I think another material to mention here is Tungsten Carbide on the fluted bezel of the Omega Constellation Globemaster. I love the idea of a bezel made out of a material, that looks like steel on a steel watch, but it is so much more scratchproof. It's way better suited to a fluted bezel, than white gold on a Rolex DateJust and maybe it is the perfect material for those applications.
Brilliant point (a material that slipped my mind completely) As far as I know, the only watch to use this combo of materials? How cool is it that Omega isn't afraid to experiment with case materials like Ceramic etc? Thanks for this Felix. I greatly admire the Globemaster (actually considering getting one for my old man)
I love the connection to the past, the vintage look and feel of Bakelite and aluminium, even stainless steel. I enjoy ceramic for its carefree nature, not having to worry about a scratch. All of this makes me wonder what's next... Thanks for another thoughtful, well-done video. Always enjoyable and educational!
My pleasure as always Chaz. The more I think about it, watches with different bezels really can fit different applications well. Maybe that's why we should have a sample of each in our collections? ;) Ah, it's all good fun studying up on these. Of course there were many more that weren't mention (maybe worth exploring in part 2)
You are so right. The glossiness of a ceramic bezel makes the watch look "cheaper" and less serious. I won't buy an Oris Aquis for that reason. I will go with an aluminum bezel every time. Has it not occurred to other manufacturers that the bezel is one of the reasons why the Black Bay is so wildly popular? Fading? Yes, please! Scratching? Why would you want there to be any disparity between the condition of the case and the condition of the bezel? That would be like putting new white laces on a pair of old Chuck Taylors........you can do it but be prepared for the backlash.
A Material Science tutorial, eh, what a breath of fresh air. Best material for the job, please, for my next purchase. Each to their own and all that but for patina and pre-loved, I read scruffy and dinged... Really enjoyed the video, thanks for posting!
Oooooh! Jēzus this is fantastic... thank you!! I will absolutely follow this! Just was thinking about Acrylic crystal and how it had a part to play with the aluminium bezel combo. Also would love to go deeper into the how the cases and their materials are manufactured at some stage. Ah, fun! Thanks again for this, brother!
That means a lot Timothy - I hope it didn't disappoint ;) Been working on a big design exercise around the Seamaster 300 this week which is going to be great to debut soon. Thank you for the comment, brother
IDGUY, I am glad you did this study, both in terms of history as well as properties. I learned a great deal. And, at the end of the day, I am appreciating my aluminum bezel on my dive watch more than before this video. I am also looking forward to a steel bezel watch. :)
Another fantastic video IDGuy. Sapphire capped bezels are my favorites followed by ceramic and stainless steel bezels. I’m not a fan of patina, so I like my bezel to stay as pristine as possible for as long as possible. Thanks as always my friend for a very interesting look at a contentious aspect of our hobby.
Great video as always and kudos to Nick for the question. Really interesting topic. When I thought about my own preferences I too answered aluminium but I don’t think it’s just because I prefer the aesthetic or that I am less fond of that ceramic shine. I think it’s a subconscious belief that aluminium is the “correct” material because that’s what was on many of the classic models I’ve fawned over in books and photographs. It’s the same way that I prefer nickel plating over chrome in guitar hardware or car and motorcycle parts. The classic models I’ve lusted after for years had nickel plated parts so I think that’s best or preferable. As you said though, ceramic is probably the best all around choice for a bezel insert although in the right setting any of the options can not only work but shine (as long as it isn’t too shiny 🤣).
Very interesting Gareth. I've never thought of it beyond watches... but all my Guitars have nickel tuners and I'd always find Klusons given the chance too. The same with vintage bicycles and car parts. There is a deeper quality to these that we love. The heart wants what the heart wants ;) Thank you for all of this!
To be honest, I think the aluminium bezel is the best out of all as it will aged with the time and will create a unique looks by its own. Great episode, IDGuy. Cheers...
Really interesting episode. When you started talking about Bakelite the first thing I thought of was an old telephone. And voila! One appeared. As far as ceramic; I had a black Oris Aquis for a while and one of the options was the matte ( almost brushed) ceramic bezel. It wasn’t a common one compared to the shiny reference. I think the only difference was one digit in their endlessly long reference numbers. 4126 vs 4136 in the last 4 digits. A gorgeous finish on that
Congrats to 40k! I hope, that these videos will get more attention in future as you make one of the most interesting content around the topic of watches (at least in my opinion)... :)
This really means a lot Christian and thank you, man... There's really no knowing what will happen to the page. All you can do at the end of the day is (hopefully) create content that resonates with someone out there. That's always been the goal, if you know what I mean? Not to be "popular" but to bring out good work. Seriously means a lot that you can take the time to watch the clips and leave a comment. Thanks again! ;)
@@ID-Guy Yes, I think I know what you mean. :) I started my watch collecting journey just about 2 years ago and found your channel on UA-cam about half a year ago. Watching your videos feels like listening to someone speaking to watch enthusiasts instead of all that mainstream ****. Even though your live streams are not really compatible with my sleeping habits, I learned a lot so far... :)
@@ChristianNeudorfer Fantastic to read this. And hey, I'm always learning through these exercises too (which is a pleasure) It's almost like I'm just sharing what I'm learning with an audience at the end of the day ;) Really, thank you Christian.
