What is going on with the Pepsi insert?

[rolex_pl85]

Rubbish. Another poster trying to hype up a watch. LOL

All the ceramics are the same brittleness.

[Babalaas]

Originally Posted by rolex_pl85

Rubbish. Another poster trying to hype up a watch. LOL

All the ceramics are the same brittleness.

The poster has more than a 1,000 posts in his history. Don't think they stand much to gain from hyping up the watch. I came in with extreme skepticism here but the lack of availability in my local market is slowly convincing me...

[PenDelicate]

Originally Posted by jfmiii

I reached out to a VERY prominent LA watchmaker this week. They told me there was a service bulletin from Rolex about the ceramic Pepsi insert. .

I presume the watchmaker is an RSC. So this bulletin went out to all RSCs in the world? Does it not seem a little ... odd that Rolex issued this to thousands of RSCs and yet we've not seen a copy of it?

Though, I suppose, anyone could photoshop one, so even an image would be dubious.

Someone else mentions in the thread here that this information has come from, "Too many reliable sources," to be fake. But I've only seen it posted by anonymous people on the internet. Then re-posted and re-posted by other anonymous people. Hardly reliable resources. If an RSC made a public announcement, that would be different. Or even a big AD. (I'm not included, "My AD tole me ..." stories as reliable anything.)

As far as I know, Rolex has not issued such a statement, no AD has issued such a statement, and no RSC has issued such a statement.

What are the other reliable sources?

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by PenDelicate

I presume the watchmaker is an RSC. So this bulletin went out to all RSCs in the world? Does it not seem a little ... odd that Rolex issued this to thousands of RSCs and yet we've not seen a copy of it?

Though, I suppose, anyone could photoshop one, so even an image would be dubious.

Someone else mentions in the thread here that this information has come from, "Too many reliable sources," to be fake. But I've only seen it posted by anonymous people on the internet. Then re-posted and re-posted by other anonymous people. Hardly reliable resources. If an RSC made a public announcement, that would be different. Or even a big AD. (I'm not included, "My AD tole me ..." stories as reliable anything.)

As far as I know, Rolex has not issued such a statement, no AD has issued such a statement, and no RSC has issued such a statement.

What are the other reliable sources?

My assumption was that this was an independent (RSC couldn't/wouldn't decline to work on BLRO bezels like that), and may or may not have actually received the bulletin from Rolex directly. However, in any field, there will always be those on the "outside" who've been around for long enough, and have garnered enough respect over the years, to be "let in" on the "inside" stuff.

I further read this from the assumption that nobody was outright lying. While every previous post on this could be attributed to pure speculation and hearsay, this one seemed to have actual documentation behind it. Again, this could be an outright lie and no way of knowing, but assuming it isn't, it seems better informed than previous.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by rolex_pl85

Rubbish. Another poster trying to hype up a watch. LOL

All the ceramics are the same brittleness.

Originally Posted by Babalaas

The poster has more than a 1,000 posts in his history. Don't think they stand much to gain from hyping up the watch. I came in with extreme skepticism here but the lack of availability in my local market is slowly convincing me...

And rarely would those seeking to generate such hype on an Internet forum be so subtle and include such non-hype details ("decided not to work on BLRO bezels until further notice").

[jfmiii]

Originally Posted by rolex_pl85

Rubbish. Another poster trying to hype up a watch. LOL

All the ceramics are the same brittleness.

Reach out to the watch shop and ask them yourself. I’ve been a collecting vintage Rolex for almost 20 years. A poster here for 13 years. Check my post history. I’ve been very bearish on the watch market.

[jfmiii]

Originally Posted by PenDelicate

I presume the watchmaker is an RSC. So this bulletin went out to all RSCs in the world? Does it not seem a little ... odd that Rolex issued this to thousands of RSCs and yet we've not seen a copy of it?

Though, I suppose, anyone could photoshop one, so even an image would be dubious.

