{"id":24555,"date":"2024-12-06T03:13:45","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T08:13:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/?p=24555"},"modified":"2024-12-07T16:42:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T21:42:06","slug":"rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/","title":{"rendered":"New Rolex Patent: Binary Hafnium Alloys with Dark Oxide Coatings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Rolex, as they frequently do, has once again received a patent related to manufacturing advanced materials. In November 2024, Rolex was granted US patent WO 2024\/227680 A2 for a novel binary alloy made of either titanium-hafnium (Ti-Hf) or zirconium-hafnium (Zr-Hf), with a dark oxide layer on its surface. That thick oxide layer provides exceptional scratch resistance, while the underlying metal alloy retains more ductility than ceramics would. Plus it&#8217;s an interesting way to achieve a black-colored metal without a damage-prone surface coating like DLC, and Rolex can even adjust the density as needed. This technology will likely be used for both internal and external watch components. Let&#8217;s quickly break down Rolex&#8217;s new binary hafnium alloy patent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Rolex foundry worker and the 2024 patent for heat-treated binary hafnium alloys\" class=\"wp-image-24606\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo of Rolex foundry employee: Rolex<\/figcaption><\/figure><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Rolex&#039;s Patent for Heat-Treated Binary Halfnium Alloys<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/#variable-density\" >Variable Density<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/#colorization\" >Colorization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/#what-parts-will-be-made-of-these-patented-alloys\" >Likely Components<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/#black-rolex-watch-cases-are-they-coming\" >Black Rolex Watch Cases: Are They Coming?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/#how-is-the-outer-dark-oxide-layer-added\" >How Is the Outer Dark Oxide Layer Added?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/#how-thick-is-the-dark-oxide-layer-on-rolexs-patented-binary-hafnium-alloys\" >Oxide Layer Thickness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/#magnetic-resistance\" >Magnetic Resistance<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>The use of hafnium in watchmaking is certainly novel, and Rolex seems to be achieving some very high hardness values with it. Rolex&#8217;s patent mentions a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iso.org\/standard\/56626.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GPa value<\/a> of at least 10 (maybe even over 13) which is comparable to ceramic. But both Ti-Hf and Zr-Hf are metal alloys, not ceramics. These are considered <em>binary<\/em> alloys because, simply, they have two elements. Rolex had previously <a href=\"https:\/\/patents.google.com\/patent\/WO2024227679A1\/en?oq=WO2024227679A1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">patented a mix of all three<\/a> (a <em>ternary<\/em> alloy), which produced a similar oxide surface layer but lacked the &#8220;variable density&#8221; aspect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-variable-density\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"variable-density\"><\/span>Variable Density<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Arguably the most interesting aspect of this 2024 Rolex patent is the variable density of the alloy. By simply adjusting the amount of hafnium in the alloy (always at least 10%), Rolex can make its density anywhere from 7 to 12 g\/cm\u00b3. So in theory, Rolex can dial in the exact ideal density of various watch components. Hafnium is about 4x more valuable than silver, so it&#8217;s not cheap, but it&#8217;s not exactly exotic either. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24609\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oyster slab stamped. Image: Rolex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-colorization\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"colorization\"><\/span>Colorization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241205172444\/https:\/\/patentimages.storage.googleapis.com\/97\/bb\/29\/2a9229b497fc21\/WO2024227680A2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The patent<\/a> describes the outer dark oxide layer as &#8220;black or dark grey,&#8221; with &#8220;no or only very slight bluish tones.&#8221; The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hunterlab.com\/blog\/what-is-cielab-color-space\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CIELab color values<\/a> specified in the Rolex patent confirm that it would be fair to describe these heat-treated binary alloys as black, or close to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-parts-will-be-made-of-these-patented-alloys\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"what-parts-will-be-made-of-these-patented-alloys\"><\/span>What Parts Will Be Made of These Patented Alloys?