I agree with you. I like the aluminum and steel bezels best, particularly on tool watches. Their scratches will tell you that the watches were worn well and enjoyed.
Great subject for discussion. I agree. Alloy bezels (and steel) have tone, will patina over time, have texture, tone and depth of colour (anodised, coated or painted), but they're not uniform carriers of colour. Unlike Ceramic: shiny, bright, poppy, scratch resistant, flavour of the month. Perfect for Instagram, but takes subtle colours poorly and impossible in some colours. Considering I've just retired an alloy bezelled Sub after 25 years professional use and its bezel (once replaced 18years ago due to ratchet wear) is unmarked (beyond hairlines and whorls) suggested to me that the scratch magnet status of alloy is overstated. I've got a ceramic SD4k and the bezel looks shiny and cheap. But at least it's not green. Given my druthers, I'd go with steel (tough) or sapphire (just plain awesome). Sapphire crystals aren't the toughest, but completely scratch resistant, play with light and so, so beautiful. Check out the 50 Fathoms, GS and Seiko's... Seiko/GS own bezels!
Always means a lot and thank you Reed! This one definitely went down the more "educational" rabbit hole. But it was so cool to bring forward what I've learnt into something watch related. Hey, Part 2 can be the chemistry / manufacturing that goes into watch cases ;)
@@ID-Guy Funny. I've never found myself saying 'I'm very interested in bezels' yet I've spent a lot of time defending my love of Aluminium and scorning the overly glossy ceramic bezel. Clearly that indicates an interest! It was a very solid upload mate.
Cool video, although Sinn’s approach of not using a insert at all is a very good option. Sinn’s proprietary tegimented solid steel bezels are extremely scratch resistant and tough as nails. 🍻
Terrific video IDGuy, The pro and cons of different materials is interesting and an education. Although out of scope of the video as far as the differences are concerned I think fashion and perceived quality has also driven the change of material to a degree. A watch advertised with a ceramic bezel could be perceived as a quality item over an aluminium alternative yet it could have a terrible movement and case and ultimately a terrible watch. A top quality chronometer with an aluminium insert viewed by the average buyer may just walk by and spend the hard earned cash on something arguably inferior. I have a couple of watches with aluminium inserts and treat them no differently to a watch with a ceramic one as my purchase decisions are made for the watch as a whole and not just the bezel material. Apologies once again for going off topic.
The perceptions of quality by the consumer has definitely changed the direction of these materials. Brilliant point, Anthony. Isn't it crazy how the tool watch has evolved? Actually, you know what, this is the basis for an entire video... A deep dive into the "evolution" of the tool watch. This is fantastic! Thank you always for your insightful comments!
great video! so many great points and so well said. personally, i like aluminum best in terms of function (to provide great contrast) and overall look, both new and with age. the shiny-shiny of other materials creates glare that is distracting and harder on the eyes in nearly all lighting lighting conditions. also, the gleam from ceramic detracts from the lines of the case and competes with the crystal and reflective features on the dial in a non-harmonious way. A domed crystal with an aluminum bezel, on the other hand, looks amazing, and in my opinion, much classier. again, thanks for such a nice video!
Spot on again. Thanks for the video. If this Tudor P01 would have been released with a steel bracelet, it would -perhaps- have been a better launch last time. In few weeks we will see what models will be presented :)
And next up on my list will be to explore Crystals! The same kind of context as this and all their Pros and Cons. Also cannot wait to see how our watches age... Judging by the tech that has gone into them, who knows, right? ;)
It's crazy that micro brands can bring bezels out like those and the big names don't... I think of Lorier and Baltic as the two who've really jumped onto this so well! Thank you for the comment Ash!
Great video! I like different bezels on different watches. For instance, I hope the speedy pro stays aluminum. To me at least, it suits the history of the watch.
Nice points, Treetop. It is awesome having a selection of bezels to choose (can't believe it but I currently don't own a Ceramic bezel watch at the moment) and they all seem to fulfill different purposes. This video could use a part 2 actually, digging more into the application when the best bezel material could be used. That might be too nerdy...
Didn't realize you past 40, 000 suscriber congratulations 🎉 , while watching this video it reminded me of someone coming to my school when I was young and explaining about this new material called plastic and how it was gonna change the world .
