amanico
[JLC Moderator]
340509
I was also been told that spinels were 40% more expensive and less good.
Here is an example of spinels...
My wife asked me a question just now: why are watch jewels always red?
cred (Photo . RDJ) So....why is that? They are artificial right? So why don’t color them green? ...
I thought she'll ask 'why not orange' synonymous to your name ;-)
btw wonderful macro of a great movement !
Good remark
Strange that no watchmaker came up with this idea! Good out of the box thinking! Dirk
The main reason is...
The jewel material is usually synthetic sapphire or ruby (Corundum). It’s been a long standing tradition in watchmaking. Emeralds were never used as they were relatively brittle.
Sending a fax also used to be a tradition...
so with all due respect, but that is not an argument.
It’s not that it can’t be done ...
It’s because traditional watchmaking has a lot to do with heritage. Synthetic gemstones have been used since 1902 replicating the original Sapphire or Ruby.
You've got the right answer for sure
Corundum can be made in a wide variety of colors, from green to red to blue to yellow to purple to peachy-orange to white. Mortiz Grossmann is the only company I've seen using a non-red (white) color of corundum.
In the old days, rubies were just that... rubies!
Once they went synthetic it's my guess they decided to keep the tradition of color. I could be wrong but that's my understanding.
I guess the answer is very simple...
the major component that gives the color to natural rubies is aluminium oxide ( Al2O3)...and big surprise...it's the same component, which is found in what are called synthetic rubies...
Wrong!
Corundum is clear, but when you dope it with chromium, you get a red ruby. If you dope it with titanium, you would get a blue sapphire, if with iron, a yellow sapphire, etc.... Gemology is a cool study!
Ulysse Nardin Imperial Blue comes to mind. Regards, skyeriding
Credit: ablogtowatch ...
Are rubies the most expensive
among the common sapphires which range in color? If so, it would make perfect sense before the wide use of synthetics. At least that would explain why the tradition started in the first place.
Watch jewels....
Can be any colour. As many have said it is traditional for the jewels to be red. Jewels are available in "white" which is clear or blue or green. Green does not look good in a watch, clear does not have the "presence", and blue is outstanding, however blu...
I was also been told that spinels were 40% more expensive and less good.
Here is an example of spinels... ...