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This patent for Rolex binary alloys specifically mentions both interior and exterior watch components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Watch exterior components mentioned:<\/strong> Cases, bracelets, crowns, bezels, hands<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Watch movement components mentioned:<\/strong> Balance wheels, barrels, bridges, base plates, shafts, pinions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-black-rolex-watch-cases-are-they-coming\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"black-rolex-watch-cases-are-they-coming\"><\/span>Black Rolex Watch Cases: Are They Coming?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rolex has never made a watch with a ceramic case, nor a DLC-coated case, presumably because they&#8217;re simply not durable enough for Rolex&#8217;s standards. Ceramic can shatter or chip, and DLC coatings inevitably get scratched up. But a heat-treated Ti-Hf watch case should certainly be tough enough for Rolex. We won&#8217;t speculate too much about a possible black-case Rolex, but if they ever made one, this alloy seems perfect for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24589\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rendering of a totally hypothetical black-case Rolex <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-nicknames\/#brucewayne\">Bruce Wayne GMT<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-is-the-outer-dark-oxide-layer-added\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-is-the-outer-dark-oxide-layer-added\"><\/span>How Is the Outer Dark Oxide Layer Added?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The binary Ti-Hf and Zr-Hf alloys described in this patent don&#8217;t have coatings added in the traditional sense. Instead, the dark surface layer is formed through a process of controlled oxidation of the alloy itself. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of how this works:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The alloy is first manufactured and shaped into the desired form (e.g., a watch case).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The surface of the alloy is then subjected to &#8220;a heat treatment process in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of 400 to 750\u00b0C.&#8221; This typically lasts 1-6 hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>During this heat treatment, oxygen reacts with the metals in the alloy, forming a thick oxide layer on the surface. This layer grows inward from the surface, creating what&#8217;s called a &#8220;conversion oxide layer.&#8221;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The resulting oxide layer is described as &#8220;adherent, thick, hard and dark.&#8221;\u00a0It&#8217;s not a separate coating, but rather an integral part of the alloy&#8217;s surface that has been chemically transformed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The closest thing to these alloys in the luxury watch world today would probably be Panerai&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/panerai-2024\/#panerai-pam-1466-pam-1543\">Ti-Ceramitech<\/a> material. It also gains its dark, scratch-resistant outer layer via oxidation, but Panerai opts for <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Plasma_electrolytic_oxidation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plasma electrolytic oxidation<\/a> instead of heat treatment. Rolex&#8217;s oxide layer is likely thicker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-thick-is-the-dark-oxide-layer-on-rolex-s-patented-binary-hafnium-alloys\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how-thick-is-the-dark-oxide-layer-on-rolexs-patented-binary-hafnium-alloys\"><\/span>How Thick is the Dark Oxide Layer on Rolex&#8217;s Patented Binary Hafnium Alloys?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Rolex&#8217;s patent, these binary hafnium alloys will develop oxide layers between 5 and 25 microns thick. For reference, anodized titanium can get up to about 5 microns at most. Pure titanium (e.g. grade 2 titanium) and popular titanium alloys (e.g. grade 5 titanium) have natural oxide layers of about 0.01 microns or less. Gold plating typically ranges from 0.5 to 2.5 microns, so as a crude frame of reference, the oxide layer on these alloys is about 10x as thick as a layer of gold plating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Rolex mid-case vs. polishing wheel\" class=\"wp-image-24612\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-480x320.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rolex mid-case vs. polishing wheel. Image: Rolex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-magnetic-resistance\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"magnetic-resistance\"><\/span>Magnetic Resistance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rolex&#8217;s patent refers to these alloys as paramagnetic, meaning they can be weakly attracted to magnets, but the metal itself won&#8217;t &#8220;become magnetized.