RobbieG Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Last night I was out to dinner with my fiance' and another couple and we were at my favorite steakhouse here in town. Actually, it is another story, but I am a real steakhouse connoisseur, and in my travels I have eaten at over 300 high end houses in the States alone. Anyway, this particular place is owned by one of my clients and we were seated in this special table in the wine room which can be seen from the main dining area as it has a glass wall on one side. It is the only table in there. As I often do with long sleved dressy shirts, I was wearing my Datejust with the sleves very slightly rolled up just past the wrist. The wine room has these cool low voltage fixtures overhead that sort of illuminate the space kind of like a jewelry store does - in a way which accentuates the shine of watches with that slightly non-direct diffusion. No wonder I love sitting in there! I have had many, many meals in that room and have had the opportunity to observe what many watches, mine and others, look like in that flattering light. But I have to say that my Datejust just looked as rich as I have ever seen anything look, which is the point of the post. I guess I never realized it before, but nothing - and I do mean nothing, shines like Rolex steel, gold and glass. It is just uncanny, but you have to see many watches in the lighting conditions I have described to really get it. Many don't know this but all Rolex applied numerals and hands on Datejust's and Day Date's are made of gold, and both that and the 904 steel just have this amazing color and finish that just can't be captured in any photo that I have ever seen. The restaurant is a typical high end place with a four man per table server team and every one of them just couldn't stop staring at my watch. It sort of became the joke of the night at our table to see if when I spoke we could actaully get a server to look at me instead of the watch. You kind of had to be there, but it was really funny. Anyway, it would seem like any polished and brushed metal from any world class watch brand would all kind of look the same, but it really doesn't. Nothing shines like a Rolex shine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombat247 Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 I keep saying that Rolex steel is the whitest steel I've seen. There's something truly remarkable about it. I was wearing my sea-dweller which I've had for years and it caught my eye. I switched to a rep submariner to see if it had the same look. It was close but no cigar. It certainly would be an eye-catcher, but it lacked the luster and gleem of a gen Rolex. It's tough to describe and impossible to photograph. Reps are great- particularly super-reps, but they don't hold a light to gens. That said, I have a ton of reps and enjoy wearing them immensely, but the reps I own are ones that I only wear occasionally. I've actually owned gens of many of them but sold them because I couldn't stand the idea of $3k+ sitting in a case most of the time. The gens I have get worn regularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Great story. I've been wanting an SS Datejust for awhile now, thinking about getting the rep but, every time I go to Tourneau and try one on I just can't get myself to commit to buying the rep as I just know it will be inferior and unsatisfying. The gen DJ on the wrist is stunning, I especially love the new ones, the case seems to be a bit larger, I just can't pony up $6,000 for one, wish they'd perfect the rep. Robbie, your's is gorgeous, enjoy it in good health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vizsladog Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Thanks for the story. Greta looking watch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 I get the same reaction when I wear this (though the reaction is not generally limited to the wait staff) But as this watch is vintage & therefore not constructed with 904, I think the reason for the sticky eyeballs has less to do with the shine & more to do with the iconic Rolex design. Like they say, if you want to make a statement, wear a Rolex. And this axiom has been true for 100 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted October 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Yes, I'm sure that is true Freddy. Dress Rolex watches in particular always draw attention for some reason. The only reason it was only the waitstaff last night is because there was noone else in the room. But that not withstanding you are more than right. DJ = rubbernecking. Obviously, my particular DJ is high on the shine scale as a function of the bracelet style and dial choice, but certainly the design itself is a huge part of it. I think it is especially interesting because even people who don't know watches (as I once didn't also) are drawn to Rolex's subconciously. They can't see from across a room that it must be a really nice watch. The DJ/DD design just oozes affluence for some unknown reason. Even if you take the logo and print off the dial it would still do that. It hardly makes sense at 36MM but the phenomenon is real. The little bugger draws more attention than any PAM or UN, or Breitlings which are much larger and even blingier in many cases. And the understatement is part of it. The fact that it is relatively small and still literally launches itself off the wrist and into the retinas of onlookers burning them in the process is amazing to me. LOL. So it is the design itself, along with certain design choices (metals, finishes, etc.) that make those designs "pop" more that pulls the whole package together. I know from being close to it that I'm being totally objective in this next statement. I have a lot more expensive