Great video as ever, I think the change in materials is why the Tudors of this era will age better than the Toy looking Rolexes, just my opinion. It would be great to see a stainless steel watch with a contrasting Carbon Bezel rather than the full Carbon watches constantly.
Thanks a bunch, Mark. Had no idea the numbers had ticked over until I saw a rounded figure the other day haha! I could retire happily with this number ;)
Good subject topic for debate. The sapphire insert on the Blancpain fifty fathoms works best for me followed by a matte finished ceramic. The others have their issues over time. Nicely presented as always. Enjoyed last week's show was really good. Three Timefactors Commandos have appeared on eBay. Asking well over the standard 325 quid when you can get one from Eddie!
What's crazy is I've read issues with the Sapphire caps separating on the Fifty Fathoms bezels. But I agree, they are just awesome... so wish other brands would adopt the same idea with their pieces to jazz them up. And the Smiths pieces on eBay, I know... nuts! The Everests have all been snatched up now too. Thank you as always for the comments Raymond!
Great video! really hope more manufacturers bring back the aluminium bezels, there's nothing like a nice scratched up aluminium bezel and the character it gives a watch. To me ceramic bezels are cold and industrial, without any soul, the same applies to sapphire crystals. best regards
I feel like the older aluminum age quite well, and look better with age, same as Bakelite as well. My top choice would be Aluminum, Bakelite, and then Sapphire capped.
I think having a carbon watch would be an excellent fit in every today's watch collection. It's the material of the 21 century and in retrospect, because I think it is important to have something new as part of evidence of our timeperiod. I think that is the reason why I personally like Richard mille watches
If a watch has a rotating bezel I prefer a matte ceramic or sapphire! A lumed sapphire is yummy 🤤. Not into shiny ceramic but everyone seems to make them. Best regards
Thank you, brother. We all seem to agree that Sapphire Capped just looks so much more tasty on a watch. Who knows? Microbrands seem fixated on bringing these bezels out (maybe the bigger names will catch on soon)
The fact that ceramic bezels (if you don't crack them) don't change over the course of the life of the watch says a lot about the weird state of aesthetic calibration most people find themselves in, wanting everything vintage and retro but without the object itself developing signs of age. It's a strange kind of "bubble wrap conservatism" I don't feel comfortable with. I'd happily live in a world of aluminium bezels and domed plexi crystals for that reason.
Well said. There has to be a happy medium? Perhaps sapphire is the answer? At least a manufacturer can choose to use materials that will patina under it? But the fact that super-luminova won't discolour is frustrating to me also.
It's great that we have such a wide selection of materials to choose from. And I definitely will! Thank you for the suggestion and comment as always, Tippy ;) Hope your Habring is around the corner!
I like aluminum and ceramic bezels. I am a big fan of lumed bezels, which tends to rule out aluminum, but absent a lumed bezel I'm not squarely in either bezel's corner.
My preference is a 3D bezel that's made out of the same material as the case. Beautiful unity and character with it. Next would be sapphire. It's ceramic with more character.
The omega globemaster has a tungsten carbide fluted bezel, compared to the rolex white gold bezel. Was hoping some mention on the tungsten. But yeah, not inserts though
There was mention of it already and I fully agree (the material slipped my mind) - I'm very interested to know if the Globemaster is the only watch to use this blend on its bezel. Excellent point and thank you Chris!
Hey IDGuy, thanks for your videos. In 13:18 you say platinum is soft and not durable. That is not the case, platinum is super hard and requires a lot of effort and machining to work it properly. Much more so than stainless steel.
For me, there's nothing like the wabi sabi of an aluminum bezel as it ages- especially some of the vintage seiko divers I see on IG. I want my 777 to develop that. But I do love the look of the sapphire on my Unimatic.
Bakelite would be preferred but problem is so few of us have seen high quality bakelite examples in person. At vintage conventions, I've seen perfect mint conditon Bakelites bracelets from the 1920s, '30s, '40s, so it can survive being banged against other bangles on ladies wrists. If we saw that type of finishing minty fresh on a men's watch bezel, I think it would win the votes. Bakelite contains oil so it burnishes nicely over time. Unfortunately, all of the watches I've personally seen w/ bakelite bezels were beat up and chipped. /end rant
This was just pointed out to me and I'm absolutely going to do a series about watch crystals next! Thank you Colin. Just considering how both Acrylic and Aluminium was so easily replaceable on vintage watches (it makes sense that they were built to be used, right?)
Would have been interesting to also cover tungsten, which is used on the fluted bezel of the Omega Globemaster (but I don’t think anyone but Omega uses it)
Bakelite used in electrical accessories back in the day apparently used to contain asbestos, hence its strength and heat resistance. Could it also have been used in bezel inserts? 🤔
Lumed bezels are the best, particularly for professional models....sapphire and ceramic allow for lume on the bezel (Grand Seiko, Omega and even Tudor). Let’s hope Rolex gets in on that with the new explorer...even if consumers won’t be able to get it if they do.