&#8221; That doesn&#8217;t mean this is a sign of a revived <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-milgauss\/\">Rolex Milgauss<\/a>, because after all, even regular titanium is paramagnetic. But it is just another reason that these heat-treated binary hafnium alloys are well-suited to watchmaking all around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s worth noting that Rolex often registers patents and then doesn&#8217;t use them for years, if ever. So don&#8217;t get your hopes up if you&#8217;ve been itching for a factory black-case <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/brands\/rolex\/submariner\/\">Rolex Submariner<\/a><\/strong> anytime soon. But maybe, just maybe, Rolex has something interesting up their sleeve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"product-slider-placeholder\" id=\"product-slider-placeholder-69d0d4313585b\">\n    <p style=\"color: grey; font-size: 12px; font-weight: 600; text-transform: uppercase;\">Loading, please wait&#8230;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">\nvar data69d0d4313585b = {\"title\":\"Shop for a Rolex\",\"term_ids\":[7730],\"site_url\":\"\",\"product_ids\":[],\"height_ratio\":\"2.5\",\"max_width\":\"none\",\"display_mode\":\"swiper\",\"display_style\":\"simple\",\"arrow_style\":\"none\",\"pagination_style\":\"default\",\"attribute_relation\":false,\"term_operator\":\"IN\",\"order_by\":\"none\",\"order_asc\":false,\"space_between\":0,\"slides_per_view_small\":1,\"slides_per_view_medium\":2,\"slides_per_view_large\":4,\"slides_per_view_xlarge\":6,\"breakpoint_small\":0,\"breakpoint_medium\":320,\"breakpoint_large\":640,\"breakpoint_xlarge\":960,\"limit\":10,\"skus\":\"\",\"min_price\":0,\"max_price\":0,\"className\":\"is-style-greymarket\"};\njQuery.post(\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/wp-json\/luxurybazaar\/v1\/query-products\/\", data69d0d4313585b, function(response) {\n    jQuery('#product-slider-placeholder-69d0d4313585b').replaceWith(response);\n}).fail(function() {\n    console.log(\"error\");\n});\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-contrast-3-border-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-e390c356 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-width:1px;background-color:#fafafa;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-gradient-fill-banner\" id=\"h-more-on-rolex\" style=\"font-size:clamp(14px, 0.875rem + ((1vw - 3.2px) * 0.625), 20px);font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><strong>More on Rolex:<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u27a2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/what-is-a-perpetual-calendar-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Most Expensive Rolex Watches<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u27a2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/what-is-an-annual-calendar-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Women\u2019s Rolex Watch Guide<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u27a2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/what-is-a-grand-complication-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What is the Best Entry-Level Rolex?<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u27a2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/what-is-a-minute-repeater-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Most Popular Rolex Watches<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u27a2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/what-is-a-world-time-watch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rolex Deepsea Guide: A Timeline of All Models<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u27a2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/how-to-spot-a-fake-rolex-the-ultimate-guide\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"255\">How to Spot a Fake Rolex: The Ultimate Guide<\/a><\/td><\/tr><tr><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\">\u27a2<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-left\" data-align=\"left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-land-dweller\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"29317\">What is the Rolex Land-Dweller?<\/a><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"280\" height=\"75\" src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AMP-Logo-Retina.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13445\" style=\"width:100px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rolex, as they frequently do, has once again received a patent related to manufacturing advanced materials. In November 2024, Rolex [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":24627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[215],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24555","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"raw_content":"<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Rolex, as they frequently do, has once again received a patent related to manufacturing advanced materials. In November 2024, Rolex was granted US patent WO 2024\/227680 A2 for a novel binary alloy made of either titanium-hafnium (Ti-Hf) or zirconium-hafnium (Zr-Hf), with a dark oxide layer on its surface. That thick oxide layer provides exceptional scratch resistance, while the underlying metal alloy retains more ductility than ceramics would. Plus it's an interesting way to achieve a black-colored metal without a damage-prone surface coating like DLC, and Rolex can even adjust the density as needed. This technology will likely be used for both internal and external watch components. Let's quickly break down Rolex's new binary hafnium alloy patent.