Tactile texture of platinum

[cleansocks]

I recently completed a required mission for me as a watch collector and acquired an all platinum Rolex! 118206 daydate 36 wave dial. Love it! Suits me very well.

I've noticed when I run my finger along the platinum it feels slightly tacky as compared to steel - maybe a little rougher than steel - as if it's grabbing the skin and holding on a little - as compared to steel which just feels smoother performing the same motion. Do any of you platinum owners notice this? It's almost unnerving as I feel like just running the finger along the polished surfaces is scratching it! Which may be the case indeed as it does scratch quite easily ...

(PS yes it's clean)

[amanbra]

I've never noticed this just with my hands on my 228206. To be honest I don't do this very often as it will micro scratch the surface.

In saying that they say platinum is "gummy" as a metal but personally never noticed via just touching it.

[Demon Barber]

I definitely can relate to what you're saying, with my platinum Daytona feeling like it has slightly more friction against the skin compared to my stainless yachtmaster 40. I think it's largely a function of platinum's much higher density, and in turn mass, compared to the stainless, but to be honest the extra grip is useful for such heavy watches to prevent them from sliding so much. Perhaps polished platinum has a higher coefficient of static friction compared to stainless, but I haven't looked it up.

[macrowatch]

Originally Posted by Demon Barber

I definitely can relate to what you're saying, with my platinum Daytona feeling like it has slightly more friction against the skin compared to my stainless yachtmaster 40. I think it's largely a function of platinum's much higher density, and in turn mass, compared to the stainless, but to be honest the extra grip is useful for such heavy watches to prevent them from sliding so much. Perhaps polished platinum has a higher coefficient of static friction compared to stainless, but I haven't looked it up.

+1

Now for my totally non value add comment: platinum is so heavy versus steel it creates its own little gravity field. That must be the ‘tacky’ sensation you are feeling caused by the pull.

[RolexSimon]

Yes - notice it with my Daydate 40 platinum.

[cleansocks]

cool! One of those rare moments where It's not 'just me'

[-dustin]

Originally Posted by amanbra

To be honest I don't do this very often as it will micro scratch the surface.

Wait. Am I reading this correctly?

[amanbra]

Originally Posted by -dustin

Wait. Am I reading this correctly?

yeah get some perfectly polished Platinum or Gold and rub your fingers over it repeatedly. See what happens.

[Incroyable12]

I've noticed this too. It also seems to wear a bit warmer.

[amanbra]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

I've noticed this too. It also seems to wear a bit warmer.

yes def warmer than gold from my experience, to do with the thermal conductivity.

[drrd]

Originally Posted by cleansocks

I recently completed a required mission for me as a watch collector and acquired an all platinum Rolex! 118206 daydate 36 wave dial. Love it! Suits me very well.

I've noticed when I run my finger along the platinum it feels slightly tacky as compared to steel - maybe a little rougher than steel - as if it's grabbing the skin and holding on a little - as compared to steel which just feels smoother performing the same motion. Do any of you platinum owners notice this? It's almost unnerving as I feel like just running the finger along the polished surfaces is scratching it! Which may be the case indeed as it does scratch quite easily ...

(PS yes it's clean)

I agree with you.

[1995akcoop]

Originally Posted by cleansocks

I recently completed a required mission for me as a watch collector and acquired an all platinum Rolex! 118206 daydate 36 wave dial. Love it! Suits me very well.

I've noticed when I run my finger along the platinum it feels slightly tacky as compared to steel - maybe a little rougher than steel - as if it's grabbing the skin and holding on a little - as compared to steel which just feels smoother performing the same motion. Do any of you platinum owners notice this? It's almost unnerving as I feel like just running the finger along the polished surfaces is scratching it! Which may be the case indeed as it does scratch quite easily ...

(PS yes it's clean)

Wait… platinum scratches easily? That sucks, I thought it was like the hardest metals out there. So then what’s the advantage over gold?


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[amanbra]

Originally Posted by 1995akcoop

Wait… platinum scratches easily? That sucks, I thought it was like the hardest metals out there. So then what’s the advantage over gold?