Just imagine brands doubling down with lumed bezels. We all seem to unanimously agree that it would be a brilliant idea. I'd love for Rolex to just do something simple like lume the Pepsi... they owe it to the watch that started it all ;)
Ceramic is such a generic name that encompasses a vast amount of materials, I'm sure the exact formula of the top brands is a closely guarded secret. ... Favourite unusual material I've seen (can't remember where, possibly the microbrand Zelos) aesthetically was " Timascus" a Damascus alloy made from titanium. Cheers mate 👍🏻👍🏻
I should've said Zirconium Dioxide (I think that's the common name given to this material) BUT odds are it would've put even more people to sleep ;) AND I was going to mention Tegimented and Damascus Steel too. Reckon there needs to be a DEEPER dive into materials themselves, not just for bezels but for cases.Thanks as always for the comment Steve!
Thank you Ant! Loved your Datejust over the weekend! I'm so keen to see how you collection has evolved since - I feel like you've shifted a few pieces around ;)
@@ID-Guy You quickly glazed over my submission completely. Be real - sorry if it wasn’t to your liking and you were forced to share it. I’ll share again maybe when I find myself a 32mm mil spec piece I find on the ground.
Omega lumed the no time to die seamaster aluminum bezel so maybe Rolex could lume a steel bezel on the Ex 2 re-edition..I doubt they’ll put a ceramic on it.
external patina might be fun, not so the internal patina of the material of the day - degradation of the movement both in finish and mechanical integrity. So the tropical dial, discoloured patina and scratched up ali bezel comes with a real, perhaps deal breaker hidden cost. At least the modern ceramic wonder should have on the inside enhanced mechanical durability with better materials, synthetic oils etc. Horses and roundabouts?
You lost me at Bakelite. You appear to be speed reading in a monotone voice. I checked the comments to see if anyone else agreed and came up empty. I must conclude that perhaps my critique is unwarranted. I will however refer to this video the next time I have insomnia.
Aluminium，not aluminum, we changed from sulphur to sulfur why can you not, if you don't want to change don't bother correcting others with your different spelling
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I like how you touch upon topics other watch UA-camrs don't think of
Beginners luck, Ashley. Beginners luck ;) Thank you so much for the comment!
I think another material to mention here is Tungsten Carbide on the fluted bezel of the Omega Constellation Globemaster. I love the idea of a bezel made out of a material, that looks like steel on a steel watch, but it is so much more scratchproof. It's way better suited to a fluted bezel, than white gold on a Rolex DateJust and maybe it is the perfect material for those applications.
Brilliant point (a material that slipped my mind completely) As far as I know, the only watch to use this combo of materials? How cool is it that Omega isn't afraid to experiment with case materials like Ceramic etc? Thanks for this Felix. I greatly admire the Globemaster (actually considering getting one for my old man)
@@ID-Guy Oris does one Aquis with a tungsten bezel as well. Again good point by this commenter. Such a strong material. Should be used more often
It’s worth remembering tungsten is very heavy and dense, which can be positive or negative
I love the connection to the past, the vintage look and feel of Bakelite and aluminium, even stainless steel. I enjoy ceramic for its carefree nature, not having to worry about a scratch. All of this makes me wonder what's next... Thanks for another thoughtful, well-done video. Always enjoyable and educational!
Yes.
There is something sad about the fact that our superluminova won't slowly change colour and our ceramic bezels won't fade...
My pleasure as always Chaz. The more I think about it, watches with different bezels really can fit different applications well. Maybe that's why we should have a sample of each in our collections? ;) Ah, it's all good fun studying up on these. Of course there were many more that weren't mention (maybe worth exploring in part 2)
I'd say this is THE definitive guide, well done.
You are so right. The glossiness of a ceramic bezel makes the watch look "cheaper" and less serious. I won't buy an Oris Aquis for that reason. I will go with an aluminum bezel every time. Has it not occurred to other manufacturers that the bezel is one of the reasons why the Black Bay is so wildly popular?
Fading? Yes, please! Scratching? Why would you want there to be any disparity between the condition of the case and the condition of the bezel? That would be like putting new white laces on a pair of old Chuck Taylors........you can do it but be prepared for the backlash.
A Material Science tutorial, eh, what a breath of fresh air. Best material for the job, please, for my next purchase. Each to their own and all that but for patina and pre-loved, I read scruffy and dinged... Really enjoyed the video, thanks for posting!
Bravooo!👏🏻👏👏🏻...
You can make a series out of this.
