Richard Mille

When I initially brought up this idea, some wondered whether it would be too expensive
to produce a scratch proof case.

Well, it turns out it has already been done ... A friend just told me about a very small
company that makes watches out of actual tungsten metal (not tungsten carbide).
Tunsten metal is ridiculously hard to scratch, and unlike tungsten carbide, tungsten
metal is not so brittle.

 So, this has already been achieved by a watch company which may be even more cutting edge than
Richard Mille when it comes to special materials.
Eric von Schonberg

 

 

reference to site deleted per posting guidelines-mkt

This message has been edited by mkt33 on 2009-07-07 11:15:48

Great idea but watches are real ugly I would rather have a watch that scratches.

Whether or not you think those watches are ugly, the point
is that it is an example of a scratch proof case made of
tungsten. So, it could be done, and it could be done.

Why though would you want a watch that can scratch?
Eric von Schonberg

I think you misunderstood him - I think what he meant was that given a choice between 1) the tungsten case that he considers ugly, and 2) the (currently) scratchable, yet beautiful RM case, he would choose the latter without a doubt.

I'm pretty sure he did not mean to say that he would want a scratchable watch rather than a non-scratchable GIVEN that everything else is the SAME  (such as case design).

If I had to forfeit the amazing shape of the RM case for a worse-looking, non-scratchable case, I would rather stick with the current options.

But if we can get the same shape with new material, that is another story...

Tungsten metal is a steel-gray metal and should not be ugly:

en.wikipedia.org

It would be possible to make a case in the classic Richard Mille shape out of tungsten.  It is true that such a case would be very difficult to scratch.  Tungsten is not easy to work with, so making a case in the classic Richard Mille shape would be likely very costly.  I could see such a case actually cost more than the platinum one.
Greg

used for mens' rings, and it is not expensive.

But there are alot of people in the world who will never give up 'precious' metals in watches.  Even if the watch company - such as Mille - is based around supertech metals and high speed racing, etc.  People for centuries enjoy golds, platinums, etc in timepieces.  It's best of a company has a choice, like they do now with Ti and gold...and i'm sure other metals to come in the future.