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Yes it does. It’s a gummy metal but it does show scratches. The thing with platinum is because it’s gummy the scratches are metal just moving around as opposed to loosing the metal. It is no where near the hardest metal out there. It’s incredibly dense though. Stupid heavy.

What’s great about platinum is it it is a pm but understated. 95% pure by weight. My wedding bands are plat along with dd.


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[amanbra]

Originally Posted by cleansocks

I recently completed a required mission for me as a watch collector and acquired an all platinum Rolex! 118206 daydate 36 wave dial. Love it! Suits me very well.

I've noticed when I run my finger along the platinum it feels slightly tacky as compared to steel - maybe a little rougher than steel - as if it's grabbing the skin and holding on a little - as compared to steel which just feels smoother performing the same motion. Do any of you platinum owners notice this? It's almost unnerving as I feel like just running the finger along the polished surfaces is scratching it! Which may be the case indeed as it does scratch quite easily ...

(PS yes it's clean)

Just ran my finger along the 9 o’clock side of the case. Yeah okay I see what you mean. Again I really don’t do this often.


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[Incroyable12]

You can easily burnish out scratches and dings on platinum using a tungsten carbide rod. There's no metal lost unlike gold or silver.

Why tungsten? Platinum is easily contaminated and tungsten is the only metal that won't leave marks.

[brandrea]

Interesting comments here … I’d don’t think I’ve ever heard this come up before

[77T]

While I don’t suggest rubbing your Platinum watch with a tungsten carbide rod, this jeweler gives a decent explainer.



Platinum is more dense than gold in more ways than one. In the 100% pure state, the same volume of platinum in a 1cm cube weighs 60% more than gold.

On a molecular level there are more molecules packed into that little cube of platinum. Mohs of 4 in pure Pt is very close to 14k Au at 3.5-4 (depending upon the alloy).


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[Guybrush]

Originally Posted by 1995akcoop

Wait… platinum scratches easily? That sucks, I thought it was like the hardest metals out there. So then what’s the advantage over gold?


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I don't know that there's any real "advantage" over gold. I think the advantage of a pm watch (over steel) is the intrinsic material value--which is historically stable but still just a subjective, human article of belief--and the visual/tactile pleasure-values of its luster and heft. With respect to gold, the spot price of platinum fluctuates a lot, sometimes outpacing gold, sometimes getting outpaced. At the moment, platinum is significantly less expensive than gold (even allowing for the purity factor of 95% vs 75%), but that's not reflected in Rolex pricing. :) I suppose for the watches, it comes down to which material is more plentiful and easier to work with--gold wins in both categories, which makes it less valuable in Rolex's eyes.

But yes, platinum is very scratchy; my wedding ring testifies to that. I happen to like the look of weathered metal, and don't stress over every hairline and swirl I add to my white gold 118209, but I also don't think much about resale value; I wear my watches. And as others have said, platinum can be refinished nicely without losing material.

FWIW, if I were going to let go of my 118209, it'd be for a 118206 (probably in the same config as yours); once you get used to the physical presence of pm, it's hard to go back to steel. And the extra mass of platinum really appeals to me.

All to say, I think the "advantage" is a tactile/emotional one, not a practical one.

[77T]

I’ve only had one platinum Rolex, the 116506. It was great having a 50th anniversary model. Heavier than the YG Daytonas I had earlier.

But I’ve moved it onward and now have vintage DJ plus a PP & Omega as my Trinity.

I never stroked my Platona so can’t say what that felt like. But I would guess that the tactile sensation was more affected by the fondler’s dermatoglyphics (i.e. whorls, arches & loops of one’s fingertips) and chemicals in the sebaceous, eccrine (sweat), and apocrine glands. High ridges and mineral content might yield a feeling of gumminess I suppose.


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[JSolution]

I dunno about that lol but I agree the platinum bracelet scratches up a hell of a lot faster than any other metal.

[cleansocks]

So far my favorite explanation is the black hole on the wrist theory

I love the weight of platinum! There is nothing like it. I think that's one reason the smaller 36mm day-date is still so satisfying in this age of larger watches. The stark contrast in size to weight is very cool.

