"A new material that changed watches": The spread and evolution of titanium, attracting attention

In recent years, "new materials" have become popular in the watch market. By using materials not previously used for exteriors and movements, watches have undergone major changes not only in terms of design, such as shape and color, but also in terms of performance. Issue 112 of Chronos Japan featured such "new materials" as "New Materials That Have Changed Watches," and we are republishing this article on webChronos. In this third installment, we look at titanium, a material that has become widespread and continues to evolve in the watch industry. What are companies aiming for by adopting titanium?

"A new material that changed the world of watches": Visiting the workshop of Stila, a supplier of luxury gold cases

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"A new material that changed the world of watches": Hublot's alchemy of freely manipulating the composition of 18K gold

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A new expression of titanium material that combines lightness and aesthetics

　Titanium is once again attracting attention due to the boom in luxury sports watches. Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and hypoallergenic, this material has rapidly spread throughout the watch industry since the 2000s. What has been noticeable in recent years is the further evolution of this material. What are the aims of each manufacturer as they adopt this new titanium material?

Lightweight and corrosion-resistant titanium material

　The first watch to use titanium in the watch industry was Citizen's "X-Eight Chronometer" (1970). Seiko followed suit in 1975 with the "Professional Diver 600m." Titanium is a lightweight and corrosion-resistant material, but it is also extremely difficult to cut. It was only natural that Japanese manufacturers, who were early adopters and had accumulated know-how, would excel at titanium cases.

　Swiss efforts began in the 1980s, when IWC, which had begun collaborating with Porsche Design, adopted pure titanium for some of its models. The company asked several suppliers to manufacture titanium cases, but they declined due to the difficulty of processing. As a result, IWC began working on producing titanium cases in-house. In 1982, Omega also took on the challenge of using a titanium case with its Polaris watch.

　The use of pure titanium in Switzerland reached a peak in the mid-1990s. However, the boom in pure titanium has since declined rapidly. The pure titanium used at the time was difficult to process and dark in color, making it impossible to apply the grained or mirror-polished finishes essential for luxury watches. Furthermore, crown tubes made of pure titanium were prone to wear when screwed in, reducing the watch's water resistance.

　A turning point came in the late 1990s. TAG Heuer released the Kirium in 1997. Richard Mille then commissioned the cutting-edge Donze Baume to manufacture titanium cases. By utilizing titanium alloys, which were becoming increasingly popular, they were able to create titanium cases worthy of luxury watches. This new titanium alloy (Ti-6A1-4V), colloquially referred to in the watch industry as "Grade 5 Titanium," was the driving force behind titanium's resurgence. Like pure titanium, Grade 5 titanium was light and corrosion-resistant, brighter in color, and easier to machine. This made it the perfect material for manufacturers and suppliers, who were switching from forging to machining their cases. Furthermore, unlike pure titanium, this material could be given a grained or polished finish. It's no surprise that almost all titanium watches released since the 2000s have been made of Grade 5 titanium.

　Now, companies are beginning to adopt new titanium alloys. Take Seiko, for example. For high-end models, including Grand Seiko, they use their proprietary "Bright Titanium" and "Brilliant Hard Titanium." The former is a -β alloy, the same as Grade 5 titanium. It's about 1.5 times harder than pure titanium, and is easy to process and finish. As its name suggests, its color is similar to stainless steel, making it ideal for luxury watches. While details haven't been released, it's said to be either the same as Grade 5 or a titanium material with niobium added. As the photos show, the finish of the case and bracelet is now comparable to that of stainless steel models.

　An evolved version of Bright Titanium is Brilliant Hard Titanium, which is brighter and harder. While details have yet to be revealed, it is said to be a beta alloy that is heat-treated, rather than a -β alloy. Heat treatment is the only way to achieve roughly twice the hardness of pure titanium without surface treatment. Seiko currently uses this superior titanium alloy in some Grand Seiko models, but only for strap models. This is because it is extremely difficult to process, and using it in bracelet models with many components would be too costly. While the brighter, harder Brilliant Hard Titanium is undoubtedly suited to Grand Seiko, it will likely take some time before it becomes widely adopted.

　Rolex has taken a more technical approach to this new titanium alloy. According to Rolex, the new RLX titanium is a type of grade 5 titanium. However, the color is more reminiscent of pure grade 2 titanium than grade 5. While details are unclear, several insiders assert that it's a proprietary Rolex recipe. What's striking about the Oyster Perpetual Yacht-Master 42, which uses this RLX titanium, is the precision of its processing, not the material itself. As the photo shows, the flush fit and precise case fit are identical to that of stainless steel models. The titanium Yacht-Master completely overturns the opinion of peers that Rolex exteriors are precisely crafted using the hard 904L.

　Ceratanium, developed by IWC, has the potential to dramatically change the way titanium is used. It is treated with high temperatures, just like Titalyt, which is used by brands like Chopard. However, like Chanel's "titanium ceramic," the material is composed primarily of titanium and zirconium. The base material is titanium (Chanel uses ceramics), but what's new is that the material itself is turned into ceramic by applying ultra-high temperatures. It is not only unbreakable, but also scratch-resistant, and because it is not a hardening process that covers the surface with a film, the dimensions of the parts remain the same. This is why Ceratanium was able to be used in bracelets.

　Of course, there are titanium alloys with higher performance than the materials listed here, but considering their versatility and ease of processing, the majority of titanium alloys used in watches will likely continue to be Grade 5 or equivalent -β alloys.