Rolex Yacht-Master II in 904L steel
Ah steel, a favourite among watch collectors for its robust nature and discreet look. While new trends point to metals like rose gold, white gold, and platinum becoming more prominent, few recall why Rolex introduced 904L steel in the first place.
First off, there are varying grades of steel; the standard in the watchmaking industry being 316L and Rolex introducing 904L steel in the Sea-Dweller in 1985. 316L is found in virtually every stainless steel watch, from Seiko to Omega. The difference between it and 904L steel being that 904L was originally developed to handle highly corrosive substances, like sulfuric acid, while 316L contains less nickel and molybdenum. What does this all mean? Well, in watchmaking, 904L’s main advantage over 316L is its extreme resistance to different types of corrosion due to the additional nickel and molybdenum. This can be useful while combatting the corrosive properties of seawater, for example, although there is no noticeable difference between swimming with a 316L steel watch or a 904L one. 904L steel also has a higher polish, sometimes making Rolexes appear shinier than other watches. There is a downside, however, being that it is much more difficult to machine 904L steel than it is regular 316L. As such, Rolex needs specialized equipment to get the job done, increasing costs. Apart from Rolex watches you’ll find 904L in oil refineries, paper processing plants, and chemicals processing plants. In contrast, 316L is also used in the petrochemical industry, but more so used in the food processing, pharmaceuticals, and medical device sectors, given its lower resistance to corrosive attack.
So, knowing that the main advantage to 904L steel is its anti-corrosive properties, we’d like to ask the readers: if you don’t plan on jumping in a tub of acid, do you think see the value in Rolex using 904L steel? Or is it simply a marketing ploy aimed at differentiating their products from other watchmakers and giving the illusion of superior quality?