I like the point about it not moving around on the wrist as much due to this increased friction - I noticed that too actually! It was a pleasant surprise.

If you're gonna own this metal and wear it, seems to me OCDness has to take a back seat. It's reassuring that there's no metal loss with the scratches which are absolutely inevitable and occur quickly.

[904VT]

I feel like I’m in a geology class with all the interesting content here. Good input on a less common metal in the watch world.

[gerry100]

Machining characteristics may result in a different surface finish

Can’t be seen with the naked eye but can be felt with a
Finger

[Guybrush]

Not that anyone asked me to dork out further on this topic, but I found myself having a brainstorm.

Vis-a-vis gold---so comparing the platinum 118206 to the gold 118209 (or 08).

It occurred to me (re: my earlier post) that the question of difference in intrinsic material value has to account for the density of platinum versus gold---the fact, that is, that to make two identically-sized watches in each material, one simply needs more platinum by weight than one would need for gold.

So to adjust accordingly, we don't need to look at the periodic table or anything---we can just look at the weight of each watch. The plat DD36 weighs (so the internet says) 227g. My white gold DD36 weighs 173. (I'm sure different people have different numbers, but this is a decent estimate for both.)

Since I'm only looking at comparative percentages, the absolute values don't matter---and we can assume that on the 118206 and 118209, all the non-pm things (e.g. the movement and the crystal) weigh exactly the same. So we'll just compare 227 to 173, straight up. (Acknowledging that neither of those weights is entirely pm.)

For platinum, it's: 227g x 95% purity x $30.25USD per gram spot price = $6,523

For 18k gold, it's: 173g x 75% purity x $57.70USD per gram spot price = $7,486

So the platinum watch is worth 87% as much as the gold when it comes to raw pm value. (Couldn't tell you how much actual platinum or gold is in each watch--doesn't matter.)

The revelatory detail for me is that that 87% is very strong when one considers that gram-for-gram, platinum is only (currently) worth 52% as much as gold. This is why the density factor I mentioned above is important.

I feel quite certain that much smarter, more scientifically-minded people have already made this point on this forum in much more intelligent ways. But there it is.

I should acknowledge that all of this ignores the fact that Rolex's white gold uses platinum (and palladium, which is the dearest of all), but since I don't know the precise amounts, it can't really play into this.

And he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with smug self-satisfaction.

[amanbra]

Originally Posted by Guybrush

Not that anyone asked me to dork out further on this topic, but I found myself having a brainstorm.

Vis-a-vis gold---so comparing the platinum 118206 to the gold 118209 (or 08).

It occurred to me (re: my earlier post) that the question of difference in intrinsic material value has to account for the density of platinum versus gold---the fact, that is, that to make two identically-sized watches in each material, one simply needs more platinum by weight than one would need for gold.

So to adjust accordingly, we don't need to look at the periodic table or anything---we can just look at the weight of each watch. The plat DD36 weighs (so the internet says) 227g. My white gold DD36 weighs 173. (I'm sure different people have different numbers, but this is a decent estimate for both.)

Since I'm only looking at comparative percentages, the absolute values don't matter---and we can assume that on the 118206 and 118209, all the non-pm things (e.g. the movement and the crystal) weigh exactly the same. So we'll just compare 227 to 173, straight up. (Acknowledging that neither of those weights is entirely pm.)

For platinum, it's: 227g x 95% purity x $30.25USD per gram spot price = $6,523

For 18k gold, it's: 173g x 75% purity x $57.70USD per gram spot price = $7,486

So the platinum watch is worth 87% as much as the gold when it comes to raw pm value. (Couldn't tell you how much actual platinum or gold is in each watch--doesn't matter.)

The revelatory detail for me is that that 87% is very strong when one considers that gram-for-gram, platinum is only (currently) worth 52% as much as gold. This is why the density factor I mentioned above is important.

I feel quite certain that much smarter, more scientifically-minded people have already made this point on this forum in much more intelligent ways. But there it is.

