Several years ago, Panerai published Luminor Submersible 1950 PAM 382, which raised a bronze storm in watch industry. The story between XF and bronze started from Panerai’s PAM 382. Afterwards, XF unveiled PAM 507, PAM 671, Zenith Type 20 Pilot Extra Special, Tudor Black Bay Bronzo, these are all art work of XF that are made of bronze material. So, we can see that XF factory continuously researched bronze and applied this material in their watch-making process, today, they released this IWC Pilot Spitfire bronze watch, it is the first IWC watch that is made of bronze.Actually, it is not hard to make a bronze case, but the difficulty is that bronze case should be oxidized to our expected result at the speed we want, XF has always been researching this, now the oxidized result on this IWC Pilot Spitfire has achieved a perfect condition, which is closest to genuine, compared with the bronze case from small factories, you will find that their oxidized color is uneven and there is even rusty spot.
The ref. 16710 is available on either a three-piece link Oyster bracelet or a five-piece link Jubilee bracelet with hollow center links and a folded metal clasp. Older references have hollow end-links and a standard clasp, while newer references have solid end-links and a clasp with an additional safety latch. The Jubilee bracelet is the exception and is only available on reference 16710 watches with hollow end-links and a standard fold-over clasp.The ref. 116710 is only produced on a three-link Oyster bracelet. As a newer variation of the GMT-Master II, the bracelet is equipped with solid end-links, solid center links, and a newer Oysterlock clasp with a 5mm Easylink comfort extension system. Many collectors prefer this example of the Oyster bracelet as the redesigned clasp allows the wearer to adjust the length without the use of tools as their wrist fluctuates in humid or hot weather.The GMT-Master II is an absolute legend, there’s no argument about it. What it comes down to when comparing the 16710 and the 116710 is personal taste. Do you prefer the classic styling of an older sports watch? Or do you prefer a contemporary timepiece that has all the latest and greatest technologies? Either way, the Rolex GMT-Master II is a must-have for any serious watch collection.
As the Rolex Pearlmaster is just as much an item of jewelry as it is a precision timekeeping instrument, every single Rolex watch in the collection is set with some amount of diamonds/gemstones. The degree of gem-setting (and the type/color of the gems themselves) can vary significantly from one Pearlmaster watch to the next. A modest example may “only” have 12 diamonds set into its solid-gold bezel, while the more extravagant and expensive models can have completely diamond-encrusted cases and bracelets, with rainbow-colored sapphire-set bezels, and diamond-paved dials.At its core, the Pearlmaster is essentially an ultra-premium, luxury-oriented Datejust. Like other Datejust watches, the Rolex Pearlmaster is fitted with a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal with a Cyclops magnification lens and a Twinlock winding crown that uses a system of gaskets to create two sealed zones to protect against moisture intrusion. Consequently, despite its solid 18k gold construction and lavish application of various gemstones, the Rolex Pearlmaster still has a water-resistance rating of 100 meters and is just as functional for everyday use as any other Rolex watch.While it may have identical functionality to the standard Datejust collection, the Pearlmaster is about as far a departure from Rolex’s tool-watch history and aesthetics as you are likely to find in their contemporary catalog. However, as Rolex continues to assume a more luxury-oriented position within the high-end timepiece market, the use of precious metals and gemstones in their watches is becoming an increasingly common practice. The Rolex Pearlmaster has as much to offer in terms of gold-work and gem-setting as it does in the precision timekeeping department, making it the perfect timepiece for those that want a watch that sits at the crossroads of jewelry and horology.
The Rolex Submariner has been a part of the Rolex catalog for well over 60 years. As expected, the famed dive watch has undergone plenty of design and mechanical enhancements over the past six decades, including the all-important timing bezel. Read on to discover all the different types of bezels of the Rolex Submariner.When Rolex debuted the Submariner in 1953, the stainless steel dive watch included a rotating bezel marked to 60 minutes to allow divers to track immersion times. The steel bezel turned both ways for simple timing adjusting, the edge of the bezel was knurled for easy gripping underwater, and the insert was fashioned from black aluminum.The printed 60-minute scale on the earlier versions included markings for every 5 minutes, alternating between batons and numerals. By the late 1950s, Rolex started to include hash marks for the first 15 minutes on the bezel followed by 5-minute markings.Around 1969, Rolex introduced the first yellow gold Submariner, the Submariner Date ref. 1680/8. Accordingly, the knurled rotating bezel was fashioned from 18k yellow gold. What’s more, the Rolex Submariner ref. 1680/8 now offered the choice of either a black or blue aluminum bezel insert and matching dial.
