What diamonds does Rolex use?

[wfmovies]

Is there any information out there on what diamonds Rolex uses? e.g., carat, clarity and color ratings. Specifically I was wondering about the factory diamonds on the Day-Date face. Thank you.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by wfmovies

Is there any information out there on what diamonds Rolex uses? e.g., carat, clarity and color ratings. Specifically I was wondering about the factory diamonds on the Day-Date face. Thank you.

If you search I think it's been posted here before. Also go to WatchTime archives and see a story on it. I believe they are fairly high quality (f-g) range in color. They're so small though that they're not so expensive and clarity at that size I think is a small point too.

[TempoKing]

Rolex only uses the best..I have to admit.
D color Flawless is the only way they go.
Now on the diamond bezels and diamond dials as these are small diamonds
it is not all that expensive... 500 700 hundred dollars per carat, when they get
to larger than melees (up to 0.15) 0,20 points 0,30 points it costs them a little
more 1200 to 1600 per carat. A far as the setting quality... it is also superb because
they use a mixture of human and machine finish/setting.
All in all they make a tremendous amount of profit, by my estimates around 10 times the cost in gross profit
which is comparable to Tiffany and Cartier and Arpez Van Cleef and Auspreys etc.
I wish I was making these kind of Mega Profits...I'd own 20.000 rolex watches

[chicagowatchman]

Originally Posted by TempoKing

Rolex only uses the best..I have to admit.
D color Flawless is the only way they go.
Now on the diamond bezels and diamond dials as these are small diamonds
it is not all that expensive... 500 700 hundred dollars per carat, when they get
to larger than melees (up to 0.15) 0,20 points 0,30 points it costs them a little
more 1200 to 1600 per carat. A far as the setting quality... it is also superb because
they use a mixture of human and machine finish/setting.
All in all they make a tremendous amount of profit, by my estimates around 10 times the cost in gross profit
which is comparable to Tiffany and Cartier and Arpez Van Cleef and Auspreys etc.
I wish I was making these kind of Mega Profits...I'd own 20.000 rolex watches

Great information! Thanks

[The Mole]

Melee diamonds should be more than $500-$700 per carat if they are D color and Internally Flawless!

[rilu]

Yea they use like really good diamonds you know

[wostep]

Rolex only uses D-E Color, IF Clarity diamonds. Before installing the diamonds, Rolex runs the diamonds through a computer system that sorts all the diamonds to specific diameters to match every single diamond by circumference rather than carat weight. It also sorts and matches the colors. They want to make sure all the diamonds are of the same color when they mount them. Rolex also explains that it is a much harder process to specifically mount the diamonds according to matching diameter size rather than what other watch companies are doing, which is simply stating the total carat weight.

[rilu]

Originally Posted by wostep

Rolex only uses D-E Color, IF Clarity diamonds. Before installing the diamonds, Rolex runs the diamonds through a computer system that sorts all the diamonds to specific diameters to match every single diamond by circumference rather than carat weight. It also sorts and matches the colors. They want to make sure all the diamonds are of the same color when they mount them. Rolex also explains that it is a much harder process to specifically mount the diamonds according to matching diameter size rather than what other watch companies are doing, which is simply stating the total carat weight.

Welcome to trf my friend. is your name short for something like
"watchmakers of switzerland technical education program" or "walter orman smith tully edward phillips"

[chicagowatchman]

I can attest to the Quality of there Diamonds!

[rilu]

Originally Posted by chicagowatchman

I can attest to the Quality of there Diamonds!

Like i said " they use really nice diamonds"

[wostep]

Originally Posted by rilu

Welcome to trf my friend. is your name short for something like
"watchmakers of switzerland technical education program" or "walter orman smith tully edward phillips"

Hi RILU.
You got that right! It stands for both.

[bodybump]

Originally Posted by TempoKing

Rolex only uses the best..I have to admit.
D color Flawless is the only way they go.
Now on the diamond bezels and diamond dials as these are small diamonds
it is not all that expensive... 500 700 hundred dollars per carat, when they get
to larger than melees (up to 0.15) 0,20 points 0,30 points it costs them a little
more 1200 to 1600 per carat. A far as the setting quality... it is also superb because
they use a mixture of human and machine finish/setting.
All in all they make a tremendous amount of profit, by my estimates around 10 times the cost in gross profit
which is comparable to Tiffany and Cartier and Arpez Van Cleef and Auspreys etc.
I wish I was making these kind of Mega Profits...I'd own 20.000 rolex watches

and thats Steve!!!! If you need anymore info ask him..!!!

[rilu]

Originally Posted by wostep

Hi RILU.
You got that right! It stands for both.

Tell you what "walter orman smith tully edward phillips" is a little too long for me to memorize, so how about i just call you WOSTEP, is that cool with youwhat city wostep?

