Why massive gold chronograph hands are impossible ...
... sometimes I read statements like "all hands are made from solid gold", being a statement of quality and exclusivity. Normally, a watch's hands are made from steel, which is either heat-blued, lacquered or coated with another metal, mostly rhodium or g...
With all respect
Different gold alloys have vastly different properties. The usual material for the escapement spring that is part of a detente-escapement, which is deformed once per complete oscillation, is a gold alloy, although I don't know the karat. The contact wires...
When "solid gold" is stated, I normally expect 24k, 18k at least ...
... but an alloy containing less than 75% gold is no "solid" or "massive" gold in my opinion. The protection from tarnishing, or oxidation for me is no profound argument for the use of solid gold hands. A well-executed gold-plating must not leave any gaps...
Ahh, but legally
There is, to my knowledge, no definition of "solid" or "massive". Gold, in the US, must only be 10k or more, 9k in the UK. So calling a 0.2 gram, 12k hand "massive solid gold" is legal, and yet also deceptive, so in my mind exactly what I'd expect. I also...