-different crystals
-different case shapes. Some have names like: turtle, cushion, Monnin, oyster
Oooooh! Jēzus this is fantastic... thank you!! I will absolutely follow this! Just was thinking about Acrylic crystal and how it had a part to play with the aluminium bezel combo. Also would love to go deeper into the how the cases and their materials are manufactured at some stage. Ah, fun! Thanks again for this, brother!
@@ID-Guy thanks! Love the channel
Been waiting for this one since last week.
That means a lot Timothy - I hope it didn't disappoint ;) Been working on a big design exercise around the Seamaster 300 this week which is going to be great to debut soon. Thank you for the comment, brother
IDGUY, I am glad you did this study, both in terms of history as well as properties. I learned a great deal. And, at the end of the day, I am appreciating my aluminum bezel on my dive watch more than before this video. I am also looking forward to a steel bezel watch. :)
My bezel preference are aluminum and stainless steel. There's a particular sheen to them that delights my eyes.
Another fantastic video IDGuy. Sapphire capped bezels are my favorites followed by ceramic and stainless steel bezels. I’m not a fan of patina, so I like my bezel to stay as pristine as possible for as long as possible. Thanks as always my friend for a very interesting look at a contentious aspect of our hobby.
Great video as always and kudos to Nick for the question. Really interesting topic.
When I thought about my own preferences I too answered aluminium but I don’t think it’s just because I prefer the aesthetic or that I am less fond of that ceramic shine. I think it’s a subconscious belief that aluminium is the “correct” material because that’s what was on many of the classic models I’ve fawned over in books and photographs. It’s the same way that I prefer nickel plating over chrome in guitar hardware or car and motorcycle parts. The classic models I’ve lusted after for years had nickel plated parts so I think that’s best or preferable.
As you said though, ceramic is probably the best all around choice for a bezel insert although in the right setting any of the options can not only work but shine (as long as it isn’t too shiny 🤣).
Very interesting Gareth. I've never thought of it beyond watches... but all my Guitars have nickel tuners and I'd always find Klusons given the chance too. The same with vintage bicycles and car parts. There is a deeper quality to these that we love. The heart wants what the heart wants ;) Thank you for all of this!
To be honest, I think the aluminium bezel is the best out of all as it will aged with the time and will create a unique looks by its own. Great episode, IDGuy. Cheers...
Really interesting episode. When you started talking about Bakelite the first thing I thought of was an old telephone. And voila! One appeared. As far as ceramic; I had a black Oris Aquis for a while and one of the options was the matte ( almost brushed) ceramic bezel. It wasn’t a common one compared to the shiny reference. I think the only difference was one digit in their endlessly long reference numbers. 4126 vs 4136 in the last 4 digits. A gorgeous finish on that
Congrats to 40k! I hope, that these videos will get more attention in future as you make one of the most interesting content around the topic of watches (at least in my opinion)... :)
This really means a lot Christian and thank you, man... There's really no knowing what will happen to the page. All you can do at the end of the day is (hopefully) create content that resonates with someone out there. That's always been the goal, if you know what I mean? Not to be "popular" but to bring out good work. Seriously means a lot that you can take the time to watch the clips and leave a comment. Thanks again! ;)
@@ID-Guy Yes, I think I know what you mean. :) I started my watch collecting journey just about 2 years ago and found your channel on UA-cam about half a year ago. Watching your videos feels like listening to someone speaking to watch enthusiasts instead of all that mainstream ****. Even though your live streams are not really compatible with my sleeping habits, I learned a lot so far... :)
@@ChristianNeudorfer Fantastic to read this. And hey, I'm always learning through these exercises too (which is a pleasure) It's almost like I'm just sharing what I'm learning with an audience at the end of the day ;) Really, thank you Christian.
@@ID-Guy It is me/us having to thank you for putting all the work in it - please keep up with what you are doing and let's enjoy the ride together. :)
I agree with you. I like the aluminum and steel bezels best, particularly on tool watches. Their scratches will tell you that the watches were worn well and enjoyed.
Great subject for discussion. I agree. Alloy bezels (and steel) have tone, will patina over time, have texture, tone and depth of colour (anodised, coated or painted), but they're not uniform carriers of colour. Unlike Ceramic: shiny, bright, poppy, scratch resistant, flavour of the month. Perfect for Instagram, but takes subtle colours poorly and impossible in some colours. Considering I've just retired an alloy bezelled Sub after 25 years professional use and its bezel (once replaced 18years ago due to ratchet wear) is unmarked (beyond hairlines and whorls) suggested to me that the scratch magnet status of alloy is overstated. I've got a ceramic SD4k and the bezel looks shiny and cheap. But at least it's not green. Given my druthers, I'd go with steel (tough) or sapphire (just plain awesome). Sapphire crystals aren't the toughest, but completely scratch resistant, play with light and so, so beautiful. Check out the 50 Fathoms, GS and Seiko's... Seiko/GS own bezels!