Someone else mentions in the thread here that this information has come from, "Too many reliable sources," to be fake. But I've only seen it posted by anonymous people on the internet. Then re-posted and re-posted by other anonymous people. Hardly reliable resources. If an RSC made a public announcement, that would be different. Or even a big AD. (I'm not included, "My AD tole me ..." stories as reliable anything.)

As far as I know, Rolex has not issued such a statement, no AD has issued such a statement, and no RSC has issued such a statement.

What are the other reliable sources?

Not RSC. For those in the vintage space, these guys are maybe the most respected shop in the country. Many members here have had modern cases and bracelets brushed by them. It should be obvious who they are and the reputation they have.

[mgsooner]

The copium in here from some is DPRK News esque.

[Sub24541]

Originally Posted by rolex_pl85

Rubbish. Another poster trying to hype up a watch. LOL

All the ceramics are the same brittleness.

No. The BLRO bezel is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) whereas the other ceramic bezels are zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Source: page 6 Rolex pdf on Rolex.com.

https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...ic_english.pdf

Those are two different materials with different mechanical properties. They will likely have different grain size, critical flaw size and strength properties due to composition and processing and so the BLRO bezel could quite easily be more ‘brittle’ than the other ZrO2 based bezels.


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[CarlOver]

Originally Posted by Sub24541

No. The BLRO bezel is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) whereas the other ceramic bezels are zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Source: page 6 Rolex pdf on Rolex.com.

https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...ic_english.pdf

Those are two different materials with different mechanical properties. They will likely have different grain size, critical flaw size and strength properties due to composition and processing and so the BLRO bezel could quite easily be more ‘brittle’ than the other ZrO2 based bezels.


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Thanks for the info. Such good detailed info and from the sources. The info on the BLRO is on page 12 of this PDF at least for me.

[Sub24541]

Originally Posted by CarlOver

Thanks for the info. Such good detailed info and from the sources. The info on the BLRO is on page 12 of this PDF at least for me.

On page 6 it discusses how they had to use an alumina base ceramic rather than zirconia for all the prior cerachrom bezels to get the correct red color for the BLRO. It’s basically ceramic ruby - chromium doped corundum (aluminum oxide, Al2O3).


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[jfmiii]

Originally Posted by Sub24541

No. The BLRO bezel is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) whereas the other ceramic bezels are zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Source: page 6 Rolex pdf on Rolex.com.

https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...ic_english.pdf

Those are two different materials with different mechanical properties. They will likely have different grain size, critical flaw size and strength properties due to composition and processing and so the BLRO bezel could quite easily be more ‘brittle’ than the other ZrO2 based bezels.

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Excellent post. Thanks!

[Turb0wned]

It’s going to be interesting to see what actually ends up happening

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Sub24541

No. The BLRO bezel is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) whereas the other ceramic bezels are zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Source: page 6 Rolex pdf on Rolex.com.

https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...ic_english.pdf

Those are two different materials with different mechanical properties. They will likely have different grain size, critical flaw size and strength properties due to composition and processing and so the BLRO bezel could quite easily be more ‘brittle’ than the other ZrO2 based bezels.


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Great reading, thank you

[SDR581]

Originally Posted by nr1416

I never believed a second of this rumor at first but keep hearing more things right from the ADs about how little to no Pepsi's there receiving. Even looking at sellers groups I'm seeing tons of brand new BLNRs and VTNRs come up for sale but very few BLROs.
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Another, my AD said...But My SA told me this year their allocation of the BLRO dropped by half. However, their allocation of the BLNR and VNTR increased.

[wm82]

Originally Posted by rolex_pl85

Rubbish. Another poster trying to hype up a watch. LOL

All the ceramics are the same brittleness.

Lol idiot.


The BLRO insert is pressed into the bezel using a hytrel gasket, whereas the other ceramic inserts are just friction fitted into the steel bezels.

The removal procedure for the bezel is entirely different also, as the normal ceramics you can just pry the bezel off, whereas the BLRO bezel uses a whole tool set that pulls the bezel straight up and off the watch case.

There certainly seems to be a reduction in steel pepsis delivered going forward, my assumption is theres more money in it just sticking it on the white gold models but who knows but rolex...