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":24606,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/rolex-foundry-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Rolex foundry worker and the 2024 patent for heat-treated binary hafnium alloys\" class=\"wp-image-24606\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo of Rolex foundry employee: Rolex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The use of hafnium in watchmaking is certainly novel, and Rolex seems to be achieving some very high hardness values with it. Rolex's patent mentions a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iso.org\/standard\/56626.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GPa value<\/a> of at least 10 (maybe even over 13) which is comparable to ceramic. But both Ti-Hf and Zr-Hf are metal alloys, not ceramics. These are considered <em>binary<\/em> alloys because, simply, they have two elements. Rolex had previously <a href=\"https:\/\/patents.google.com\/patent\/WO2024227679A1\/en?oq=WO2024227679A1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">patented a mix of all three<\/a> (a <em>ternary<\/em> alloy), which produced a similar oxide surface layer but lacked the \"variable density\" aspect. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-variable-density\">Variable Density<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Arguably the most interesting aspect of this 2024 Rolex patent is the variable density of the alloy. By simply adjusting the amount of hafnium in the alloy (always at least 10%), Rolex can make its density anywhere from 7 to 12 g\/cm\u00b3. So in theory, Rolex can dial in the exact ideal density of various watch components. Hafnium is about 4x more valuable than silver, so it's not cheap, but it's not exactly exotic either. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":24609,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_005_v2-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24609\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Oyster slab stamped. Image: Rolex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-colorization\">Colorization<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/web.archive.org\/web\/20241205172444\/https:\/\/patentimages.storage.googleapis.com\/97\/bb\/29\/2a9229b497fc21\/WO2024227680A2.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The patent<\/a> describes the outer dark oxide layer as \"black or dark grey,\" with \"no or only very slight bluish tones.\" The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hunterlab.com\/blog\/what-is-cielab-color-space\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CIELab color values<\/a> specified in the Rolex patent confirm that it would be fair to describe these heat-treated binary alloys as black, or close to it.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-parts-will-be-made-of-these-patented-alloys\">What Parts Will Be Made of These Patented Alloys?<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>This patent for Rolex binary alloys specifically mentions both interior and exterior watch components:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Watch exterior components mentioned:<\/strong> Cases, bracelets, crowns, bezels, hands<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li><strong>Watch movement components mentioned:<\/strong> Balance wheels, barrels, bridges, base plates, shafts, pinions<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-black-rolex-watch-cases-are-they-coming\">Black Rolex Watch Cases: Are They Coming?<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Rolex has never made a watch with a ceramic case, nor a DLC-coated case, presumably because they're simply not durable enough for Rolex's standards. Ceramic can shatter or chip, and DLC coatings inevitably get scratched up. But a heat-treated Ti-Hf watch case should certainly be tough enough for Rolex. We won't speculate too much about a possible black-case Rolex, but if they ever made one, this alloy seems perfect for it.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":24589,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/black-bruce-wayne-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24589\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rendering of a totally hypothetical black-case Rolex <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-nicknames\/#brucewayne\">Bruce Wayne GMT<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-is-the-outer-dark-oxide-layer-added\">How Is the Outer Dark Oxide Layer Added?<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The binary Ti-Hf and Zr-Hf alloys described in this patent don't have coatings added in the traditional sense. Instead, the dark surface layer is formed through a process of controlled oxidation of the alloy itself. Here's a breakdown of how this works:<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:list -->\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>The alloy is first manufactured and shaped into the desired form (e.g., a watch case).<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>The surface of the alloy is then subjected to \"a heat treatment process in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of 400 to 750\u00b0C.\" This typically lasts 1-6 hours.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>During this heat treatment, oxygen reacts with the metals in the alloy, forming a thick oxide layer on the surface. This layer grows inward from the surface, creating what's called a \"conversion oxide layer.\"<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item -->\n\n<!-- wp:list-item -->\n<li>The resulting oxide layer is described as \"adherent, thick, hard and dark.