ROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEXROLEX
15 April 2024, 09:29 AM | #61 | |
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Tudor, Omega and every other manufacturer doesn't have a problem manufacturing titanium watches, why would Rolex?
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15 April 2024, 09:56 AM | #62 |
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15 April 2024, 09:59 AM | #63 | |
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15 April 2024, 10:06 AM | #64 |
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It's a bit bizarre that now, with this model, the YM in two of its configurations looks much more like a real Submariner than the Submariner, due to the non blingy finish, given that the YM seemed to be created to be the blingy alternative to the Submariner!
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15 April 2024, 05:30 PM | #65 | |
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All of these things impact Rolex’s ability to scale up production which would be at the cost of producing other watches. |
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15 April 2024, 05:33 PM | #66 | |
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16 April 2024, 07:35 PM | #67 | |
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Titanium
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17 April 2024, 09:08 AM | #68 |
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Great - not sure making sheer knives is a similar process to making watches. But from my understanding the Rolex manufacturing process is fully geared up for steel and precious metal production and not yet for Ti which is still in the exploratory phase.
The other consideration is when working with Ti it is taking valuable production capacity away from other metals which is probably another consideration for Rolex. I have also visited watch makers that work with Titanium and they do have special tooling and machines to work with the metal and for them it does add some complexity to their production cycle. |
17 April 2024, 11:44 PM | #69 |
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Machining
What you are not sure about is how a modern machine shop works. A modern multi axis machining center can store dozens of tools in a loadable magazine and access / change them in seconds. They can also change programs at the control panel in seconds. We machined everything from parts for older machines in our shop to the products we made for sale. Loading a new program from a cad drawing saved on a computer is also done in seconds. None of what we are talking about here is a big deal to change. There is no hand change to the tooling, no hand operation of the machines and very little in the process to make a watchcase or something completely different. And in this case, the product dimensions are the same and the only changes are likely to be the tool material and cutting speeds. This is not a case of making a big shutdown and change over like it would have been 40 years ago. I also did freelance work in setup and repair of machine centers that made a wide variety of product from medical implants to RC car aluminum wheels.
Visiting a machine shop is quite different than working for 12 years running several machine shops and having a degree in Manufacturing Engineering. |
19 April 2024, 12:33 AM | #70 |
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Great insight. Not sure if this is directly relevant to the specific process that Rolex has but interesting nevertheless.
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19 April 2024, 04:52 AM | #71 | |
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I think a lot of people assume that Rolexes are being made one by one, by hand and "it takes a year to make a Rolex", whereas we know from the Tudor factory tours how automated their process is. (And before someone cuts in with "oh but that's Tudor", there's absolutely no reason Rolex would have less precision equipment on its premium line.) |
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