Gold or Platinum on a Rolex

[w!dowmaker]

Out of curiousity, and pardon me if this is a newbie question, especially for a person who hasn't owned a Gold or Platinum Rolex.

For Rolexes, when it is described as a Gold (White Gold, Yellow Gold, Everose), will all the metal that you see is really Gold? From the case, bezel, hands, solid caseback, to the bracelet screws, etc.? Or are there still some stainless steel on it somewhere? Take the case of the new GMT Pepsi (Ref. 116719BLRO), as a general example. Should I be able to afford one, are you really buying this piece comprising 100% Gold, with the exception of the movement and its parts perhaps?

As for the Platinums, is this also the case? General example would be the Anniversary Daytona or the Day-Date with the Icy Blue Dial. Will all the metal parts be made of Platinum?

[T. Ferguson]

I'm not a watchmaker but I think I can answer this one. Yes, generally everything you see that would normally be stainless steel is precious metal. That means the case, bezel, crown, bracelet, and clasp are all PM. The hands on all Rolexes, even the SS models, are made from WG or gold. The only thing I'm not sure about would be the bracelet screws simply because for durability reasons they may need to be steel.

Also, keep in mind that in the case of YG and WG it's 100% 18 ct. gold, not 100% gold. 18ct. is about 75% gold.

[VacherObsessive]

How about the rotor in the automatic movement? Usually on luxery watches these are 24k gold. Are they also gold in the solid gold rolexs?

I would guess the answer is no, as a the movement from a steel sub for example (any reference you like) will still be the exact same movement as in the Gold equivilant reference. ie the rotor is steel too in gold rolexs? Just a pure guess though happy to be corrected.

[Vanessa CW21]

The rotors are no different on gold vs stainless watches.
The screws on gold bracelets are gold and the platinum are platinum.

[crowncollection]

a bit of intersting trivia, the screws on platnuim no solid link older bands were white gold as plat to plat does not wear well, they have now solved the problem with ceramic tubes so plat does not rub on plat.

[locutus49]

Amazing. I did not know this. More reason to buy a platinum rolex. 95% pure.

[thomaspp]

hmm... precious metal watches...

[w!dowmaker]

Hi Vanessa,

So, are the rotors gold on gold watches and SS on steel ones?

In general, the reason I'm asking is just to make sure that you're getting your money's worth, since Gold and Platinum models are really very expensive.

And so this is confirmed with certainty, particularly for newer models, that if you are buying a gold or platinum, all metal parts you see in the outside are made of such?

Originally Posted by Vanessa CW21

The rotors are no different on gold vs stainless watches.
The screws on gold bracelets are gold and the platinum are platinum.

[Vanessa CW21]

Originally Posted by w!dowmaker

Hi Vanessa,

So, are the rotors gold on gold watches and SS on steel ones?

In general, the reason I'm asking is just to make sure that you're getting your money's worth, since Gold and Platinum models are really very expensive.

And so this is confirmed with certainty, particularly for newer models, that if you are buying a gold or platinum, all metal parts you see in the outside are made of such?

No, the movements are the same for all watches, meaning the gold cases don't have gold rotors inside.
All the precious metal watches are fully what they state at the outside. The movements are inside the watch, without an exhibition case back, so they are unchanged between the different metal watches.

[Roger1079]

Originally Posted by w!dowmaker

Hi Vanessa,

So, are the rotors gold on gold watches and SS on steel ones?

In general, the reason I'm asking is just to make sure that you're getting your money's worth, since Gold and Platinum models are really very expensive.

And so this is confirmed with certainty, particularly for newer models, that if you are buying a gold or platinum, all metal parts you see in the outside are made of such?

If you are basing your purchase on the timepiece's weight in precious metal, you are making a terrible investment. At today's gold value per troy oz, you would have about $4000 in gold once you have accounted for the difference in value between the trading price of 24k bullion and the 18k in the timepiece. This would roughly be 9% of the retail price on most.

Short of some catastrophic event crippling gold supply, the value of the gold in the watch will never come close to what you paid for it.