The rise of titanium in the watch industry attracts the attention of almost every watch lover. Standing out with its lightness and durability, titanium now finds a place for itself in high-end models of luxury brands. Moreover, at prices that are not modest at all… How does this look from the eyes of watch enthusiasts? Let's find the answer together.
Let's start the article with a simple yet difficult question to answer: What makes a watch luxury? Technical specifications? The materials used in its manufacture? Is it the brand? Or is it just the price? This is a difficult question to answer, even for those of us who are devoted to the watch hobby. Why? Because it has been a long time since we stopped thinking about this question… However, this is perhaps one of the first questions that come to mind for someone just getting into watches. Many, if not all, of the potential answers I wrote above, are correct. As you know, let's answer this question in terms of material today, our topic is titanium...
The phenomenon of attributing value to objects is a concept almost as old as the history of mankind. Even in the oldest civilizations in history, it is possible to see the traces of this situation. Of course, to make this value universal, it is necessary to consider it together with a standard. And the oldest of these standards, as you guessed, is gold.
For thousands of years, gold has been considered a sign of wealth and luxury. Gold is still a symbol of prestige, not only in watches or jewelry but also in many areas of life. When you add the word Gold to the end of almost every object you can think of, from credit cards to small household appliances, you come across a different product. This is also true for traditional luxury watchmaking. Think about it, gold watches are always more expensive than their versions made of alternative materials like steel or titanium, or even ceramic. However, this ranking has shown an interesting change in recent years. The price difference between steel and titanium models is getting wider. At the same time, the prices of titanium watches are seriously approaching the gold versions. In other words, titanium is rising among the special and precious materials of the watch industry.
So, what does this mean for watch enthusiasts? Let me try to explain this question with examples from both myself and my close friends. It is possible to talk about many features that distinguish titanium from standard stainless steel. It is approximately 45% lighter than steel, it is highly durable, extremely corrosion-resistant, and slightly dark and dull in color compared to steel. However, we can say that the most prominent ones among them are the lightness and the dull tone.
To give an example myself, I love every detail of gold. I like its yellow tone. I still haven't warmed to the pink gold. White gold means nothing to me. The fact that it is a valuable metal, that it has been loaded with meanings throughout human history, that not everyone prefers to use it, even that it is seen as less valuable than steel by the so-called Purists of the watch world increase my sympathy for gold. I don't care what people think when they see a gold watch on my wrist. Of course, these are subjective characteristics. When it comes to the physical part, the first feature that we encounter is weight. Gold is a heavy material. For some watch lovers, this situation is described as a downside in terms of comfort. But for me, it's the opposite. I love the weight of a gold watch on my wrist, balanced by an elegant bracelet.
Back to titanium. This modern material does not make me feel any of the positive emotions that gold does. Its lightness even makes me think something is wrong. The dark and matte color tone looks soulless. If we are talking about a Tool Watch model, yes, titanium becomes a very rational option. Consider, for example, a Rolex Deep Sea made of Grade 5 titanium. Like it or not, no one would call this configuration unreasonable. On the other hand, a DayDate made of the same alloy makes no sense to me.
We talked about this situation with my dear watch-loving friend Serdar OAL. Although we have a disagreement on gold, the combination of titanium and luxury watches doesn't seem logical to him either. He says he would never prefer a titanium Royal Oak Jumbo to the steel version.
Let's leave our thoughts aside, the rise of titanium in the watch industry continues rapidly. The interesting part is that this rise is also reflected in the prices. Let's give a simple example; The stainless steel version of the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus is priced at €33,000, while the titanium version of the same model is priced at €55,000. Interesting, isn’t it?
Some designs, by their nature, offer a beautiful union with titanium. For example, Octo Finissimo models. The record-breaking technology of the model family makes the characteristic features of titanium superior. When the incredibly thin case and the engineering-marvel bracelet get together with titanium, the whole watch looks like a puzzle that found its last missing piece.
To sum it up, I do not see anything wrong with the expansion of titanium's use in the watchmaking industry. I think it contributes positively to the usage characteristics of the model when combined with suitable designs. However, I do not find the pricing in the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus example logical at all. 250 pieces of titanium Odysseus, I have no doubt, have already reached their owners. But if the make/model in question were different, would the same collectors be willing to pay around 70% more for a metal 45% lighter? I do not think so.
So, what do you think about this? Could titanium be the new gold?
