Durability of Ceramic

Hi, interested in the top gun, but not sure how durable is ceramic as a case. Does it scratch easily? as I think that the case cant be polished like SS.

any comments? Thanks

I don't own one, but from what I hear...

it is very durable. It will scratch, if you take a screwdriver to it ;-P
But in day to day use, it should hold up.

It's almost scratch resistant...

It is much "harder" than steel. The reason it can't be polished in typical use is that all polishing is by reduction, and this can't be "reduced" except by diamond polishing. It is not "ceramic" like you think of it (bathtubs, china, etc.).

For an article about zirconium, click on the link below.

Regards,
Michael

click here

There was a picture report of a ,,,,,

a case that had shattered when it fell just right against a hard surface.

Excellent post from 21.11.2008

i own one, this is my experience

Thankfully, I haven't dropped it on a hard surface. I suppose there is no elasticity in the material, unlike steel, so when it fails, it fails catastrophically as you can see in that previous post.

My expectations were probably very high for the material. I knocked the watch against my wife's stainless steel seiko whilst getting into the car (she wears her watch on the right, and right hand drive vehicle - get the picture). This caused a small silvery mark on the bezel. Using soft cloths and water this reduced the mark to barely perceptible, and you have to get the light to catch to even see it - it then looks like a graphite pencil mark.

On holiday, my wife (again) was trying to give me a hand with our little daughter. Her engagement ring (should have got a smaller rock) brushed against the face of the watch, exiting on the titanium ring and bezel (not sure if it was the diamond or the platinum setting as the stone is not too proud of the setting). I discovered a scratch in the crystal (again pretty difficult to pick up) and also two tiny shiny marks on the edge of the bezel. The same treatment made the bezel mark much less obvious. However, they are still seen as two shiny pin point marks in the correct light, but once you get 3 feet from the watch you cannot see it. These marks are strange in that if you are very close up to it you do not see them but when you get to 20cm you see 2 slightly shiny points.

Last week I was at work and the watch glanced against a steel bar. Again it had a shiny line on it where this had happened. Rubbing with a damp cloth removed much of this, again there is some residual mark in the right light.

So the case does mark, expect this! I am not sure if this mark is in the surface finish, or foreign material on the surface. I am sure if the case were steel there would be many more marks in it and tiny scratches.

Although when you spend (what i think) is a lot of money on a watch you would like it to remain pristine, unless you don't wear it, you simply can't. I wear mine at least half the days in the week and it is the sort of watch suitable for daily wear, very robust. Each watch is the same when it leaves the factory, each mark makes it unique! Buy and enjoy.

It's almost scratch resistant...

I am wondering if, in 10 years time or so, I want to freshen up my watch cosmetically, can it go back to the factory for surface refinishing?

thanks,

yes it can go back to the spa for re polishing

including ceramic?

Funny thing that...

Barely hours after purchase my gilrfriend's steel watch said hello to my TG (single chrono). Suffice to say all that has ben posted on ceramic scuffing flashed before me. True enough, 2 very light scuff marks, which does fade(?) with some wiping. Thing is that, I didn't feel so bad. Can't say the same bout the girlfriend though...

So I don't think its a case (pun intented) of (whatever) coating on the ceramic wearing off, more like residue scuff from the foreign element. I have a feeling that Christopher, that diamond scratch on the crystal is probably on the AR coating since it's perceptible under certain angles and light conditions. Let me tell you, the last time that happened to me, it was a hard enough bang that I thought, 'There goes the crystal'. But not.

I'd imagine down the line that polishing a ceramic case to be far more laborious that an SS case, or titanium (AT line) for that matter.
But by golly, this is a HANDSOME watch.

hmm not sure about ceramic (nt)

After 2 years continuous wearing....

... my IWC ceramic doppel case, crown, pushbuttons and saphire crystal have no scratches whatsoever despite going through a few "rubs" with steel handrails, walls, etc... It's GREAT stuff !

Some parts showing some wear though:

1. The titanium of the back cover which curiously has caught many tiny scratches although when not worn the watch is always left on wooden surfaces. I still wonder how did these scratches happen...

2. The strap is now "mature" showing various signs of pending final disintegration _ perhaps in a year or two _ such as cracks and delamination of the top material. After two years exposed to various climes I feel that it held up rather well. Is it excellent quality.

I am now searching where to put my hands down on my next acquisition: a Jaeger-Lecoultre Memovox Tribute to Polaris in either steel or platinum. This will certainly be more fragile than the IWC ceramic doppel which is reasonably bombproof. That's the reason why I bought it in the first place together with its under-rated discreet look.

Top marks to IWC for that one !

I'd be happy to see the post of the fractured ceramic case, just to know and be warned. I wonder if there are replacement cases...

Best Regards,

Patrick

After 2 years continuous wearing....

Great to know Jean-Philippe, that was the watch that started my 'search (and wait) for the next ceramic Pilot's! If I can trouble you for an answer, did the 'rubs' leave any 'scuff' marks (would probably show like graphite marks)?. I find that my TG chrono is acquires these 'graphite coloured' scuffs when hit against metal. No scratches, just thin faint lines, as though someone took a pencil to the case.

Regards, Suherman

link to the cracked ceramic case post.

https://www.iwc.com/member/forum/search_all.asp?table=archives&subject=ceramic&archived=yes&id=172807