pieces in my collection and certainly ones with much more presige to fellow WIS, and it has nothing to do with the status of the brand, but when I want to look and feel like a million bucks I reach for the little DJ. So I agree with you Freddy, if you are saying that it is the watch itself that makes a statement and not that it is a Rolex, i.e. the brand itself that makes the statement... I get the same reaction when I wear this (though the reaction is not generally limited to the wait staff) But as this watch is vintage & therefore not constructed with 904, I think the reason for the sticky eyeballs has less to do with the shine & more to do with the iconic Rolex design. Like they say, if you want to make a statement, wear a Rolex. And this axiom has been true for 100 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztech Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Great story Robbie. Now you've got me wishing I had by SD/Sub back. I also want to add that not only are the numerals gold, all the hands on all Rollies are gold also. I was told this by an AD/Rollex tech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted October 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Yes, Z. The gold hands were in there too. For the record, I just found that out not too long ago myself... Many don't know this but all Rolex applied numerals and hands on Datejust's and Day Date's are made of gold, and both that and the 904 steel just have this amazing color and finish that just can't be captured in any photo that I have ever seen. Anyway, it would seem like any polished and brushed metal from any world class watch brand would all kind of look the same, but it really doesn't. Nothing shines like a Rolex shine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ztech Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Yes, Z. The gold hands were in there too. For the record, I just found that out not too long ago myself... That's what I get for getting over excitted. Yes, you sure did state the hands too are gold. Sorry about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted October 21, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 No problem. Better that it has more attention drawn to it anyway. Not many know that about Rolex watches and it is kind of an interesting little tidbit. Actually, they have a reason for using gold for hands. Anyone know what that reason is? Trivia time... That's what I get for getting over excitted. Yes, you sure did state the hands too are gold. Sorry about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestripes Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Do they use gold to prevent any corrosion on them? ... but then they'd have to do it for the dials, too. So that might be wrong. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Rolex simply put gold on their hour indices and hands just because they can and nothing shines like gold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shundi Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 They are classy watches Comparision between the shine of a my gen and rep: Wristie: RobbieG, I was at Rothmann's in the city a few weeks back..I understand how you feel about good steak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Fleischer Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 your right- the finish on the gens is fantastic. i was wearing this TT today. the rg really is brillant, much better than the lousy pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shundi Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 Agreed... and my pictures are terrible as well... With regards to gold...is it due to consistent weighting and balance of the hands? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stilty Posted October 22, 2008 Report Share Posted October 22, 2008 I agree. There is nothing that can compete with Rolex steel. This Franken is all Rolex 904L. Gen dial with WG markers. I still have to figure out a way to install gen hands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobbieG Posted October 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2008 I had actually forgotten the reason myself and had to get a refresher. The reason Rolex uses gold for all its hands was actually born out of the Tritium era of luminous material. Rolex switched to using either its own white or yellow gold hands because if they didn't, small amounts of the luminous materials would cause spotting or pitting on the hands over time. They found it impossibel to keep this from happening as it couldn't even be seen under magnification during lume application. Just the smallest particle would lurk on a hand and then show up corroded one day. Even though they no longer use radioactive luminous materials, the idea stuck and they still use gold to this day - and they still don't corrode. That is why you will notice that many vintage Rolex watches will have pitted or rusted hands... Also FYI, Rolex has their own foundry and makes their own gold ores. Of particular interest is Rolex white gold. Most white gold has to be continually dipped over time in rhodium to maintain its color. Rolex makes a special ore that uses both platinum and palladium to "fix" the color of its WG without having to plate it in rhodium. Similarly, Rolex created a special rose gold ore that uses a special copper blend to get its amazing color and then uses platinum to "lock" in the color forever. Whichever Rolex gold one prefers, there is simply noone in the insutry that does gold better than Rolex. No other watch maker can afford to make their own ores so it isn't surprising that Rolex is the "best" in this area... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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