What are some other materials used as watch cases? FAQ
9.1 What are some other
materials used as watch cases?
Aside from the
standard gold and stainless steel, high-end watches are often made of platinum
or titanium.
Platinum is a
very heavy metal, and gives a shiny white metal appearance. Unlike gold, pure
platinum is fairly hard and resistant to scratches (similar to hard stainless
steel). For this reason, it is often used in 95% purity (i.e. Pt 950). However,
raw platinum is more expensive to use, not only because of its rarity, but also
because it is used in higher purities and requires more effort to work into a
final shape.
Titanium is a
relatively light-weight metal, with a hardness exceeding that of most steels. It
also has a poor heat transfer capability, which means that it won't carry heat
away from your skin as quickly as steel or aluminum (i.e. it will feel warmer to
the touch - sometimes you'll see claims that titanium "remains at skin
temperature" - this is technically incorrect, any more than a small piece of
wood stays at skin temperature). Several varieties of titanium are
available. Titanium has some interesting mechanical properties: it can "rip"
when cut so it is difficult to machine, and two pieces of titanium pressed
together can "weld" themselves together. This latter property is why it is
important that watches with titanium cases and backs have the casebacks removed
periodically - the threads can actually rip out of the case if left undisturbed
too long.
|