

[linesiders]

Bakelite breaks and like many composites / resins over time, further deteriorates under UV. Get the bake light & bezel and put in the safe, put a metal / standard bezel for wearing on the farm

[andromeda160]

From my experience with Bakelite, all the stuff I've had made of it has been really brittle. So I'd be careful wearing a watch with such a bezel, especially since they fetch 5-10k for an insert

[vitalsignsrn]

Thanks for your response. I had a feeling if it was resin it would perform pretty much like resin. I wasn't sure if it was for a watch would it be coated with an epoxy of some sort that was durable. I will look for a metal bezel. Thanks..

[vitalsignsrn]

Greg.. 5-10K for an insert..thats insane. LOL I can get a new watch for that. LOL

Thank you for your answer.

:-)

[padi56]

Originally Posted by vitalsignsrn

Thanks for your response. I had a feeling if it was resin it would perform pretty much like resin. I wasn't sure if it was for a watch would it be coated with an epoxy of some sort that was durable. I will look for a metal bezel. Thanks..

Its a very early form of plastic and they were not used very long with Rolex. The very first production GMT 6542s had Bakelite inserts now these inserts were quite fragile and prone to breakage.And some of these inserts and small number of watch dials were over the new AEC radiation rules so had to be withdrawn by Rolex.

[vitalsignsrn]

Peter thank you. What a great resource you are. :-) And how interesting as well to know that history.

[andromeda160]

Originally Posted by vitalsignsrn

Greg.. 5-10K for an insert..thats insane. LOL I can get a new watch for that. LOL

Thank you for your answer.

:-)

They might even be more, Bakelite insert rolexes are really expensive, and I'm pretty sure the insert is roughly 50% of the watches value since the originals are so scarce and good examples are even more rare

That ad is crazy, only 605 bakelite gmts were imported at that time. Has to be around 100,000 gmts a year now

[vitalsignsrn]

Greg, the watch with the Bakelite bezel is on Chrono24 and looks pristine. Seller says its almost NIB. I don't have plans to ever buy a watch and stick it in a safe. I plan on wearing it. If I have to worry about it that much, its not for me. ;-)

[andromeda160]

Originally Posted by vitalsignsrn

Greg, the watch with the Bakelite bezel is on Chrono24 and looks pristine. Seller says its almost NIB. I don't have plans to ever buy a watch and stick it in a safe. I plan on wearing it. If I have to worry about it that much, its not for me. ;-)

The one for $10,800? The bezel on that is aftermarket. If it ever broke only 100-300 to replace. The inserts were talking about are the ones from the 1950's that have been aging for 50 years. I think that's a great watch, a 1959 gmt is a extremely collectible watch and that one has a great dial. And since the bezels gone its 10k less than the same watch with the original bezel. And you can wear it daily without wording about damaging anything

Never mind it has a replacement dial and hands as well, you would be better off buying a later gmt and putting an aftermarket bake light bezel on it and you'd have the same watch for less than half price. If it had the original dial and hands it'd be a great deal at 10,800

[b06tmm]

Originally Posted by padi56

Its a very early form of plastic...

Exactly so. Bakelite was also used in a number of consumer products, most prevalent in my mind are table-top radios from that time period.

[vitalsignsrn]

Greg,, no no..its a midsize Blue Sub. Im not sure if they have price listed but its going for $2900 and from Malibu Watches (or something to that effect). LOL

Im not into vintage watches actually. For $10K I would make sure I got used to a new Rolex Sub.

I just like the Sub look and the Rolex one is too big on my wrist so I thought of the Tudor. Same kind of look but smaller.

Looks like the Omega Seamaster 300 is gonna be my diver one day. LOL Comes in 36.5mm and the blue is nice. ;-)

Thanks guys

[Kingair]

Invented by a Belgian Leo Baekeland living in NY . . . of course . . .

Here is some info

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakelite

HAGOne

[Robbyvm]

Hahaha Marc, heerlijk dat chauvinisme

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Robbyvm

Hahaha Marc, heerlijk dat chauvinisme

We'll we have to let all know that our pretty small country has invented some great stuff

Groeten

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by Kingair

We'll we have to let all know that our pretty small country has invented some great stuff

Groeten

....BEER !