Findings on a Rolex

[Bling72]

Hello, I met a watchmaker who owns a family business over 40 years, sells Rolexs. He gave me a brief run through about the make of Rolex watches apart from it's history and he said the following :

1. The only brand which has 100% of it's parts all made from Rolex. Meaning that unlike other companies Rolex do not get their hair springs from another company.

2. The stainless steel is 904L, unlike other watches. Rolex guarantee their watches are "water proof", whereas the others are "water resistant". There's a difference. With other steel alloys used in other brands, the molecules have a very tiny space in between, so if the entire watch was emerged under water, there is a chance that the water can get in between those molecules. 904L grade the molecules are much bridged/forged much closer together.

3. Most watches the glass it built "into" the case and a seal is inserted to hold the glass. When the watch is emerged under wather, or put under similar conditions, the sealant can potentially expand, and there is a chance that water or moisture can get through.

Rolexes build the glass to be placed "over" the casing so the seal expansion scenario would not occur.

4. Rolex purchase their tonnes and tonnes of gold personally to build their watches every year. An extremelly large quantity of tonnes of gold.

5. Many other brands make watch bands that have plastic links, and/or part of the band isn't steel or gold. Rolex is build with 100% steel and/or gold, no plastic or substandard parts exist in the bands.

6. Only two companies in the world supply hair springs to all the watches in the world. Rolex make and supply their own, the Swatch group "used" to supply the hair springs to the rest of the other brands. As of last week, the Swatch group ceased their supply run, and Seiko have taken over that supply duty. Rolex remains the only other company that supply for themselves.

[smallcandle]

No wonder he's been in business for 40 years - he is a very good salesman, however misinformed/misleading.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by smallcandle

No wonder he's been in business for 40 years - he is a very good salesman, however misinformed/misleading.

Have to agree and most complete bullsh#te especially the hairsprings, Rolex has only recently introduced there in-house made hairspring to most of the range. Although the parachrom metal ones were used first in 2000 with the cal 4130 prior to that for 40 plus years they used the Nivarax Far ones, but they still out source mainspring manufacture.And can you really believe Rolex has tonnes and tonnes of gold they are not fort Knox and a tonne of 18ct gold scrap would cost around £23,330,000.00.And one that made me laugh the most the quote, [With other steel alloys used in other brands, the molecules have a very tiny space in between, so if the entire watch was emerged under water, there is a chance that the water can get in between those molecules. 904L grade the molecules are much bridged/forged much closer together.]

Originally Posted by Bling72

Hello, I met a watchmaker who owns a family business over 40 years, sells Rolexs. He gave me a brief run through about the make of Rolex watches apart from it's history and he said the following :

1. The only brand which has 100% of it's parts all made from Rolex. Meaning that unlike other companies Rolex do not get their hair springs from another company.

2. The stainless steel is 904L, unlike other watches. Rolex guarantee their watches are "water proof", whereas the others are "water resistant". There's a difference. With other steel alloys used in other brands, the molecules have a very tiny space in between, so if the entire watch was emerged under water, there is a chance that the water can get in between those molecules. 904L grade the molecules are much bridged/forged much closer together.

3. Most watches the glass it built "into" the case and a seal is inserted to hold the glass. When the watch is emerged under wather, or put under similar conditions, the sealant can potentially expand, and there is a chance that water or moisture can get through.

Rolexes build the glass to be placed "over" the casing so the seal expansion scenario would not occur.

4. Rolex purchase their tonnes and tonnes of gold personally to build their watches every year. An extremelly large quantity of tonnes of gold.

5. Many other brands make watch bands that have plastic links, and/or part of the band isn't steel or gold. Rolex is build with 100% steel and/or gold, no plastic or substandard parts exist in the bands.

6. Only two companies in the world supply hair springs to all the watches in the world. Rolex make and supply their own, the Swatch group "used" to supply the hair springs to the rest of the other brands. As of last week, the Swatch group ceased their supply run, and Seiko have taken over that supply duty. Rolex remains the only other company that supply for themselves.

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by smallcandle

no wonder he's been in business for 40 years - he is a very good salesman, however misinformed/misleading.

x2

[dpkong]

Originally Posted by smallcandle

No wonder he's been in business for 40 years - he is a very good salesman, however misinformed/misleading.

x3

[2th Dr]

"With other steel alloys used in other brands, the molecules have a very tiny space in between, so if the entire watch was emerged under water, there is a chance that the water can get in between those molecules"

I don't remember this when I took the metallurgy class in dental school...

[azguy]

Originally Posted by smallcandle

No wonder he's been in business for 40 years - he is a very good salesman, however misinformed/misleading.

x4

[tomchicago]

tons of gold?

[mannyv11]

Originally Posted by azguy

x4

x5

[Tools]

Welcome to the Forum Bling..

Stick around and you will learn a lot about Rolex.. Your Dealer friend is a little misinformed on some of the points you show..But there is a bit of truth to most of them

2 of the biggies -

.. 904L steel is used because it is more resistant to corrosion at the critical seals and contact areas, the molecular structure of the steel is the same..

.. It is true that Nivarox FAR, owned by Swatch, is planning to no longer supply hairsprings to non-Swatch brands. But Swatch owns most of the major watch brands, 19 of them, including: Breguet, Blancpain, Glashütte Original, Jaquet Droz, Léon Hatot, Omega, Tiffany & Co.; Longines, Rado, Union Glashütte; Tissot, ck watch & jewelry, Balmain, Certina, Mido, Hamilton; Swatch, Flik Flak;and Endura.
But other companies also make their own, like Seiko and Patek Phillipe

[HL65]

Welcome to TRF and as others have noted your friend is wrong---sorry.

