Is Patina dead?

[Santiago32]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread but wouldn't some aspects still patina on modern Rolex...pip on submariners, hands and dial will surely oxidize over time... granted it may take a lot longer with modern Rolex.

Having said that, I can totally see Tudor models have bezel fading. Tudor BB58 and Pepsi would look neat with a faded bezel and some dial patina.

[temporarychicken]

Try inadvertently wearing one in a hot tub and then we'll talk about patina.....

[Speedbird-1]

It's a very good question OP.
I guess we'll have the answer in about 50 years.

[saxo3]

Originally Posted by Speedbird-1

It's a very good question OP.
I guess we'll have the answer in about 50 years.

Originally Posted by Speedbird-1

Ask again.......in say, 50 years.

You will reach +50 years?

[JParm]

I've done the vintage thing (both for watches and other items) and I can firmly say that I much prefer things that continue to look new. The idea of worn out / aged items is nice, but I think I'd rather have a 50 year old watch that looks the same way it did the day it was purchased, save for a few scratches here and there. I'm not talking pristine condition, but I don't need yellowed hands, a faded bezel, etc.

The fact that my 16710 still looks incredibly crisp is amazing and awesome at the same time; let's hope it stays that way for a long, long while!

[Sandpit]

Yep, long dead now and has been really since the turn of the century when luminova replaced tritium. Maybe the aluminum bezel 5 digits might still patina (mine hasn’t so far though).

To be honest I don’t think the new bling generation of Rolex would suit patina in any case. A ceramic bezel with pumpkin markers would just look very very odd.

Having said that, I love a nice patina on 4 and 5 digits as they suit the era.

This, for me, is just sublime.




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[WatchGuy1966]

Originally Posted by blabus

+1. I also can't stand the trend of new watches being produced with fake "patina" (looking at you Omega).

Thank you for saying it.

Omega makes several models I would buy if not for the fake patina on the lume.

[logo]

Originally Posted by blabus

+1. I also can't stand the trend of new watches being produced with fake "patina" (looking at you Omega).

I know this post is from a long time ago, but if anyone is interested I believe the poster is referring to the new 321 Ed White. Interestingly, while many have commented that it looks like faux-tina, I do not think this is actually what was intended by Omega (after all, the rest of the watch appears brand new and crisp with modern touches like ceramic, sapphire, gold instead of copper for the movement etc - all things designed to PREVENT patina).

In fact, some believe the cream color used by Omega on the new 321 is actually to replicate the way the 105.003 lume would have looked FROM FACTORY. This is from Moonwatch only:



Next, if you look at old advertisements from the 60s of the Speedmaster pro and a catalogue drawing of the 105.003 from 1964, you can see the lume is still a cream color and not pure white (also funny they drew a milk ring even though it’s hesalite - foreshadowing for the future sapphire sand which models lol).






The new 321 Ed White has a subtle cream color to the lume that is not as stark contrast as the modern Speedmaster, but I do believe this is intended to mimic how it would have looked new from factory, not aged lume (again, consider that the rest of the watch is designed and finished to look pristine). Here’s mine.

[101031-28]

I find there is beauty in both. Modern Rolex will continue to look pristine for decades. Vintage pieces in well aged condition (not a fan of beat up cases and loose bracelets) have a charm and uniqueness of their own.

[crazycarlitos]

I like Patina.
I have seen some that really adds wonderful warmth to the watch.
But I don’t like all the issues that come with old watch, like rust.

However, not all my watches need to have the “white” lume on the hands and hour markers. Lol

I don’t care what it’s called… fake patina, Fauxtina, etc.
If it works well with the watch, that’s all that matters to me.
It’s just a different colored markers/lume as far as I am concerned

[Oxfordian]

Originally Posted by Sandpit

Yep, long dead now and has been really since the turn of the century when luminova replaced tritium. Maybe the aluminum bezel 5 digits might still patina (mine hasn’t so far though).

To be honest I don’t think the new bling generation of Rolex would suit patina in any case. A ceramic bezel with pumpkin markers would just look very very odd.

Having said that, I love a nice patina on 4 and 5 digits as they suit the era.

This, for me, is just sublime.




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Love the look of this watch, gorgeous.

As for patina or fauxtina on a modern watch I’m not overly bothered, if I like the watch at the time of purchase then that’s all that matters.

