Quality of early all steel cases verses later base metal top

[Greg]

Hi fellow DWF folks,

I was wondering, being new to the site, if there was a ever a discussion on the virtues of the earlier digital watches that featured all steel cases, verses the later models that have only steel backs and base metal/pot metal tops. javascript:emoticon(';-)')

Being a collector of sorts, from "past" interests in the watch world, I think the direction I would like to take is to collect only those fully steel watches, or mint new/old stock pieces.

If you have any input on my query on the subject, I would love to hear from you! Thank you!

Greg

[retroleds]

Base metal isn't all bad, it is easy to bring back to condition. I'm thinking the worst situation is white metals over base metal (the so called "Stainless" Bulova driver comes to mind..hideous when the base metal breaks thru. Some N7s actually are solid, most are not). You'll have a hard time collecting many of the classics AND staying away from base metal bezels. The gold-tone Mido drivers - base metal. The gold-tone Bulova drivers - base metal. And slews of CompuChrons, Novus' and other cool pieces. Even the gold-tone Synchronars.

[Synchroserious]

[quote="retroleds" Even the gold-tone Synchronars. [/quote]

There never were any gold tone Synchronars.However for a few short years in the early 80.s there were economy Sunwatches in gold tone,black tone and white chrome that Ed must be referring to.They were not SS base and were discontinued due to salt water easily corroding the band pin holes.Yes a few divers actually lost their Sunwatch while diving.Any Synchronar or even Sunwatch case that has round corners is Stainless Steel underneath.

[retroleds]

Sorry Howard - I lumped all with your Dad's circuit inside together. The gold-tone over stainless is a lot better than white metals over base metal, IMO....at least you can polish the worn gold-tone off and have a stainless case.

[Synchroserious]

No big deal I just think some of the LED classics from the 70,s Greg is talking about I agree were better quality SS cases.I think we can all agree on that.

Gold tone to me sounds like a nice way of saying it could be painted on.There were Gold plate(7 microns) and heavier Gold plate(20 microns) Synchronars that were never sold as Gold tone.

The Solid Gold is the only case that has round corners and was not SS underneath.

[retroleds]

Hard to say what some of those coatings were... I figure many are low k. gold, but of such low quality and so thin, it wasn't worth talking about, or just some bright brass. Don't know what the standard was back then, but maybe anything under 6-7 microns couldn't be declared as "gold plate". Maybe Greg(starter of this thread) or "clockace" would have a idea what the standard was back then, since they are both professional mechanical watch guys.

[Synchroserious]

Gold plate is Gold plate and much more expensive to manufacture than plating a gold tone color onto a Zinc case.If someone wanted one of those they were called Sunwatches $120-$160 cheaper to the consumer(1/2 price) than the High end Synchronar in Gold Plate.In 1976 the SYN-GP was still at $750 compared to the 1977 Sunwatch at $129.95.They also had SS cases underneath until 1980.
It's on Guy Balls article that he salvaged otherwise good SS cases(1977) but had a defective center bar so he cut them out and the Sunwatch was born.

At least there are actual records of the Gold plating being done on Synchronar cases.

[Greg]

Looks like my query has yielded some more great information about Sychronar watches! Thank you Howard and Ed for your round of discussion.(':eek:')

In the "other world" of mechanical timepieces, pot metal/base metal tops with steel back (and sometimes sterling backs, during WWII as steel was scare!) denoted a cheaper watch. Early steel cases were not as pure in alloy and often pitted. Now stainless steel is rated as 370, 440, etc. in its hardness and quality. ('8-)')

That said, with Howard and Ed's input, thank you again for your discussion. Always something good to learn here.

[clockace]

i don't know how is is measured now, but years ago goldfilled had to be at least 40 microns thick. it was called gold plate if it was 20-40 microns. even gold filled had a decent wear period, mostly wore soonest on the corners/sharp edges. less than 20 microns is usually referred to as electroplate since that is usually how it was done. gold filled was actually a sandwich of brass with gold bonded on each side with pressure and heat before the case body was even formed. i think gold plate was done similarly. most electroplate is less than 10 microns thick and that is why i wears so quickly. some of the newer gold tone is only 3-4 microns. peter