[Dan Pierce]

Originally Posted by mannyv11

x5

Make that 6, and counting........
dP

[chicfarmer1]

Why is it that you met this watchmaker and heard a lot of shpiel but yet have only ever tried on one Rolex watch? You will learn a lot from sticking the thing on your wrist. It will enhance your educational process considerably.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by 2th DR

"With other steel alloys used in other brands, the molecules have a very tiny space in between, so if the entire watch was emerged under water, there is a chance that the water can get in between those molecules"

I don't remember this when I took the metallurgy class in dental school...

That may explain why your patients' teeth are always leaking...

I must agree that your friend is somewhat misinformed, shall I be the 7th one? I believe so!

[Bling72]

Thanks Steeler and Tools.

The salesman I met yesterday, he is not my friend.

I must of misheard when he said tonnes, he was speaking to another family member who bombarded him with questions half way through.

That shop have other pristegeous brands. I should of taken a look at Cartier considering that I haven't seen one up close.

The official Rolex commercials are most impressive, quite imformative on various models.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by Bling72

Thanks Steeler and Tools.

The salesman I met yesterday, he is not my friend.

I must of misheard when he said tonnes, he was speaking to another family member who bombarded him with questions half way through.

That shop have other pristegeous brands. I should of taken a look at Cartier considering that I haven't seen one up close.

The official Rolex commercials are most impressive, quite imformative on various models.

Rolex does have it's own gold, although nobody knows how much it actually is. They do keep it at their main building in their extensive vaults underground with high security...

[dddrees]

The problem is some people don't really know what they're talking about, and some sales people will say whatever they believe they need to to get the sale.

[ChristianN]

I seem to have read somewhere, or perhaps seen in a "how it's made" or something like it, that Rolex is the worldst 2. largest purchaser of gold.

They are also, as far as I know, the only other mass producer of watches (the other being seiko) that do infact make "it all" themselves.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by dddrees

The problem is some people don't really know what they're talking about, and some sales people will say whatever they believe they need to to get the sale.

Sadly true, I've heard tons of false information and stupid things from sales persons regarding different types of jewelry just to get me to buy things. Needless to say it disappointed me to the point in which I left the store without buying.

[Vaxe]

So if I were to encase myself in a 904L armor, I would be impermeable to the elements?

[boogiebot]

Originally Posted by padi56

Have to agree and most complete bullsh#te especially the hairsprings, Rolex has only recently introduced there in-house made hairspring to most of the range. Although the parachrom metal ones were used first in 2000 with the cal 4130 prior to that for 40 plus years they used the Nivarax Far ones, but they still out source mainspring manufacture.And can you really believe Rolex has tonnes and tonnes of gold they are not fort Knox and a tonne of 18ct gold scrap would cost around £23,330,000.00.And one that made me laugh the most the quote, [With other steel alloys used in other brands, the molecules have a very tiny space in between, so if the entire watch was emerged under water, there is a chance that the water can get in between those molecules. 904L grade the molecules are much bridged/forged much closer together.]

Peter your knowledge of this brand never ceases to amaze me

[dddrees]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Sadly true, I've heard tons of false information and stupid things from sales persons regarding different types of jewelry just to get me to buy things. Needless to say it disappointed me to the point in which I left the store without buying.

That's somewhat the experience I had when attempting to buy my first Rolex. I said something that wasn't totaly correct and the sales person was happy enough to reinforce my ignorance. Anyway I had a chance to research and verify before buying. When I spoke with him the next time his story wasn't quite the same anymore. No problem I had decided to buy somewhere else by then anyways.


Turns out this store isn't doing that good after all.

I ended up finding a much better situation somewhere else.

[Kingair]

Originally Posted by Dan Pierce

Make that 6, and counting........
dP

This makes 7 . . . .

HANW

[threemonkeys]

I wanna play.

X8

[Kanger]

Seiko's top of the line watches are from scratch to finish completely in house.

[FeelingTheBlues]

Originally Posted by Kingair

This makes 7 . . . .

HANW

Originally Posted by threemonkeys

I wanna play.

X8

Now hold on gentlemen! I'm already 7th! You're messing up the whole count of people disagreeing with the jeweler!

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

That may explain why your patients' teeth are always leaking...

I must agree that your friend is somewhat misinformed, shall I be the 7th one? I believe so!

Originally Posted by FeelingTheBlues

Now hold on gentlemen! I'm already 7th! You're messing up the whole count of people disagreeing with the jeweler!

You slay me Carl!

[ndsleep612]

Seiko is probably the only watch brand in the world that entirely manufacture parts from a grounds up process. Rolex just bought out their outside suppliers a few years ago, prior to that, other folks were making certain parts for them.

With rumors and salesmen talk, I just take it with a grain of salt, it ain't worth it's value in gold.

[stockae92]

i stopped reading after #1 cause he must not have heard of a small asian brand called Seiko ...

[Reu]

If I was the OP I'd be telling a few of you to f**k right off.

He's repeating what he was told by a watchmaker/seller which may be incorrect. Correcting the misinformed information is fair enough, but the whole x2 x3 x4 caper?? I get why you'd do that on a normal thread, but most of these responses are just mocking him!

Reminds me of that innocent guy from the other day who posted the 'Toyota Rolex' topic.

That's forums though I guess...

Ciao