Advisory : Ceramic Bezel Durability

[newbie09]

Thks. Anymore feedback from others???

[MSports]

Pls pm me on the contacts or address for servicing rolex too.TQ fellow forumers

[1248614]

How to care for Ceramic Bezel

Folks,
looks like Ceramic bezel is the way to go for Rolex.

I am fully aware that wear and tear is part of the joy / pain of owning the timepiece.

I want to seek the views of owners, how should one watch out / care for ceramic bezel to reduce the following from happening:

(1) Scratches - supposedly, Ceramic bezel is less susceptible to scratches. How true?

(2) Cracks - I was told that ceramic bezel may be more prone to crack at the base of the number '2' on the bezel linking to the inner ring of the bezel. this is because it is quite narrow - anyone 'kena' yet?

(3) in-fill for numbers and markers on the ceramic bezel. - the in-fill is supposedly platinum (I stand corrected) - will the in-fill fall out? Will it discolour? Is it smooth or rough (especially on the triangle at 12 o'clock)?

(4) Bezel colour - supposedly, the colour will not fade (as much). How true?

(5) anything else to watch out for?

Thanks all

[dennistwc]

Hope some gurus here can enlighten u , I also wonder is it ceramic bezel is so durable?

[seiko.citizen]

take a look at your kitchen tiles. How do they look after 10yrs. It is basically the same process, only on a watch. Also if i not mistaken, the ceramic bezel goes thru an additional hardener process (please correct if wrong!).

as far as i know, the ceramic bezel is one tough nut. so just wear it as normal, and you will be fine. of course if you take a hammer and bash it about, then dont come back crying for help if it breaks

[exxondus]

ok, bookmarked this thread. Will reply in 5-6 years time after monitoring my GMTIIc

[sportee]

Some uses of the material Ceramic...

- Ceramics are used in the manufacture of knives. The blade of a ceramic knife will stay sharp for much longer than that of a steel knife, although it is more brittle and can be snapped by dropping it on a hard surface.

- Ceramics are increasingly used in motorsports, where a series of durable and lightweight insulatory coatings have become neccessary, for example on exhaust manifolds.

- Ceramics such as alumina and boron carbide have been used in ballistic armored vests to repel large-calibre rifle fire. Such plates are known commonly as Small Arms Protective Inserts (SAPI). Similar material is used to protect cockpits of some military airplanes, because of the low weight of the material.

- Ceramic balls can be used to replace steel in ball bearings. Their higher hardness means that they are much less susceptible to wear and can offer more than triple lifetimes. They also deform less under load meaning they have less contact with the bearing retainer walls and can roll faster. In very high speed applications, heat from friction during rolling can cause problems for metal bearings; problems which are reduced by the use of ceramics. Ceramics are also more chemically resistant and can be used in wet environments where steel bearings would rust.

- The two major drawbacks to using ceramics is a significantly higher cost, and susceptibility to damage under shock loads. In many cases their electrically insulating properties may also be valuable in bearings.

- In the early 1980s, Toyota researched production of an adiabatic ceramic engine which can run at a temperature of over 6000 °F (3300 °C). Ceramic engines are made of lighter materials and do not require a cooling system and hence allow a major weight reduction . Fuel efficiency of the engine is also higher at high temperature, as shown by Carnot's theorem. In a conventional metallic engine, much of the energy released from the fuel must be dissipated as waste heat in order to prevent a meltdown of the metallic parts. Despite all of these desirable properties, such engines are not in production because the manufacturing of ceramic parts in the requisite precision and durability is difficult. Imperfection in the ceramic leads to cracks, which can lead to potentially dangerous equipment failure. Such engines are possible in laboratory settings, but mass-production is not feasible with current technology.

- Work is being done in developing ceramic parts for gas turbine engines. Currently, even blades made of advanced metal alloys used in the engines' hot section require cooling and careful limiting of operating temperatures. Turbine engines made with ceramics could operate more efficiently, giving aircraft greater range and payload for a set amount of fuel.