[steeevvvooo]

I started a thread about this a while ago as it fascinated me too. Modern references are going to more resilient I think, with better lacquers vs old dials, lume is also different and I would assumed less likely to age. Ceramic bezels are the icing on the cake as they shouldn't age like the older steel or aluminium bezels did.

Shame really as a nicely patined semi-vintage piece looks great to my eyes



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[DJ2020]

I don't care for faded dials, bezels and degraded lume. I buy a watch for the way it looks and what's under the hood.

When a bezel fades, ceramic cracks, lume starts to flake dust into my watch, That's a sign that these components need to be replaced. I own both ceramic and aluminum bezels. I prefer the look of aluminum. If it fades, I simply have it replaced. Same with hands and dials. Because it now does not look like the watch I fail in love with in the first place and degraded lume is no longer functional and damaging my watch.

Patina is one thing, components that has reached a end of service just simply needs to be replaced.

[mountainjogger]

Originally Posted by Speedbird-1

It's a very good question OP.
I guess we'll have the answer in about 50 years.

[Carondelet]

Four days and my Tudor BB58 Bronze has developed quite the nice patina!

[thxv009]

I have a BB58. How long does it take to fade the bezel? 10-20 years?


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[Sandpit]

Originally Posted by thxv009

I have a BB58. How long does it take to fade the bezel? 10-20 years?


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Maybe never?

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by subtona

If left to rsc then definitely.

[Santiago32]

Originally Posted by thxv009

I have a BB58. How long does it take to fade the bezel? 10-20 years?


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Originally Posted by Sandpit

Maybe never?

Not sure how long but I believe these alu bezels will fade eventually.

[CorgiKCD]

Not a fan of fake patina. Also not a fan of a “tropical” dial. Hodinkee has an explorer with a VERY tropical dial and it ain’t for me. Looks like it’s been laying the yard for 3 years. For the fake stuff, your buying a watch-aging history that never really happened. For the the legit tropical dial, you are buying a watch-aging history you didn’t live. Poseur stuff. I’ll get off my soap box now. :-)

[G3Z]

I agree with some of the comments here - if you bought the watch new and it develops the patina, then good.

As for buying an already faded/patina watch - your buying something that you haven’t lived with. I think that’s half the charm, seeing it age alongside you.

[mdwsta4]

Great comments here. While part of me loves the story a worn watch tells, and it would be great to have one in my collection, I don’t rough my watches up and hope they’ll always be in good shape. While I’m not a big fan of dark faux patina like the BB58 or the titanium 007 Omega Seamaster, I also think a lot of modern lume is too stark white and could do well to be warmed up juuuuust a tad

[Boopie]

Originally Posted by Paul7

Exactly so, witness the recent thread about wearing Rolex to the gym, some were aghast anyone would do so. If you think of Rolex as a tool watch as the older ones were, no problem, if you see them as expensive jewelry to be obsessed over, I guess you won't wear to the gym.

I’ve been going to the gym regularly for over 30 years, and I just don’t like the feel of a watch on my wrist. It has nothing to do with how much money I spent on the watch. My husband bought a Garmin watch for when he swam laps (the pool was somewhat of a non-standard size), so he suggested I try it and see if I liked it. I walk every morning for 3-4 miles and, again, didn’t like the feel of something on my wrist when I work out.

I don’t think it’s fair to characterize people who just don’t like wearing watches—any watch—while working out as being “obsessed” with their watches. I am not “aghast” at anyone who does wear one, either.

I take issue with “all or nothing” positions that pop up here on TRF. If you want to wear your watch as a tool watch, that means you don’t care if it gets destroyed. If you don’t want to risk needlessly damaging your watch, you’re treating a watch as jewelry and obsessed over it. These are extremist caricatures.

Rolex watches are not inexpensive. I’m not an obsessive neat freak, but I like taking care of my things, whether it’s my clothing, my car, my furniture, or my watches. I don’t wear my expensive work clothes when I’m gardening. Just because I don’t make people take their shoes off in my house (as some do), it doesn’t mean I’m cool with people tracking mud in my house, either. I get WeatherTech bedliners for my SUVs.

I’ve seen a couple of people with absolutely gross gunk in their Rolex Jubilee bracelets. Do they think those of us who regularly clean their watch bracelets are “obsessed”?

To answer OP, well, I’m just going to start referring to the wrinkles on my face as patina!

[Spoonage]

Well, I'm fine with or without. I do like vintage watches and love the look on them. But primarily I have modern pieces.

[Gary Busey]

If you don’t like patina you are likely not a romantic.
I use the word “likely”


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