Intersting picture on the Rolex website - GMTIIC "Coke" relevance

[Devildog]

But sadly not perhaps in the way many would want - sorry!

I've read on here and other places that the red on the BRLO ceramic insert is not very vivid because of the combination with the blue during its manufacture.

There seems to be a general concensus of opinion that a ceramic red and black bezel would have a much more vivid red as the black would have less influence on the hue of the red part.

But seeing this picture I'm not so sure. It very much looks like the red is the original bezel colour and the blue is added on top of an all red bezel. In which case if a more vivid "original" red was available, the BLRO red would be more vivid too.

Thoughts?

[travisb]

Regardless of if a Coke bezel is introduced or how bright the red might be, I can't see them changing the BLRO. And I hope they don't.
I love the throwback vibe combined with everything offered in the modern ceramic models.

[watchwatcher]

It's red enough for me.

[eterna]

Based on the pic, I thgt the blue looks purplish on the BLRO bezel due to the red background having some influence on it.

I guess, a black on red background would probably turn out much better. Since the red wouldn't have much influence on the black layer on top of it. Yeah, looks like we have a Coke soon.

[Onikage]

It will have to be a different red altogether for it to be a true Coke. It isn't just a case of changing out the blue for black.. If that's all the fabled CokeC turns out to be it isn't very exciting imo. It's the wrong red entirely.

[Guitarfan]

Great spot! That certainly seems to go against what I've read and understood of the process used to create the two tone bezel insert.

I wonder why the blue isn't as striking as that on the BLNR if it's added as a second layer? Possibly to blend/match with the dull red better?

[RichM]

Originally Posted by watchwatcher

It's red enough for me.

Me too.

[DocHorton]

If Rolex makes a Coke GMT and uses the same raspberry color of the BLRO I'm gonna be pissed. That would be a deal breaker for me.

[watchwatcher]

Originally Posted by Rich Mickol

Me too.

[AK797]

I'm not exactly sure of how this two tone bezel is created, I would presume if the blue bezel was made first and then half filled in with red or vice versa then the first colour would at least be very clear, like the BLNR's blue, so I think it is a different technique where compromises have to be made on both sides. The Coke will have the same clear red as the blue of the BLNR I'm sure if it is ready for release.

[Runnin' Rebel]

Originally Posted by DocHorton

If Rolex makes a Coke GMT and uses the same raspberry color of the BLRO I'm gonna be pissed. That would be a deal breaker for me.

Agree, no cranberry either. Fuming. It'll be my first platinum they have to get this right

[Melchizedek]

Originally Posted by Devildog

But sadly not perhaps in the way many would want - sorry!

I've read on here and other places that the red on the BRLO ceramic insert is not very vivid because of the combination with the blue during its manufacture.

There seems to be a general concensus of opinion that a ceramic red and black bezel would have a much more vivid red as the black would have less influence on the hue of the red part.

But seeing this picture I'm not so sure. It very much looks like the red is the original bezel colour and the blue is added on top of an all red bezel. In which case if a more vivid "original" red was available, the BLRO red would be more vivid too.

Thoughts?

"Rolex’s in-house engineers finally found an answer to the second half of the challenge. The ingenious process consists of introducing an intermediate step in the manufacture of the standard Cerachrom insert. During this innovative bulk-colouring step, half of the red ceramic insert is coloured blue. The colour is achieved by impregnating the part of the insert representing night-time hours, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., with a controlled quantity of a solution of chemical compounds. The solution is added before sintering at more than 1,600 °C, when the ceramic acquires its mechanical resistance properties as well as its colour. In the course of this firing, the ceramic densifies and the added compounds react with the basic elements of the red Cerachrom insert to conjure up the final blue colour."


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[piratepress]

Ugh, I was hoping this was a teaser for the SS Coke at Basel!

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by Melchizedek

"Rolex’s in-house engineers finally found an answer to the second half of the challenge. The ingenious process consists of introducing an intermediate step in the manufacture of the standard Cerachrom insert. During this innovative bulk-colouring step, half of the red ceramic insert is coloured blue. The colour is achieved by impregnating the part of the insert representing night-time hours, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., with a controlled quantity of a solution of chemical compounds. The solution is added before sintering at more than 1,600 °C, when the ceramic acquires its mechanical resistance properties as well as its colour. In the course of this firing, the ceramic densifies and the added compounds react with the basic elements of the red Cerachrom insert to conjure up the final blue colour."


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Yes - and that's partly where the question comes from. We know Rolex can do a good blue from the BLNR, but can they do a "good" red?

It's clearly a difficult process to get the colour in the first place. On the BLRO insert the red is the principle colour with the blue "added". So if Rolex could do a vivid rich red, I would venture that they could have done it already.

[Guitarfan]

Originally Posted by Devildog

It's clearly a difficult process to get the colour in the first place. On the BLRO insert the red is the principle colour with the blue "added". So if Rolex could do a vivid rich red, I would venture that they could have done it already.

Agreed. Omega had issues getting ceramic orange produced too for their PO range so it's clearly a problem. Until this thread I thought blue was the base colour, not red.

Maybe a Coke GMT isn't on the cards after all....

[1William]

I like the colors of the BLRO. A SS Coke would be nice and I think the colors would be deeper based on the black and red combo.

[subtona]

Interesting post

[RMC12]

I just hope they are going to put this on a YG GMTII. Fingers crossed!!

[AK797]

Originally Posted by Guitarfan

Agreed. Omega had issues getting ceramic orange produced too for their PO range so it's clearly a problem. Until this thread I thought blue was the base colour, not red.

Maybe a Coke GMT isn't on the cards after all....

Possibly, but if red was the base colour then at the time of the BLRO's manufacture the red they had was not vivid, which we knew, and thus I think we got the BLNR first. Now a few years later they probably have the right red I imagine or they won't release a Coke.

[Guitarfan]

If they've got the right red they should fix the BLRO - bright red and the blue from the BLNR is how it should be. I'm guessing the BLRO is the best they can do at the moment.

[breitlings]

I think the theory was the black would be a true black and not a blue - cranberry bluish purple. So the theory is the red interacts with the blue and not vice versa, at least what I heard.

[GB-man]

I like the BLRO as is... Just as I prefer a faded blue jean and fuscia 1675 to one with a new service insert.

[Duey]

Originally Posted by Runnin' Rebel

It'll be my first platinum they have to get this right

I would love a Platinum Coke 116716

[Le Chef]

I'm also excited to see the PT Coke as well. I'm sure Dr. Tom already has his name down for one.

[AS1]

Originally Posted by Guitarfan

If they've got the right red they should fix the BLRO - bright red and the blue from the BLNR is how it should be. I'm guessing the BLRO is the best they can do at the moment.

how it "should be" based on what?

the BLRO is true to the original GMT, the 6542, and does not need fixing.

[Guitarfan]

I think it "should be" brightly coloured like a brand new 16710 was, not how a faded 6542 is today.

[MVP]

Nice catch - interesting thread, thanks for sharing.

[shoota70]

All I know is that the WG Pepsi is a POS joke that Rolex F-ed up bad.

[Devildog]

Originally Posted by breitlings

I think the theory was the black would be a true black and not a blue - cranberry bluish purple. So the theory is the red interacts with the blue and not vice versa, at least what I heard.

Not if you look at the picture above I posted. The base colour for the bezel is red, and the blue is added by chemical reaction. This may well explain why the BLRO blue is a bit purple (unlike the blue on the BLNR) but not why the red is the shade it is.

[GerardoG]

The bezel process is unique and starts with the same base. We had Rolex explain this in our Houston GTG (check post #73)

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthre...=485902&page=3