Comments:
Question about the clasp on a titanium ROO bracelet
I'm looking at a 2012 26170ti which is originally supplied with a titanium case and bracelet. I noticed that the clasp is stamped 'stainless steel' which doesn't seem right to me. Surely it should be titanium. The authenticity of the watch has been checked and I'm a long time AP ROO owner so I'm pretty confused. The only thing I can think is that at some point a SS strap has been subbed in. But the finish of the strap is very close to that of the case and the watch is as light as one would expect. Can anyone (particularly 26170ti) owners shed any light on this? Would be very grateful! Thanks
Same colour
No the case and bracelet are the same colour. I don't have a steel cased ROO to hand for an immediate comparison but I would think that titanium would look duller and greyer in certain lights. I'm not seeing that contrast on this watch.
The butterfly deployante is supposed to be SS – AP wouldn’t have the necessary press required to bend Ti of similar thickness as the SS parts.
Another possibility is simply cost/profit – already having SS ones in inventory, it’s easier to just use them.
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Yes I'm no metallurgist but it could also be that titanium is for some reason not a suitable material for a clasp. I'll ping AP a message - maybe they could put the matter to rest. I hope so because I'm keen to acquire this watch. It's a super versatile piece and much more understated than the rubberclad and safari that I have owned before. It's great if your budget can only stretch to one good watch at a time! Thanks for your help.
Grade 5 Ti, presumably which AP uses, is harder than SS – its suitability for the clasp is not in question. I have a 13 yo quartz Seiko in Titanium (Grade 1– so a bit softer than 316L), including the clasp.
I see a number of things with regards to AP, that gives me the impression that they will go the extra mile in one area, only to make a saving elsewhere – prime example being the ROO Diver dial changed from guillochéd to stamped. Other than extra profit generating, the only other reason for doing so would be in order to meet production demands.
It may even be argued that the typical buyers (not us on forums) are oblivious to the subtlety, and therefore the guilloché was wasted on them.
Back on topic again…the clasp is simply a case of DFR – do ‘fine’ rightly. In other words, they weren’t prepared to spend the necessary money on new machinery to have the increased pressure that Titanium requires in order to bend it, or outsource it.
It may even be argued that the typical buyers (not us on forums) are oblivious to the subtlety, and therefore the guilloché was wasted on them.
Back on topic again…the clasp is simply a case of DFR – do ‘fine’ rightly. In other words, they weren’t prepared to spend the necessary money on new machinery to have the increased pressure that Titanium requires in order to bend it, or outsource it.