Comments:
SILVER 925
TUDOR BLACK BAY FIFTY-EIGHT 925, REF. M79010SG-0001
STAINLESS STEEL
IWC PORTOFINO CHRONOGRAPH 39, REF. IW391503
CARBURISED STEEL
FERDINAND BERTHOUD RÉGULATEUR SQUELETTE FB RS
TANTALUM
NICOLAS DELALOYE RENAISSANCE TANTALUM 39MM
TITANIUM
HANHART 417 TI DESERT PILOT LIMITED EDITION, REF. H701L.250-1715
HIGH-INTENSITY TITANIUM
GRAND SEIKO HERITAGE HI-BEAT 36000 GMT 44GS 55TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION, REF. SBGJ255
White metals (updated)
Our dear Ronald Held recently suggested that a thread dedicated to white metals was long overdue. So, here's one.
The list I have compiled is as follows (in “alphabetical” order). It is certainly incomplete: so please feel free to suggest other white metals and I will add to it as we go along: it will be a collaborative effort.
- Aluminium
- Canopus gold
- Nickel
- Palladium
- Platinette
- Platinum
- Silver 925
- Stainless steel
- Carburised steel
- Tantalum
- Titanium
- High-Intensity Titanium
- Titanium & Bulk Metallic Glass (BMG)
- Ceramised titanium
- White gold (rhodium plated)
- White gold (gray gold)
I tried to choose watches that aren't shown too often.
And, of course, tell us which white metal is your favorite!
Best, Emmanuel
Credit to all watches except otherwise mentioned : Monochrome
ALUMINIUM
CENTIGRAPHE SPORT, REF. CTS
credit: A Collected Man
CANOPUS GOLD
OMEGA SPEEDMASTER MOONWATCH PROFESSIONAL CO-AXIAL MASTER CHRONOMETER, REF. 310.60.42.50.02.001
Canopus Gold is a proprietary alloy, made of 75% of gold, 20% of palladium, and 5% of rhodium and platinum.
NICKEL
OMEGA 1920s POCKET WATCH
credit: TrodelTony on Etsy
PALLADIUM
CARTIER TANK MC SKELETON
credit: Equation du Temps
PLATINETTE
INGERSOLL 1920s WRIST WATCH
Inside the case back, the case material is mentioned as “Platinette - Pure white throughout”, the name given for a specific white metal alloy (other companies had their own variations such as silveroid and silverine).
credit: sellingantiques.co.uk
PLATINNUM
DANIEL ROTH TOURBILLON PLATINUM, REF. DAAG01A1
SILVER 925
TUDOR BLACK BAY FIFTY-EIGHT 925, REF. M79010SG-0001
STAINLESS STEEL
IWC PORTOFINO CHRONOGRAPH 39, REF. IW391503
CARBURISED STEEL
FERDINAND BERTHOUD RÉGULATEUR SQUELETTE FB RS
TANTALUM
NICOLAS DELALOYE RENAISSANCE TANTALUM 39MM
TITANIUM
HANHART 417 TI DESERT PILOT LIMITED EDITION, REF. H701L.250-1715
HIGH-INTENSITY TITANIUM
GRAND SEIKO HERITAGE HI-BEAT 36000 GMT 44GS 55TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION, REF. SBGJ255
High-Intensity Titanium is the name of an alloy Grand Seiko uses on the vast majority of its titanium-cased watches: this alloy looks closer to steel.
TITANIUM & BULK METALLIC GLASS (BMG)
AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK PERPETUAL CALENDAR OPENWORKED 150TH ANNIVERSARY, REF. 26585XT.OO.1220XT.01
CERAMISED TITANIUM
CHOPARD L.U.C TIME TRAVELER ONE BLACK, REF. 168574-3008
WHITE GOLD (RHODIUM-PLATED)
PATEK PHILIPPE ANNUAL CALENDAR REF. 5205G-001
credit: Stories of Time
WHITE GOLD (GRAY GOLD)
VACHERON CONSTANTIN TRADITIONNELLE COMPLETE CALENDAR, REF. 4010T/000G-B740
TITANIUM & BULK METALLIC GLASS (BMG)
AUDEMARS PIGUET ROYAL OAK PERPETUAL CALENDAR OPENWORKED 150TH ANNIVERSARY, REF. 26585XT.OO.1220XT.01
CERAMISED TITANIUM
CHOPARD L.U.C TIME TRAVELER ONE BLACK, REF. 168574-3008
WHITE GOLD (RHODIUM-PLATED)
PATEK PHILIPPE ANNUAL CALENDAR REF. 5205G-001
credit: Stories of Time
WHITE GOLD (GRAY GOLD)
VACHERON CONSTANTIN TRADITIONNELLE COMPLETE CALENDAR, REF. 4010T/000G-B740
I honestly like all of them, but…
that AP perpetual is my favorite of the bunch👍. The FB is a strong second.
Good choice!
These two watches are not my kind because I don’t respond to the openwork aesthetic, but of course I understand their appeal.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
I’m not big on openwork either.
I’ve actually never owned one, but I would make an exception for that AP perpetual and the VC perpetual in white gold. The 4300V/220G-B946. 👍
What a selection of special watches....
But, I got to admit, if I could just grab one and not look back, it would have to be the F.B. - that octagonal case with the movement and spectacular finishing/details would keep my love affair going endlessly 
I love the octagonal case, but the open dial not so much.
Delaloye or VC for me here.
Best, Emmanuel
Best, Emmanuel
That, I totally agree on....
which, fortuitously, can be relatively easily ameliorated (image credit: Hodinkee)....
(image credit: Hodinkee)....Nice,
but a lot of empty space on the dial. Having said that I still prefer it to the open dial.
A deliberate design choice inspired by the marine chronometers....
Berthoud himself made.... I find that type of negative space play in all forms of art quite compelling....
For Vetnov, and whomever else might not be familiar with how one of the original marine chronos Berthoud made looked....
Here's a picture of marine chronometer number 6 from 1777....
Great idea
Great Idea; I really like the AP and the VC
A propos metals: maybe distinguish between the various grades of titanium? Maybe also between the white gold (with coating) likepatrk before 2000 vs the grey gold (massive, no coating) like patek after 2007?
Best
Jerome
A propos metals: maybe distinguish between the various grades of titanium? Maybe also between the white gold (with coating) likepatrk before 2000 vs the grey gold (massive, no coating) like patek after 2007?
Best
Jerome
Yes, I’ll try to enhance the post with these differences
but it involves some research!
I like the VC very much too: the front more than the back though.
Best, Emmanuel
I like the VC very much too: the front more than the back though.
Best, Emmanuel
The Journe CB in tantalum is sublime
It’s blue - grey
The Delaloye is a nice watch but the tantalum looks less blue
So a weak spot for the tantalum journe
But … platinum is sooooo good
I think I like all the material you mentioned 😀
The CBleu is very special indeed.
A true and legitimate icon and grail.
From the selection above it’s the VC I like most, but only the front, not the back. As for platinum, my 5098 is all I need ;-)
Best, Emmanuel
From the selection above it’s the VC I like most, but only the front, not the back. As for platinum, my 5098 is all I need ;-)
Best, Emmanuel
I don‘t think so! 🥰 It is so very well balanced - for me one of the nicest dials ever made!