[wristworks]

Originally Posted by TempoKing

Rolex only uses the best..I have to admit.
D color Flawless is the only way they go.
Now on the diamond bezels and diamond dials as these are small diamonds
it is not all that expensive... 500 700 hundred dollars per carat, when they get
to larger than melees (up to 0.15) 0,20 points 0,30 points it costs them a little
more 1200 to 1600 per carat. A far as the setting quality... it is also superb because
they use a mixture of human and machine finish/setting.
All in all they make a tremendous amount of profit, by my estimates around 10 times the cost in gross profit
which is comparable to Tiffany and Cartier and Arpez Van Cleef and Auspreys etc.
I wish I was making these kind of Mega Profits...I'd own 20.000 rolex watches

I bought a .65 carat rare white internally flawless diamond and it cost me £2400. And that was CHEAP!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by wristworks

I bought a .65 carat rare white internally flawless diamond and it cost me £2400. And that was CHEAP!

Thats quite simply because the larger the single stone Kt weight diamond the more expensive they are.When you are talking about diamonds of just a few points like most on the watches today.Then thats a totally new ball game,and would say on some watches, the cost to set the stones,would cost almost the same as the very very small diamonds would cost.

[entropydave]

Originally Posted by BigHat

If you search I think it's been posted here before. Also go to WatchTime archives and see a story on it. I believe they are fairly high quality (f-g) range in color. They're so small though that they're not so expensive and clarity at that size I think is a small point too.

That's a good point I often make - sure the stones are high quality, they should be, they are small and Rolex charge thru the nose for them- it's a different story when one tries to get the same quality in 1ct and above - that's when the price per carat soars!

[hsung]

Thanks for the information on the diamond classes on Rolex watches

Does Rolex use D-F class diamonds on all their watches including the ladies DJ?

Reason I ask is because my wife was looking at one last July, and it didn't seem to sparkle as much as the H class diamond earings I bought my wife ... I guess size does make a difference in how much diamonds sparkle.

[BigHat]

Originally Posted by entropydave

That's a good point I often make - sure the stones are high quality, they should be, they are small and Rolex charge thru the nose for them- it's a different story when one tries to get the same quality in 1ct and above - that's when the price per carat soars!

Yea, embarassed that I didn't pull up the story though. For some odd reason I was thinking F and not D started the scale on the high end. Got it right earlier.

Here's a thread from July where I attached the WatchTime info:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...light=diamonds

[TempoKing]

Originally Posted by The Mole

Melee diamonds should be more than $500-$700 per carat if they are D color and Internally Flawless!

The prices of 500-700 hundred I am quoting are for 0.01 calibrated pointers
which are the smallest of the melee (0.01-0.15) group. Anyway Rapaport lists these prices less discount plus another discount for MEGA purchases from a mega buyer like Rolex.
In fact I think they pay less than 500-700 per carat for their pointers.

[TempoKing]

Originally Posted by wristworks

I bought a .65 carat rare white internally flawless diamond and it cost me £2400. And that was CHEAP!

You are absolutely right, the "rap" has it for 3500 pounds retail,
the jeweler who sold you this 0.65ct D-IF only made 20%...
again within guide lines for friends and good clients.
Did you buy the setting separetely..?

[TempoKing]

Originally Posted by entropydave

That's a good point I often make - sure the stones are high quality, they should be, they are small and Rolex charge thru the nose for them- it's a different story when one tries to get the same quality in 1ct and above - that's when the price per carat soars!

I agree with you that over 1ct the price soars
But a smart buyer will buy a 0.99 ct or "light carat" as they call it
and save $$$$

1.00ct D-IF = $19.000
0.99ct D-IF = $11.000

Can you imagine that many among us that are looking to buy a carat stone
do not know this "Big" savings advantage just for buying a diamond that is one minute little point less (1/100)....???

[The Mole]

Originally Posted by TempoKing

The prices of 500-700 hundred I am quoting are for 0.01 calibrated pointers
which are the smallest of the melee (0.01-0.15) group. Anyway Rapaport lists these prices less discount plus another discount for MEGA purchases from a mega buyer like Rolex.
In fact I think they pay less than 500-700 per carat for their pointers.

Rap is notoriously off on diamond prices under 0.30 ct. From 0.01 ct to 0.07 ct diamonds the prices per carat are relatively the same due to the fact that labor costs to cut them are much higher. This only holds true on FINE makes such as those that Rolex uses. You can definately find off makes D/FL goods at a good discount however.

I would think this would hold especially true for the colorless/IF round single cut diamonds that Rolex uses on their dials as these need to be cut just for the watch industry and are not used in jewelry.

[TempoKing]

Originally Posted by The Mole

Labor costs to cut them are much higher
I would think this would hold especially true for the colorless/IF round single cut diamonds that Rolex uses on their dials as these need to be cut just for the watch industry and are not used in jewelry...

Thank God for India and their melee cutting business...

[Michelle747]

All the diamonds they use are IF (Internally Flawless) and D in color.

The diamonds on the dials are single cut and the diamonds on the bezels are full cut but still IF clarity / D Color