Trade-offs. They're inherent in engineering.
Enjoyed your video as always!
Brilliant video as always. Continuing to widen my learning aperture regarding watches and their distinctive / diverse attributes.
Always means a lot and thank you Reed! This one definitely went down the more "educational" rabbit hole. But it was so cool to bring forward what I've learnt into something watch related. Hey, Part 2 can be the chemistry / manufacturing that goes into watch cases ;)
@@ID-Guy I would really look forward to that dialogue
The minutiae is where the fun is.
Thank-you IDGuy.
I hope the clip didn't put too many people to sleep ;) Thank you as always Anthony!
@@ID-Guy
Funny. I've never found myself saying 'I'm very interested in bezels' yet I've spent a lot of time defending my love of Aluminium and scorning the overly glossy ceramic bezel.
Clearly that indicates an interest!
It was a very solid upload mate.
Cool video, although Sinn’s approach of not using a insert at all is a very good option. Sinn’s proprietary tegimented solid steel bezels are extremely scratch resistant and tough as nails. 🍻
Terrific video IDGuy, The pro and cons of different materials is interesting and an education. Although out of scope of the video as far as the differences are concerned I think fashion and perceived quality has also driven the change of material to a degree. A watch advertised with a ceramic bezel could be perceived as a quality item over an aluminium alternative yet it could have a terrible movement and case and ultimately a terrible watch. A top quality chronometer with an aluminium insert viewed by the average buyer may just walk by and spend the hard earned cash on something arguably inferior. I have a couple of watches with aluminium inserts and treat them no differently to a watch with a ceramic one as my purchase decisions are made for the watch as a whole and not just the bezel material. Apologies once again for going off topic.
The perceptions of quality by the consumer has definitely changed the direction of these materials. Brilliant point, Anthony. Isn't it crazy how the tool watch has evolved? Actually, you know what, this is the basis for an entire video... A deep dive into the "evolution" of the tool watch. This is fantastic! Thank you always for your insightful comments!
great video! so many great points and so well said. personally, i like aluminum best in terms of function (to provide great contrast) and overall look, both new and with age. the shiny-shiny of other materials creates glare that is distracting and harder on the eyes in nearly all lighting lighting conditions. also, the gleam from ceramic detracts from the lines of the case and competes with the crystal and reflective features on the dial in a non-harmonious way. A domed crystal with an aluminum bezel, on the other hand, looks amazing, and in my opinion, much classier. again, thanks for such a nice video!
Great video. I like aluminum for the patina.
Spot on again. Thanks for the video. If this Tudor P01 would have been released with a steel bracelet, it would -perhaps- have been a better launch last time. In few weeks we will see what models will be presented :)
One of my contemporary Seikos in a 50s throwback design has a hardlex bezel insert.
Look forward to how painted mineral glass ages.
And next up on my list will be to explore Crystals! The same kind of context as this and all their Pros and Cons. Also cannot wait to see how our watches age... Judging by the tech that has gone into them, who knows, right? ;)
Thanks for making the video! Very well done as always!
I do love the sapphire bezel on my Baltic.
It's crazy that micro brands can bring bezels out like those and the big names don't... I think of Lorier and Baltic as the two who've really jumped onto this so well! Thank you for the comment Ash!
Great video! I like different bezels on different watches.
For instance, I hope the speedy pro stays aluminum. To me at least, it suits the history of the watch.
Nice points, Treetop. It is awesome having a selection of bezels to choose (can't believe it but I currently don't own a Ceramic bezel watch at the moment) and they all seem to fulfill different purposes. This video could use a part 2 actually, digging more into the application when the best bezel material could be used. That might be too nerdy...
@@ID-Guy never too nerdy. Lol.
Thank you, most informative information, i'm awaiting on the arrival of my new Black Tudor Pelagos,with the Ceramic bezel.......
Didn't realize you past 40, 000 suscriber congratulations 🎉 , while watching this video it reminded me of someone coming to my school when I was young and explaining about this new material called plastic and how it was gonna change the world .
Great video as ever, I think the change in materials is why the Tudors of this era will age better than the Toy looking Rolexes, just my opinion. It would be great to see a stainless steel watch with a contrasting Carbon Bezel rather than the full Carbon watches constantly.
Very informative.
Great walkthrough of watch history.
And ohh, you just triggered a "need to have" erge with the Blancpain Barakuda.
40k subscribers. Well done 👏 very well deserved 👊🥃
Thanks a bunch, Mark. Had no idea the numbers had ticked over until I saw a rounded figure the other day haha! I could retire happily with this number ;)
@@ID-Guy You are just starting. 🥃
Another great video, insightful as always. 👏🥃
Good subject topic for debate. The sapphire insert on the Blancpain fifty fathoms works best for me followed by a matte finished ceramic. The others have their issues over time. Nicely presented as always. Enjoyed last week's show was really good. Three Timefactors Commandos have appeared on eBay. Asking well over the standard 325 quid when you can get one from Eddie!