[thesharkfactor]

Originally Posted by lil-lonnie

Yes I hear Pepsi has stopped.

That would be very sad indeed, especially for all those who are buying thier way up the waiting list. I know how that feels, I had the rug pulled from under me when the 116610LV was discontinued that I had been on a list for.

[PenDelicate]

Originally Posted by jfmiii

Not RSC. For those in the vintage space, these guys are maybe the most respected shop in the country. Many members here have had modern cases and bracelets brushed by them. It should be obvious who they are and the reputation they have.

Rolex send bulletins to non-RSCs?

That seems ... unlikely.

[askdanny]

Anybody can post a copy of the notice received by Rolex authorized service centers?

[Harry-57]

Originally Posted by Sub24541

No. The BLRO bezel is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) whereas the other ceramic bezels are zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Source: page 6 Rolex pdf on Rolex.com.

https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...ic_english.pdf

Thank you for that. I have a 126710BLRO and I never knew the difference.

A most enjoyable and informative read.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by Sub24541

No. The BLRO bezel is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) whereas the other ceramic bezels are zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Source: page 6 Rolex pdf on Rolex.com.

https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...ic_english.pdf

Those are two different materials with different mechanical properties. They will likely have different grain size, critical flaw size and strength properties due to composition and processing and so the BLRO bezel could quite easily be more ‘brittle’ than the other ZrO2 based bezels.


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And that might explain why the Coke has yet to be revived; sounds like anything red requires the more brittle formulation.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by PenDelicate

Rolex send bulletins to non-RSCs?

That seems ... unlikely.

No, but it's entirely likely that there are a select few non-RSC watchmakers "in the know" (i.e. someone at Rolex forwards certain bulletins to them) because they remain respected, go-to, resources for watches RSC isn't really in a position to maintain.

[Sub24541]

Originally Posted by dannyp

And that might explain why the Coke has yet to be revived; sounds like anything red requires the more brittle formulation.

That's an interesting question. Certainly a red half requires the alumina base. I haven't seen any Rolex patents or patent applications yet that describe how to make a black/red bezel. One patent describes a very dark blue/black, but they might not have perfected the combination to their satisfaction.

[Watchsprings]

Always love learning something new from this forum, thanks!

[jb335]

Originally Posted by Sub24541

No. The BLRO bezel is aluminum oxide (Al2O3) whereas the other ceramic bezels are zirconium oxide (ZrO2). Source: page 6 Rolex pdf on Rolex.com.

https://newsroom-content.rolex.com/-...ic_english.pdf

Those are two different materials with different mechanical properties. They will likely have different grain size, critical flaw size and strength properties due to composition and processing and so the BLRO bezel could quite easily be more ‘brittle’ than the other ZrO2 based bezels.


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Dropping knowledge. Great post. Thanks


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[jfmiii]

Originally Posted by PenDelicate

Rolex send bulletins to non-RSCs?

That seems ... unlikely.

First off, I never said they received a Rolex bulletin. They said there was a Rolex bulletin.

Secondly, you know which shop I’m talking about, right? To suggest that they’re not in tune with anything Rolex related is laughable.

[cvera]

Hadn't heard this but thanks for sharing.

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[Cambo]

Great thread….very informative. Thanks!

[AJMarcus]

Lots of food for thought in this very interesting thread. As a Mark 1 BLRO owner I read this thread with keen interest. Thanks everybody for posting.

[dannyp]

Originally Posted by Sub24541

That's an interesting question. Certainly a red half requires the alumina base. I haven't seen any Rolex patents or patent applications yet that describe how to make a black/red bezel. One patent describes a very dark blue/black, but they might not have perfected the combination to their satisfaction.

One must also wonder whether Rolex would have been better off trying to get the brown from the CHNR as "red" as possible, and combining that with blue for the BLRO... Were I buying, I'd prefer my red be too close to brown than too close to fuchsia.

Otherwise, if Rolex gives up on red ceramic, I wonder whether we'll begin seeing other combos of existing colors, like BLVT or BLGR, etc.