People have been using metals to create watches for centuries. Originally watchmakers would use precious metals like gold, silver and platinum. This was a natural expansion of the luxury jewellery market. However, from the 20th century manufacturers began experimenting with different materials. Today you can choose products that use a vast array of them. As a top provider of titanium Grade 9 forged bar and other varieties, we want to look close at this.
Gold
For a long time gold was the most popular material for watches. It was beloved because of the presence and sense of luxury. In fact, it remains a popular choice for high end pieces today, including brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe.
Platinum
One drawback with gold is that it’s a soft material. As a result, it can raise concerns about wear and tear with watches. Platinum naturally became a great alternative. It is a precious metal, and at times has been the most valuable one in the world. It can be a good option for watches because it is durable and scratch resistant. However, it is notorious difficult to work with so typically only luxury brands offer it.
Stainless steel
In the 1930s stainless steel became the most widely used material for watches. It offers a selection of important benefits, including a lower cost, less weight, corrosion resistance, and more scratch resistance. It is generally the go to choice for any watch that requires a rugged build. Some manufacturers have gone so far as to develop their own unique alloys, including Rolex (904L).
Titanium
In the 1970s titanium became a strong competitor to stainless steel. It is more costly, but can offer some advantages with a lower weight and even higher durability. It can be the best choice for watches for people who are active or working.
Grades
As we said above, we are a top provider of titanium Grade 9 forged bar. This is one of the most interesting grades for watches. It is known as a middle-grade. It contains a small amount of palladium in the alloy. This makes it slightly more expensive than some of the other options. However, it is highly resistant and has good strength and ductility.
Where Grade 9 is a middle option, Grade 2 is the cheaper alternative. It is a pure grade rather than an alloy. While it can create great watches, they won’t be as durable or scratch resistant as the other grades. They will still be light and corrosion resistant though.
On the other side we have Grade 5. It is a higher grade and contains aluminium and vanadium. As a result, the alloy has an impressive strength to weight ratio. It is even more scratch resistant than Grade 9. However, there is a drawback because it is harder to work with.
The interesting thing here is that realistically there is no “best” grade of titanium. They each have different pros and cons. It all boils down to what the manufacturer needs and the specifics of each watch.
Do you want to order titanium Grade 9 forged bar?
Brindley Metals can supply materials for a huge array of different applications. We can even help clients to arrange services to help finish them, including milling, grinding, and polishing. Our goal is to ensure we can give every client the finest service. It will include friendly advice and recommendations if you need any.
So, speak to us if you ever need titanium Grade 9 forged bar or other materials. It would be our pleasure to work with you.