What's crazy is I've read issues with the Sapphire caps separating on the Fifty Fathoms bezels. But I agree, they are just awesome... so wish other brands would adopt the same idea with their pieces to jazz them up. And the Smiths pieces on eBay, I know... nuts! The Everests have all been snatched up now too. Thank you as always for the comments Raymond!
Great video IDGuy! It would be nice to see Elysium Black Diamond used as a watch material some day. That would be very interesting.
Great video! really hope more manufacturers bring back the aluminium bezels, there's nothing like a nice scratched up aluminium bezel and the character it gives a watch. To me ceramic bezels are cold and industrial, without any soul, the same applies to sapphire crystals. best regards
I feel like the older aluminum age quite well, and look better with age, same as Bakelite as well. My top choice would be Aluminum, Bakelite, and then Sapphire capped.
Great video as I sit here with my ceramic Batman insert on my skx....
I have thought about the uneven wear..
Thank you for sharing this informative and interesting essay 😊🙏🏾 Kind Regards
I think having a carbon watch would be an excellent fit in every today's watch collection. It's the material of the 21 century and in retrospect, because I think it is important to have something new as part of evidence of our timeperiod. I think that is the reason why I personally like Richard mille watches
If a watch has a rotating bezel I prefer a matte ceramic or sapphire! A lumed sapphire is yummy 🤤. Not into shiny ceramic but everyone seems to make them. Best regards
Thank you, brother. We all seem to agree that Sapphire Capped just looks so much more tasty on a watch. Who knows? Microbrands seem fixated on bringing these bezels out (maybe the bigger names will catch on soon)
@@ID-Guy I picked up a Zoretto Jota(microbrand) with lumed sapphire bezel-great discount diver.
The fact that ceramic bezels (if you don't crack them) don't change over the course of the life of the watch says a lot about the weird state of aesthetic calibration most people find themselves in, wanting everything vintage and retro but without the object itself developing signs of age. It's a strange kind of "bubble wrap conservatism" I don't feel comfortable with. I'd happily live in a world of aluminium bezels and domed plexi crystals for that reason.
Well said.
There has to be a happy medium?
Perhaps sapphire is the answer? At least a manufacturer can choose to use materials that will patina under it?
But the fact that super-luminova won't discolour is frustrating to me also.
Steel, sapphire and ceramic bezel is my favorite
You should look at Formex Reef's ceramic bezel btw. its different from most ceramic bezels
It's great that we have such a wide selection of materials to choose from. And I definitely will! Thank you for the suggestion and comment as always, Tippy ;) Hope your Habring is around the corner!
@@ID-Guy I.might get a Habring in 2022 the latest
I like aluminum and ceramic bezels. I am a big fan of lumed bezels, which tends to rule out aluminum, but absent a lumed bezel I'm not squarely in either bezel's corner.
Excellent video
Great stuff, we love our watches, keep the candle burning IDGUY.....
Thanks a bunch Charles! And I promise to do so!
Very well presented. Thanks. Subscribed!
fantastic information and well presented. It felt like maybe you had some run on sentences or was a bit monotone if you want feedback.
Love this knowledge!!
Tungsten is also worth mentioning.
Very cool and interesting video!! I believe my favorite is stainless steel!
My preference is a 3D bezel that's made out of the same material as the case. Beautiful unity and character with it.
Next would be sapphire. It's ceramic with more character.
The omega globemaster has a tungsten carbide fluted bezel, compared to the rolex white gold bezel. Was hoping some mention on the tungsten. But yeah, not inserts though
There was mention of it already and I fully agree (the material slipped my mind) - I'm very interested to know if the Globemaster is the only watch to use this blend on its bezel. Excellent point and thank you Chris!
@@ID-Guy love your videos man, keep it up! 👍
Hey IDGuy, thanks for your videos. In 13:18 you say platinum is soft and not durable. That is not the case, platinum is super hard and requires a lot of effort and machining to work it properly. Much more so than stainless steel.
Great vid! Keep it up!
Ceramic is a must in anything above $1k
For me, there's nothing like the wabi sabi of an aluminum bezel as it ages- especially some of the vintage seiko divers I see on IG. I want my 777 to develop that. But I do love the look of the sapphire on my Unimatic.