- Recently, there have been advances in ceramics which include bio-ceramics, such as dental implants and synthetic bones. Hydroxyapatite, the natural mineral component of bone, has been made synthetically from a number of biological and chemical sources and can be formed into ceramic materials. Orthopedic implants made from these materials bond readily to bone and other tissues in the body without rejection or inflammatory reactions. Because of this, they are of great interest for gene delivery and tissue engineering scaffolds. Most hydroxyapatite ceramics are very porous and lack mechanical strength and are used to coat metal orthopedic devices to aid in forming a bond to bone or as bone fillers. They are also used as fillers for orthopedic plastic screws to aid in reducing the inflammation and increase absorption of these plastic materials. Work is being done to make strong, fully dense nano crystalline hydroxyapatite ceramic materials for orthopedic weight bearing devices, replacing foreign metal and plastic orthopedic materials with a synthetic, but naturally occurring, bone mineral. Ultimately these ceramic materials may be used as bone replacements or with the incorporation of protein collagens, synthetic bones.

- High-tech ceramic is used in watchmaking for producing watch cases. The material is valued by watchmakers for its light weight, scratch-resistance, durability and smooth touch. IWC is one of the brands that initiated the use of ceramic in watchmaking. The case of the IWC 2007 Top Gun edition of the Pilot's Watch Double chronograph is crafted in high-tech black ceramic.

Ceramic is often used in hair styling products, namely hair styling irons and straighteners. Used for its heat conducting properties as well as offering a high quality, perfectly smooth surface that won't damage hair during the styling process.

[1248614]

Oh my gawd! That is one helluva reply! Thanks for taking time to research and put this together

guess we may just have to look to the first batch of gmtiic owners to share their spills and thrills as time goes by!

[seiko.citizen]

Some uses of the material Ceramic...

- Ceramics are used in the manufacture of knives. The blade of a ceramic knife will stay sharp for much longer than that of a steel knife, although it is more brittle and can be snapped by dropping it on a hard surface. ...

dont forget sharpening ceramic knife requires a different type of stone. your typical wet stone wont cut it. those who have knife sharpening as a hobby can enlighten you further. (my old man is one of those people; sharpen the knife inch by inch, and painstaking process )

[sportee]

i am wearing my GMTIIC regularly... no scratches on the bezel yet.... but it definitely looks smoother compared to my older models without the ceramic bezel...

[taxico]

looks like Ceramic bezel is the way to go for Rolex.

I am fully aware that wear and tear is part of the joy / pain of owning the timepiece.

I want to seek the views of owners, how should one watch out / care for ceramic bezel to reduce the following from happening:

(1) Scratches - supposedly, Ceramic bezel is less susceptible to scratches. How true?

(2) Cracks - I was told that ceramic bezel may be more prone to crack at the base of the number '2' on the bezel linking to the inner ring of the bezel. this is because it is quite narrow - anyone 'kena' yet?

(3) in-fill for numbers and markers on the ceramic bezel. - the in-fill is supposedly platinum (I stand corrected) - will the in-fill fall out? Will it discolour? Is it smooth or rough (especially on the triangle at 12 o'clock)?

(4) Bezel colour - supposedly, the colour will not fade (as much). How true?

(5) anything else to watch out for?

steel isn't as hard as ceramic, and is susceptible to scratches, dings, bending and dents. however it is difficult to break.

the (old) aluminum bezel insert is thin and light and cheap to make, however it does not hold onto colors well.

the rolex ceramic bezel is hard and difficult to scratch, but can be broken/chipped/cracked if a sharp object hits it at the right angle (eg, window + sharp rock).

recounted here:

http://www.rolexforums.com/showthrea...50#post1533450

at the end of the day, if you take care of your $10k+ watch like it's a $10k+ piece of jewelry, it should last quite a while (just like how the diamond in a ring may fall out if you're reckless with it).

personally, i prefer the old style bezel + bezel insert. i have no answer for your qn #3.

[1248614]

Thanks ! That thread is very intriguing indeed! Agree with you. But normal day to day usage, and I dun mean working in tough hazardous conditions, the ceramic bezel should be fine

[ricochetsng]

Rolex Servicing/Overhaul

Dear ROC friends,

I would like to know how much does it cost to replace a sapphire crystal and a Pepsi bezel of GMT Master II model no. 16710.

Please advise.

Thanks.

Have a nice day.

[ak0defiance]

anione noe ?, curious too. bumpz

[caeden]

Below $200...including gst...