I should acknowledge that all of this ignores the fact that Rolex's white gold uses platinum (and palladium, which is the dearest of all), but since I don't know the precise amounts, it can't really play into this.

And he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with smug self-satisfaction.

Another thing to consider is how much harder it is to work on platinum vs gold. It appears that Plat is substantially harder on tooling etc.

Now in the end does it justify the price difference? Prob not...

[alphadweller]

Interesting topic.

I recently purchased a Dupont lighter, it's made of brass covered with a 20 microns palladium coating. I haven't noticed the tacky feeling described by OP, maybe because it's brass underneath or because palladium is slightly different from platinum? I also tried with the PT bezel of my Yacht-Master 116622, but being mostly sandblasted, it doesn't have enough smooth surface to appreciate the tacky aspect. Wondering if a metallurgist could possibly further elaborate on that aspect of platinum.

I find the metal fascinating. I love the fact it won't tarnish (or at least not under normal use), corrode, rust or change colour over time. To me, it's the king of white metals. Other white metals try to imitate it. Take stainless steel, it corrodes eventually. Silver tarnishes big time. White gold is essentially yellow gold with white metals added to the mix to make it look white (that's cheating!). Also, it's hypoallergenic, no "dodgy" nickel here, as opposed to 904L steel.

The only drawback I see is the weight. I like divers, but I doubt I'd be able to comfortably wear a platinum diver or anything above 250g. No problem in a dress watch on a leather strap, of course.

[csaltphoto]

Originally Posted by Guybrush

Not that anyone asked me to dork out further on this topic, but I found myself having a brainstorm.

Vis-a-vis gold---so comparing the platinum 118206 to the gold 118209 (or 08).

It occurred to me (re: my earlier post) that the question of difference in intrinsic material value has to account for the density of platinum versus gold---the fact, that is, that to make two identically-sized watches in each material, one simply needs more platinum by weight than one would need for gold.

So to adjust accordingly, we don't need to look at the periodic table or anything---we can just look at the weight of each watch. The plat DD36 weighs (so the internet says) 227g. My white gold DD36 weighs 173. (I'm sure different people have different numbers, but this is a decent estimate for both.)

Since I'm only looking at comparative percentages, the absolute values don't matter---and we can assume that on the 118206 and 118209, all the non-pm things (e.g. the movement and the crystal) weigh exactly the same. So we'll just compare 227 to 173, straight up. (Acknowledging that neither of those weights is entirely pm.)

For platinum, it's: 227g x 95% purity x $30.25USD per gram spot price = $6,523

For 18k gold, it's: 173g x 75% purity x $57.70USD per gram spot price = $7,486

So the platinum watch is worth 87% as much as the gold when it comes to raw pm value. (Couldn't tell you how much actual platinum or gold is in each watch--doesn't matter.)

The revelatory detail for me is that that 87% is very strong when one considers that gram-for-gram, platinum is only (currently) worth 52% as much as gold. This is why the density factor I mentioned above is important.

I feel quite certain that much smarter, more scientifically-minded people have already made this point on this forum in much more intelligent ways. But there it is.

I should acknowledge that all of this ignores the fact that Rolex's white gold uses platinum (and palladium, which is the dearest of all), but since I don't know the precise amounts, it can't really play into this.

And he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose with smug self-satisfaction.

Yeah, I've run those numbers too and come up with about the same results. Gold or Platinum there is ~ 6-9K PM value in any particular PM Rolex. Can't wrap my head around that at retail prices. Easier to stomach when a used DD is in the 20K range. But as others have pointed out it's not the absolute value but intrinsic value of a PM Rolex.

And the whole Pt being harder to work doesn't really hold water. There are lots of metals that are wayyyyy harder to work.

[SpectralDodo49]

I owned a Platona for years and never noticed a difference in feel compared to other metals. Currently, I own WG and SS, and, again, no difference in feel although WG definitely scratches easier than other metals.

[TunaTuna]

Platinum is gummy lol?

[Calatrava r]

Any Rolex bracelet with PCLs will show scratches. Best not to rub any of them as grit is just being ground in from your fingers.