Bakelite would be preferred but problem is so few of us have seen high quality bakelite examples in person. At vintage conventions, I've seen perfect mint conditon Bakelites bracelets from the 1920s, '30s, '40s, so it can survive being banged against other bangles on ladies wrists. If we saw that type of finishing minty fresh on a men's watch bezel, I think it would win the votes. Bakelite contains oil so it burnishes nicely over time. Unfortunately, all of the watches I've personally seen w/ bakelite bezels were beat up and chipped. /end rant
Would you argue the same for sapphire crystal vs acrylic watch glass?
This was just pointed out to me and I'm absolutely going to do a series about watch crystals next! Thank you Colin. Just considering how both Acrylic and Aluminium was so easily replaceable on vintage watches (it makes sense that they were built to be used, right?)
Would have been interesting to also cover tungsten, which is used on the fluted bezel of the Omega Globemaster (but I don’t think anyone but Omega uses it)
That was very interesting @idguy, very interesting indeed
Bakelite used in electrical accessories back in the day apparently used to contain asbestos, hence its strength and heat resistance. Could it also have been used in bezel inserts? 🤔
What about rubber inserts? I think the new Superoceans use color rubber inserts into steel. Was always curious how those would age.
Hi! Is it bad for my SKX to stop/sit during a day/date change?
I didn't come here to learn about the meaning of wabi sabi but thank you
I am a vintage aesthetics fan at heart so for me there’s just nothing that beats the look of a classic aluminum bezel on a diver or GMT.
Thank you for your take! Subbed:)
What about titanium? Does it fade like aluminum?
No doubt the steel bezel always looks the best
love both bezels. it all depends on the watch as a whole
Aluminum all the way!
Lumed bezels are the best, particularly for professional models....sapphire and ceramic allow for lume on the bezel (Grand Seiko, Omega and even Tudor). Let’s hope Rolex gets in on that with the new explorer...even if consumers won’t be able to get it if they do.
Just imagine brands doubling down with lumed bezels. We all seem to unanimously agree that it would be a brilliant idea. I'd love for Rolex to just do something simple like lume the Pepsi... they owe it to the watch that started it all ;)
Maybe the explorer II...but I doubt it. Rolex is always late to the party.
Steinhart ceramic for the win
Ceramic is such a generic name that encompasses a vast amount of materials, I'm sure the exact formula of the top brands is a closely guarded secret. ... Favourite unusual material I've seen (can't remember where, possibly the microbrand Zelos) aesthetically was " Timascus" a Damascus alloy made from titanium.
Cheers mate 👍🏻👍🏻
Omega puts the chemical formula on the dial for their ceramic.
I should've said Zirconium Dioxide (I think that's the common name given to this material) BUT odds are it would've put even more people to sleep ;) AND I was going to mention Tegimented and Damascus Steel too. Reckon there needs to be a DEEPER dive into materials themselves, not just for bezels but for cases.Thanks as always for the comment Steve!
You forgot the bling bling diamond bezel that celebrities ruined their watch with.
I just want the "ID" logo to represent each hour marker or Minute markers on my bezels... ;)
I prefer my watches continue looking new. If I wanted a beat up watch I would buy a used one.
👍🏽
Thank you Ant! Loved your Datejust over the weekend! I'm so keen to see how you collection has evolved since - I feel like you've shifted a few pieces around ;)
@@ID-Guy You quickly glazed over my submission completely. Be real - sorry if it wasn’t to your liking and you were forced to share it. I’ll share again maybe when I find myself a 32mm mil spec piece I find on the ground.
you forgot gold and platinum?
Para sa Al Gore Rhythm
Whenever I hear “Bakelite” I feel like throwing a pizza with low fat cheese in the oven mmmm
Omega lumed the no time to die seamaster aluminum bezel so maybe Rolex could lume a steel bezel on the Ex 2 re-edition..I doubt they’ll put a ceramic on it.
The best bezel material is platinum.
external patina might be fun, not so the internal patina of the material of the day - degradation of the movement both in finish and mechanical integrity. So the tropical dial, discoloured patina and scratched up ali bezel comes with a real, perhaps deal breaker hidden cost. At least the modern ceramic wonder should have on the inside enhanced mechanical durability with better materials, synthetic oils etc. Horses and roundabouts?
one drop and a sapphire bezel is shattered, along with your dreams.
I went with aluminum on my Tag Pepsi bezel because a Pepsi can is aluminum and it pops, it just makes sense if you think about it.
You lost me at Bakelite. You appear to be speed reading in a monotone voice. I checked the comments to see if anyone else agreed and came up empty. I must conclude that perhaps my critique is unwarranted. I will however refer to this video the next time I have insomnia.
Ceramic is too blingy
aaaaand carbon looks fuckin terrible.......
Aluminum, not aluminium.
Tomatoe - Tomato! I knew this comment would come up somewhere (should've used both pronunciations in the video) ;)
Aluminium，not aluminum, we changed from sulphur to sulfur why can you not, if you don't want to change don't bother correcting others with your different spelling