Known as the Space Age Metal, titanium is a strong corrosion resistant metal that has a silver colour and is found all over the world in soil deposits and in bodies of water. First discovered in 1791, Titanium can be combined with other elements to produce lightweight alloys for the aerospace industry as well as for the military and the dental industry. Titanium is also found in sporting goods, mobile phones automotive products jewellery and watches.
Titanium was first used in watch manufacturing in 1978 by the International Watch Co. which is also known as IWC. IWC, located in Schaffhausen Switzerland, was partially owned by Ferdinand Porsche at that time. The company used Titanium to produce the first watch bracelet. Based on the success of the bracelet Porsche designed a Titanium case and bracelet for another watch company in 1980, but that company was forced to withdraw from the project so IWC took complete control of the manufacturing process. At that time IWC was only making internal movements not cases.
Manufacturing a watch using Titanium was not a simple process, but IWC managed to complete the process and polish the Titanium which had never been done before. The watch originally sold for around $1300, which was a bargain considering the engineering as well as the design and manufacturing advancements involved in producing the first Porsche design chronograph watch in Titanium.
Titanium watches are everywhere these days. Almost every watch manufacturer has a Titanium model in their watch line. Citizen Watch Company is the world's largest manufacturer of Titanium watches. They use the material for sports and divers' watches as well as for other models because it is 30% stronger than steel and is hypoallergenic, corrosion resistant and is 50% lighter than steel. Titanium is more expensive than steel and it can stain and scratch easily, so Citizen uses a glass multi-layer coating on Titanium watches which makes them scratch resistant.
The increase in the number of Titanium watches in the marketplace is due to several factors. Sport and dive watches account for a bigger percentage of the watch sales and more companies are using Titanium to produce watches that are environmentally friendly and feel light on the wrist. Even when the skin perspires, Titanium watches can be worn comfortably. There is a 10,000 year supply of Titanium ore available on earth so there are no supply and demand issues.
The list of watch makers who use Titanium is a long one. Rolex, Skagen, M.H Bertucci, Boccia and Seiko as well as others have Titanium models in their line. Prices start around $250 and can retail for several thousand dollars depending on the manufacturer. More Titanium watches are being produced every year and within the next twenty years the percentage of Titanium models being worn as daily timepieces will dramatically increase. Titanium is a space age material and it's also 21st century fashion.
An Introduction to Titanium Watches
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