Platinum fluted bezel … why only recently available?

[SS Oyster]

I know Rolex recently added the fluted bezel to DD40 platinum watches, but what took so long?

Some people say it’s because they are hard to make, but they have been making a much harder part … the platinum crown …. with the same but smaller grooves of the same shape and even more severe angles since inception.

If Rolex can make platinum crowns, why not fluted bezels until just last year?




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[samuel019]

Damn good question in my opinion

Maybe it’s more of they always could but just wanted some visual differences between the Platinum and White Gold until they finally said F it lol

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by samuel019

Damn good question in my opinion

Maybe it’s more of they always could but just wanted some visual differences between the Platinum and White Gold until they finally said F it lol

Or they had a bunch of smooth ones already made and worked through them finally.

[PT_91]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

I know Rolex recently added the fluted bezel to DD40 platinum watches, but what took so long?

Some people say it’s because they are hard to make, but they have been making a much harder part … the platinum crown …. with the same but smaller grooves of the same shape and even more severe angles since inception.

If Rolex can make platinum crowns, why not fluted bezels until just last year?




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In my point of view, this "it's hard to make" is BS. Tudor does the same with the Pelagos FXD, eventhough they've been producing full Titanium watches for years.

[Palakiko]

IMO marketing.
Wants the public think they are buying something unique or exclusive.


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[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Palakiko

IMO marketing.
Wants the public think they are buying something unique or exclusive.


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Ditto

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by Palakiko

IMO marketing.
Wants the public think they are buying something unique or exclusive.

The most likely reason.

[Calatrava r]

Better late than never.

[Hardtimes]

Yeah, I always heard its hard to make which to me is complete BS. Think about the platinum crown, they made that but a bezel is too hard to make?? Who knows the true answer other than to say...its just how Rolex does it.

[huncho]

i don't buy the reasoning that they just figured out how to do it either. in reality not much has changed in the last decade with respect to the technology behind making jewelry so it has to be a marketing thing. i always thought they kept the platinum with only a smooth bezel for the ease of recognition and exclusivity

[Daytonaman799]

I thought it was a technology thing….

[Tridor]

I prefer the smoothe bezel only on the PT DD.

[HogwldFLTR]

I believe it was to separate the Pt from WG.

[jgottsman11]

Platinum should be w/ smooth bezel in my opinion. It is obviously a marketing ploy that they couldn't do a fluted bezel. It was a distinguishing factor for that model to be smooth bezel

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by HogwldFLTR

I believe it was to separate the Pt from WG.

Am with Lee, but the distinction is now gone (just like the distinction used to be in WG only Skydweller and GMT ceramic models, abandoned with the launch of the SS models).

Some people prefer the smooth bezel on the DD PT, in my case like more the fluted design. Would be nice they offer it on both versions as they do with the Datejust line, just call them by different reference numbers as used to be on the gold DD models (118239 / 118209 on WG and 118238/118208 on YG)




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[Kiddodoc]

Love the new fluted bezel on the platinum DD. Never liked the any smooth bezel. Scratch magnets and plain to me.

[SS Oyster]

I like platinum DDs both ways, just wondering why the “it’s hard” excuse was used.


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[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by SS Oyster

of the same shape and even more severe angles since inception.

If Rolex can make platinum crowns, why not fluted bezels until just last year?

]

Are you sure the crown in Platinum?

Maybe its been white gold this whole time and no one has noticed

[Incroyable12]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

Are you sure the crown in Platinum?

Maybe its been white gold this whole time and no one has noticed

They definitely use white gold for the crown tube, springbars, and apparently the rods inside the platinum bracelets. I believe the bracelet screws are also white gold.

[njlam]

If they came out with the fluted in platinum first, no one would want the smooth when it came out 2nd....

With the smooth out first, the demand for the fluted got huge.

[solomon23]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

They definitely use white gold for the crown tube, springbars, and apparently the rods inside the platinum bracelets. I believe the bracelet screws are also white gold.

My platinum Cellini has platinum spring bars. I thought they had to match the metals or it wears worse

[Incroyable12]

Originally Posted by solomon23

My platinum Cellini has platinum spring bars. I thought they had to match the metals or it wears worse

Are they hallmarked Platinum?

I'd always assumed the DD springbars were only available in YG or WG.

[solomon23]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

Are they hallmarked Platinum?

I'd always assumed the DD springbars were only available in YG or WG.

Yup ! My AD has a watchmaker and they showed me. They told me they can’t order them as a part from Rolex but if I send in the watch without a strap they’ll give me new ones at around 90 dollars a springbar 😬

[ltmgeller]

I preferred the smooth bezel

[Krash]

Too bad they got rid of the ice blue dial with lume indices. That was my favorite combo.


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[rolexgs]

we should believe rolex, whatever they say.

[samson66]

I don't buy anything they say. They said the same thing about why the SD43 was the first SD to have a cyclops. Something about the technology not being available to do it prior to this generation. You mean to tell me it took until 2017 to find glue that would hold a cyclops on the crystal and high pressure? Really? It took 50 years to make that giant leap for mankind?

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by samson66

I don't buy anything they say. They said the same thing about why the SD43 was the first SD to have a cyclops. Something about the technology not being available to do it prior to this generation. You mean to tell me it took until 2017 to find glue that would hold a cyclops on the crystal and high pressure? Really? It took 50 years to make that giant leap for mankind?

Ya, that seems like a stretch

[OG1982]

I much prefer fluted, but considering I'm not going to buy a Platinum DD anytime soon, it's not really an issue for me!

My first thought was I'd remembered reading somewhere that it was hard to manufacture the fluted bezel in Pt. Is that just internet talk? Or have Rolex ever marketed it this way?

[Big Tex Rolex]

Evolution.