Community Stories

A Scratch on my Ceramic Bezel, Sub 114060?

speedypants
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So I noticed this evening, I had a minor scratch on my Ceramic Bezel. Not a big deal as you have to hold it at a particular angle to really notice it otherwise you don’t.... but kind of surprised since I was under the impression Ceramic is scratch resistant.. or is it?

Would love to know if anyone knows more about ceramic and what to look out for moving forward.
 
AC0D8CE8-D814-41A3-9896-68A7FB378650.jpeg
Donn Chambers
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Are you certain it is a scratch and not transfer of material? A quick check is to try to remove it with a pencil eraser. If it comes off, it’s just transfer of material from whatever you bumped against. If it doesn’t and you can feel indentations with your nail, it is probably a scratch. Ceramic is scratch resistant, but it can be scratched under just the right circumstances.
 
speedypants
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Donn Chambers Donn Chambers
Are you certain it is a scratch and not transfer of material? A quick check is to try to remove it with a pencil eraser. If it comes off, it’s just transfer of material from whatever you bumped against. If it doesn’t and you can feel indentations with your nail, it is probably a scratch. Ceramic is scratch resistant, but it can be scratched under just the right circumstances.

Thank you Donn for your response.

I did take an eraser to it like you mentioned and seems like the scratch persists. I felt a slight indentation with my nail as well. Seems to me like a scratch on the ceramic Bezel. Not sure how I managed that but it’s good to know that ceramic can be scratched.
 
Canuck
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Scratch resistant. You got it! Scratch PROOF? Nope! Diamond, the hardest substance known to man can be scratched.........by another diamond. In fact, there are many materials harder than your bezel. In case you aren’t aware, ceramic bezels and ceramic watch cases can be smashed, as well.
 
UCZ_15
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Oh man, that's a bummer. As said above, scratch resistant but in just the right angle at the right pressure with the right material - even these ceramic bezels can show their weakness. Your Subby is now truly yours!
 
speedypants
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Canuck Canuck
Scratch resistant. You got it! Scratch PROOF? Nope! Diamond, the hardest substance known to man can be scratched.........by another diamond. In fact, there are many materials harder than your bezel. In case you aren’t aware, ceramic bezels and ceramic watch cases can be smashed, as well.


Ha! FACTS! Thank you sir for the insight.

I agree, these materials can be scratched and for my part I’m not sure how I managed to do it although now going back I’d have loved to catch the moment it did happen. Oh well, I’ve not come across too many scratched ceramic bezels online so I’d be liying if I said I wasn’t taken aback when I first caught it under the light but it’s no big deal. In all honestly it’s not even visible on a normal close up but atleast now I know it’s there.😉
 
FDB0AFD6-BE45-401B-B357-EC0D6308FC70.jpeg
speedypants
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UCZ_15 UCZ_15
Oh man, that's a bummer. As said above, scratch resistant but in just the right angle at the right pressure with the right material - even these ceramic bezels can show their weakness. Your Subby is now truly yours!

ha! Truly.. ::rimshot::
 
Burr
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Canuck Canuck
Scratch resistant. You got it! Scratch PROOF? Nope! Diamond, the hardest substance known to man can be scratched.........by another diamond. In fact, there are many materials harder than your bezel. In case you aren’t aware, ceramic bezels and ceramic watch cases can be smashed, as well.
Haha very well put!
 
janice&fred
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Man I think the mainstream world is charmed as no one really sees much damage to ceramic bezels. In the Philippines Rolexes are everywhere and the new ones don't always seem to fare well. Many of these watches are used as intended by commercial divers, police/military and seamen. Many suffer failed SEL bracelets and chipped/cracked ceramic bezel inserts. My wife's Godfather is a long time watchmaker trained by Rolex in Manila which is one of the oldest service centers. He has an independent shop and regularly repairs failed modern Rolex bracelets and replaces the busted or damaged ceramic inserts with aftermarket pieces which seem to actually last longer in some instances.
 
flw
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Scratches are one thing ... chips and cracks are something else entirely. I have a few imperfections on my Seamaster 300 MC that are similar, but hard to find unless you know what to look for (on the crystal as well as the bezel). In my view, they're part of the history of the watch.

They're tough to accept at first, but after a while, they're what makes the watch yours.
 
speedypants
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flw flw
Scratches are one thing ... chips and cracks are something else entirely. I have a few imperfections on my Seamaster 300 MC that are similar, but hard to find unless you know what to look for (on the crystal as well as the bezel). In my view, they're part of the history of the watch.

They're tough to accept at first, but after a while, they're what makes the watch yours.

Well put and I agree, ultimately if you intend on wearing this as a daily watch, which I do for the most part, these things are unavoidable and infact are better embraced as they are the part of ‘your’ watch journey/history.
 
kangamatt
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speedypants speedypants
So I noticed this evening, I had a minor scratch on my Ceramic Bezel. Not a big deal as you have to hold it at a particular angle to really notice it otherwise you don’t.... but kind of surprised since I was under the impression Ceramic is scratch resistant.. or is it?

Would love to know if anyone knows more about ceramic and what to look out for moving forward.
I'm feelin' your pain on that one! 🙁
 
speedypants
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kangamatt kangamatt
I'm feelin' your pain on that one! 🙁

It looks worse than it is honestly, it’s hardly noticeable but in the right light you do see it. Thank you for understanding though 😉😀
 
speedypants
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Uniqez Uniqez
All I get from this story - I need no-date Sub.😀
Haha I do enjoy wearing it... as John Mayer would say, ‘it’s a watch when you just wanna wear a watch’ ::rimshot::
 
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