14k Gold Shell Content

[ramlco]

Hello,

I am looking at buying a vintage Rolex Oyster Perpetual Model 1005 and am wondering about the gold content of the case.

I've read that model code indicates that this is a "Gold Shell" which places a layer of gold on top of a stainless base metal. I am wondering how much gold this actually places in the watch. There is a hallmark on the inside of the case back indicating that it is "14K". Is this the gold content of the entire weight of the case? Or is it the gold content of the thin layer placed on top of the stainless steel base?'

If the latter is the case, is there any way to determine how much gold is actually contained in this watch?

Thanks in advance for the help!
ramlco

[Tools]

Hallmarks always apply to the gold alone, never to the associated parts..

No, there is no way to determine how much gold is there.. nor would that knowledge be of any practical value..

[ramlco]

Thank you for the quick response.

I should been more clear on my original post. I am more concerned about how thick the coating actually is.

Do people ever have problems with the gold layer wearing through to expose the stainless steel or is the layer thick enough to cover up most scratches?

[Tools]

Originally Posted by ramlco

Thank you for the quick response.

I should been more clear on my original post. I am more concerned about how thick the coating actually is.

Do people ever have problems with the gold layer wearing through to expose the stainless steel or is the layer thick enough to cover up most scratches?

It is not a coating (as in electroplating), it is a shell that is formed and pressed around the case. It would take some pretty aggressive grinding to go through it, though I suppose that it could be done..

I don't have a picture of a gold filled case, but here is a crown that has had the gold pressed and formed around the SS core.

[joe100]

Not enough gold content to be worth melting down. The watch will be worth more than the content of the gold itself, always

[scottb2]

joe is correct - no question

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by tools

hallmarks always apply to the gold alone, never to the associated parts..

No, there is no way to determine how much gold is there.. Nor would that knowledge be of any practical value..

+ 1

[scottb2]

nice benz George :)

[GeoGio Greece]

Originally Posted by scottb2

nice benz George :)

Thanks Scott, this is the old classy look of the Mercs. I have this view in my soul, as my father had a W 110.

Great cars, if you know what to expect. I value them a lot. They are suitable for old people like me.

[crowncollection]

It's estimated to be 40 microns thick I have heard.


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[scottb2]

Originally Posted by GeoGio Greece

Thanks Scott, this is the old classy look of the Mercs. I have this view in my soul, as my father had a W 110.

Great cars, if you know what to expect. I value them a lot. They are suitable for old people like me.

1952 MB 220A CAB - my dad kept in in the garage in terrible shape but so rare that when i put it in hemmings i had it sold for him via cash in a big envelope !!!!!

we couldnt restore it but someone sure must have a nice ride out there somewhere

[Tools]

Gold filled, if that would be the original configuration.. not sure if "gold shell" has a real definition; is gold sheet applied that equals 1/20th of the weight of the assembly..

As opposed to "gold plating" which is an electroplate that is only about a half micron thick..

Two completely different animals...

(of course this has nothing to do with the Mercedes Benz unless your hood ornament is "gold filled")

[GeoGio Greece]

As Larry said. Fished from another forum, gives some explanation on rolled gold or filled.

"" Rolled gold is gold plated.

It is different from electro-plated gold though. Rolled gold is another name for gold filled. It means that a very, very thin sheet of 10K, 12K, 14K, or 18K gold is bonded to a thick sheet of base metal and then made into the object, such as a pen. The way it is bonded is through high pressure which welds the metals together. The term rolled gold describes one of the common processes for applying this high pressure - the sheets of metal are put through some rollers that press them together under great force. Markings on rolled gold or gold filled objects are something like 14KRG or 14KGF or 1/20 14KGF or such. The 12K or 14K or whatever marking is simply saying the purity of the very very thin sheet of gold that has been pressure welded to the top of the base metal.

When you see a fraction in front of it such as 1/20 that means that if you put the metal on a scale, the gold layer would constitute one-twentieth of the total weight. For example if you had a pen where the metal parts were 1/20 12KRG or GF and you put them on a scale that showed them to weigh one ounce, the total amount of gold would be one fortieth of an ounce.

You get that by knowing pure gold is 24K so 12K gold is fifty percent gold and fifty percent base metals. In this example, fifty percent of one-twentieth of an ounce is one fortieth of an ounce. Then if you wanted to sell it for the value of the gold, you would then need to deduct part of the value of the gold for the cost to have it melted down and purified, plus something for a profit for the middleman and for the gold melting company. In other words, the scrap value of it would not likely be worth the cost or effort, unless you had many of them. ""

[powerfunk]

Here's a good link on the differences between electroplated gold and gold-filled: http://www.artisanplating.com/articles/goldfilled.html

Also, sometimes you'll hear the term "gold-capped." I don't know if Rolex ever made truly "gold-capped" models, but Seiko made some watches in both gold-filled and gold-capped versions. Gold-capped Seikos had thicker gold than the gold-filled, and were more expensive -- but gold-capped means the gold is ONLY on the top.

So, though a gold-capped watch typically has thicker gold than a gold-filled one (and much thicker than regular gold-plated), the gold-capped watches will have NO gold on the underside of the case, whereas the case of a gold-filled Seiko will appear gold on all sides (excluding the actual caseback which is always steel).

In any case, did you say the inside of the caseback was stamped 14k? Every gold-filled Rolex I've ever seen has a SS caseback.