Every claim on this page is measurable, measured, and documented to a specific standard. Where a tolerance is stated, it is held. Where a test is cited, it is run. This is the specification the work is built to.
Every piece of Rolex work is colour-matched against a modern genuine Rolex reference component in CIE L*a*b* (CIELAB), the perceptually uniform colour space codified in ISO 8654, the international standard used across the Swiss jewellery and watchmaking industries for gold alloy colour classification.
Measurement is by a dedicated hardware spectrophotometer. The instrument captures full spectral data across the visible spectrum, producing a complete reflectance curve for every scan. This catches differences that the eye alone cannot: two gold surfaces can look identical under one type of lighting but show a visible colour shift under another. A spectrophotometer sees through that. A phone camera or a quick visual check does not.
Sealed glass optics and an industrial-grade metal enclosure ensure consistent readings in a workshop environment, and the instrument is calibrated against a diagnostic reference tile before every session.
The acceptance criterion is ΔE < 1.5, a colour-difference threshold within the just-noticeable-difference range reported in colour-science literature. Under controlled viewing conditions (standardized D65, direct side-by-side comparison), trained observers typically cannot reliably distinguish two samples at or below this value, though perceptibility varies with surface finish and viewing geometry.
| Colour space | CIE L*a*b* (CIELAB) |
|---|---|
| Illuminant | D65 (6500 K standardized daylight) |
| Standard observer | CIE 1964 10° |
| Instrument | Spectrophotometer (full spectral data) |
| Calibration | Diagnostic reference tile, verified before every session |
| Acceptance criterion | ΔE < 1.5 vs. genuine reference |
| Colour classification | ISO 8654 (gold alloy colour designation) |
Three readings are taken per assembly and averaged across polished and brushed surfaces. The reported figure is the average, not the best reading. We maintain a proprietary colour library built from every piece we measure, giving us a growing reference set that helps customers get the exact colour they are after. Every scan is logged with its full spectral data, so a piece can be compared against its own history or against a new genuine reference at any point in the future.
The deposit is built on a sliding scale of 2–6 µm, set by the tier you choose and quoted per piece. Thickness is controlled by charge (current density × time × surface area) and validated at two levels:
| Deposit range | 2–6 µm |
|---|---|
| Build | Layered: strike, optional diffusion barrier, then cobalt-hardened hard gold. Multi-session and multi-layer builds as required. |
| Process validation | Quarterly independent XRF at an accredited laboratory |
| Per-piece verification | Gravimetric methods (mass before/after), shared with customer |
| Coverage | Inside & out (full disassembly standard) |
A thickness number on its own is not a quality specification. A thick deposit over a poorly prepared surface peels just as fast as a thin one. Adhesion, hardness, and even coverage, decided in the preparation, determine whether a deposit lasts. The thickness guarantee sits on top of these, not instead of them.
What “nominal thickness” means. The quoted thickness is the target value the process is calibrated to deliver on representative flat surfaces. In electroplating, deposit thickness varies with geometry: exposed edges and corners receive more metal (higher current density), while recesses receive less. “Nominal” describes the controlled target, not a guaranteed minimum at every point on every surface. Coverage evenness is managed by full disassembly and individual racking of each component, and validated by the quarterly XRF programme described above.
The wearing surfaces are finished in cobalt-hardened hard gold, measured at 234 HK by Knoop microindentation to ASTM E384. This is several times harder than the soft 24K flash most plating shops finish with, which is what keeps edges and colour through daily wear.
| Hardness | 234 HK (Knoop) |
|---|---|
| Test standard | ASTM E384 (microindentation) |
| Hardening agent | Cobalt codeposition |
| Gold purity | 98.6% Au (independently assayed) |
Palladium / white gold finishes
| Hardness | 394 HK (Knoop) |
|---|---|
| Test standard | ASTM E384 (microindentation) |
| Hardening agent | Palladium codeposition |
Durability is also demonstrated on camera: a screwdriver dragged across the surface, acrylic glue pulled off it, and 3M tape lifted from it. These are practical adhesion and wear-resistance demonstrations, not standardized hardness tests; formal hardness is the Knoop microindentation value above. No plating is indestructible, but a properly hardened, well-bonded finish holds its colour and edges through normal daily wear and can be re-plated later.
No nickel underlayer is intentionally applied. The deposit is built in precious-metal layers; the wearing surfaces include cobalt as a hardening agent (independently assayed at 98.6% Au, balance cobalt).
Nickel is the industry-standard barrier layer under gold plating because it is cheap and levels well. It is also one of the most common contact allergens, and a plated watch puts it against skin at the case-back and clasp, the first places a finish wears through.
K-Plating uses a precious-metal barrier layer instead: harder than the gold above it and stable against diffusion. It costs considerably more. This is a specification, not an upsell. We do not offer a nickel option.
| Nickel underlayer | None intentionally applied |
|---|---|
| Barrier layer | Precious metal (harder than the gold deposit) |
| Deposit composition | 98.6% Au, balance cobalt hardening agent |
Peeling, blistering, or lifting that is not down to ordinary wear is covered for 12 months from return. If the finish shows a defect in our workmanship, we re-do the affected work at no charge. Plating is consumable by nature; the guarantee covers workmanship, not ordinary wear, abrasion, impact, chemical exposure, or third-party servicing.