\"\u00a0It's not a separate coating, but rather an integral part of the alloy's surface that has been chemically transformed.<\/li>\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>The closest thing to these alloys in the luxury watch world today would probably be Panerai's <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/panerai-2024\/#panerai-pam-1466-pam-1543\">Ti-Ceramitech<\/a> material. It also gains its dark, scratch-resistant outer layer via oxidation, but Panerai opts for <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Plasma_electrolytic_oxidation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plasma electrolytic oxidation<\/a> instead of heat treatment. Rolex's oxide layer is likely thicker.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-thick-is-the-dark-oxide-layer-on-rolex-s-patented-binary-hafnium-alloys\">How Thick is the Dark Oxide Layer on Rolex's Patented Binary Hafnium Alloys?<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>According to Rolex's patent, these binary hafnium alloys will develop oxide layers between 5 and 25 microns thick. For reference, anodized titanium can get up to about 5 microns at most. Pure titanium (e.g. grade 2 titanium) and popular titanium alloys (e.g. grade 5 titanium) have natural oxide layers of about 0.01 microns or less. Gold plating typically ranges from 0.5 to 2.5 microns, so as a crude frame of reference, the oxide layer on these alloys is about 10x as thick as a layer of gold plating.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:image {\"id\":24612,\"sizeSlug\":\"large\",\"linkDestination\":\"none\"} -->\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img src=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/wmcase_2201fl_002_v2-1-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Rolex mid-case vs. polishing wheel\" class=\"wp-image-24612\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Rolex mid-case vs. polishing wheel. Image: Rolex<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<!-- \/wp:image -->\n\n<!-- wp:heading -->\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-magnetic-resistance\">Magnetic Resistance<\/h2>\n<!-- \/wp:heading -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>Rolex's patent refers to these alloys as paramagnetic, meaning they can be weakly attracted to magnets, but the metal itself won't \"become magnetized.\" That doesn't mean this is a sign of a revived <a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-milgauss\/\">Rolex Milgauss<\/a>, because after all, even regular titanium is paramagnetic. But it is just another reason that these heat-treated binary hafnium alloys are well-suited to watchmaking all around. <\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\n<p>It's worth noting that Rolex often registers patents and then doesn't use them for years, if ever. So don't get your hopes up if you've been itching for a factory black-case <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/brands\/rolex\/submariner\/\">Rolex Submariner<\/a><\/strong> anytime soon. But maybe, just maybe, Rolex has something interesting up their sleeve.<\/p>\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\n\n<!-- wp:luxurybazaar\/product-selection-api {\"title\":\"Shop for a Rolex\",\"term_ids\":[7730]} \/-->\n\n<!-- wp:block {\"ref\":22578} \/-->","meta_data_fields":{"_edit_lock":["1733607729:104"],"_edit_last":["104"],"_ez-toc-disabled":[""],"_ez-toc-insert":[""],"_ez-toc-header-label":["Rolex's Patent for Heat-Treated Binary Halfnium Alloys"],"_ez-toc-alignment":["none"],"_ez-toc-heading-levels":["a:1:{i:2;i:2;}"],"_ez-toc-alttext":["How Thick is the Dark Oxide Layer on Rolex's Patented Binary Hafnium Alloys?|Oxide Layer Thickness\r\nWhat Parts Will Be Made of These Patented Alloys?|Likely Components"],"_ez-toc-visibility_hide_by_default":[""],"_ez-toc-hide_counter":[""],"_ez-toc-exclude":[""],"_ez-toc-position-specific":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":["215"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["60"],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["10"],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":["rolex alloy patent"],"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":["78"],"_thumbnail_id":["24627"],"_yoast_wpseo_title":["Black Case Rolex Soon? New Patent for Dark Oxide Coated Alloys"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["This Rolex alloy patent, awarded November 2024, describes a very strong paramagnetic metal with a hard black outer layer. We discuss."],"_yoast_indexnow_last_ping":["1733607726"],"Views":["91"]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.2 (Yoast SEO v25.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Black Case Rolex Soon? New Patent for Dark Oxide Coated Alloys<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This Rolex alloy patent, awarded November 2024, describes a very strong paramagnetic metal with a hard black outer layer. We discuss.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.luxurybazaar.com\/grey-market\/rolex-alloy-patent-hafnium\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"New Rolex Patent: Binary Hafnium Alloys with Dark Oxide Coatings\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This Rolex alloy patent, awarded November 2024, describes a very strong paramagnetic metal with a hard black outer layer. 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