Does The Upside Of A Titanium Watch Outweigh Any Downside? - Watch and Learn #55 

Titanium also warms readily on the skin. I have one titanium watch and while my stainless watches can occasionally feel cool or even chilly in cold weather or when you put them on first thing in the morning, the titanium watch never really ever feels cool or cold when I put it on... part of the reason why they seem to disappear from your wrist when you put them on.

*Your channel is profoundly underrated.*

Hi Marc. This is an older video, but both yourself and TGV have stirred my passion in watches again. I've bought a few since Christmas and I'm very happy with my collection now. I do have a Titanium chrono, but I did want to add the Citizen Pro drive divers, super Titanium watch. This video is super interesting. Thank you 😊

Really enjoying your "Watch and Learn" series, Marc. Keep up the great work! Cheers!

i think it is important to differentiate between different types of Titanium generally there are 2 basic Types used in watches (unfortunatly it is not always easy to get the information on which type is used in a watch) 1. Grade 2 or Pure Titanium this is a soft extremly corrosion resistant Metal which is softer(scratches more easily) an not as strong as Stainless Steel (316l for example), also Grade 2 is Hypoallergenic (no body is allergic to this metall) Grade 2 is to my knowledge used by Breitling, Oris, 2.Grade 5 is a Titanium Alloy which is corrosion resistant, Stronger then the commonly by watchmakers used Stainless steels (316l, 904l) and is Harder than these steels to(these watches will scratch less than stainless steel ones) but the Elements used to Alloy this Titanium can Cause allergic Reactions(to my knowledge the reactions to grade 5 are less comon than reactions to Stainless Steel) I think this Grade is used by Brands like Seiko(some modells), Omega(most titanium Models), Rolex(Deepsea caseback), Blancpain(not sure(opinion is based on a forum articel)), So after all the common Known "Titanium Facts" like Easy Scratch and Hypoallergenic are not true for many Titanium watches

I recently discovered your channel and am so happy that this series is still going

Thanks, Marc. Bertucci is a rising star in the market. I am impressed with every model I see, and their stuff is slowly moving up my wish list. So glad you sell them.

You are a master at explaining things! Good job sir! Thoroughly enjoy it, thanks.

Good info. I’m in a Citizen titanium phase at the moment.

Cant believe this 4yr old vid is still the best at explaining the diff! Well done

Thanks Mark. this was a fantastic report. I have a 20 year old titanium Seiko quartz, that has developed a sheen over time. Just using a soft cloth every once in a while, also reduces the scratches. If I get a steel watch, I have to put it on a cloth strap, as I hate heavy watches. About 3 years ago, scientists developed "beta Titanium 3 Gold", which is as hard as steel, and used in the medical implant industry. I'd love a watch made from this alloy, but no such thing yet, as far as I know. I'd always buy a titanium watch over any other material. The Seiko diashield is a great invention.

Very informative! Thanks. I have two titanium watches but I learned some new things.

I own a titanium Omega Planet Ocean and love it. Simply a fantastic material. Great look and awesome strength to weight ratio makes it very comfortable to wear.

Love my Seiko SARX055- it’s the best when I don’t wanna feel like I’m hardly wearing anything. It has some nicely polished surfaces. Now looking at the Mido Ocean Star captain so I have a titanium diver.

Brilliant Mark, thanks. This is helping me decide between the Seiko SARX035 vs SARX057.

Mark, you must be a heck of a salesman - your tone of voice and delivery are top notch! ( I own an aluminum Bertucci - best on the market and my co-workers love it!)

Really enjoy your Watch and Learn videos, so thanks. I like the look of Ti so it was interesting to learn more about its use in watches.

Thanks for the details on titanium. I have a couple watches with titanium case and bracelet that I love. Part of it is "romance", as I am a huge fan of the SR-71 Blackbird!

Great watch and learn as usual! I love my titanium Citizen Eco-Drive Nighthawk. Happen to be wearing it as I was watching this video. Thanks Marc.

Very informative and excellent quality of video.

I am wearing aragon titanium swiss auto watch while watching this channel....love it , good info thanks .

Superb video.... information so very helpful.... Many thanks...

I received the Citizen today in the coolest faux oxygen tank, and I was absolutely floored by the weight versus steel.

Thanks for the explanation. It was interesting to have both Panerai 24 (stainless) and 25(Titanium) I actually liked more the titanium version.

Thinking grand seiko for my next watch and wanted to see all the perks of titanium vs stainless. This video told me anything and everything I needed to know and more. Thank you mark. One of my fav watch channels. Question Mark, I would deff imagine grand seiko puts the coating you talked about on their watches. I know you said it was alot more scratch resistant than regular stainless. Do you think it's as scratch resistant as the oyster steel by rolex? Not that it would break my decision on my next watch but I would like your opinion on that. Thanks!!

Great video, learned a few things. Thanks for sharing!

As i am allergic to stainless steel it`s essential for me to wear a titanium watch. Your channel is a pleasure to WATch many many thanks.

I had no idea titanium looked like that, or could look like that. I love it. I was one of those with the titanium bias, because I enjoy the heft of Stainless watch. Now, I really like that first one you held up. Thanks for showing that watch.

Good series, very good info. As for Ti, there are a LOT of different grades. As far as i know grade 2 is common for watches (and 5?). If it's not mentioned or they use strange names or different numbers, be sure to check / ask for details. Titanium is also used in surgical tools, you won't get allergic reactions for sure

Good job like always, love your channel, from affordable to more expensive pieces, from different models different materials you talk about everything. Thanks for the good job I am from Canada and going to start buying watches from your store ( just our dollar sucks 😥).

Thank you for this video

Wonderful informative vid and some helpful examples.

Great info 😊 thanks

I love titanium, exactly for the reasons you highlight. I own a Swiss Military GMT all titanium. Not an expensive watch by any means but it is my favourite because it is so light, durable and accurate. When I travel it comes with me. I wear it when I'm working on a job and the only downside is that it leaves a dark band of dirt if I get sweaty and am in a dusty environment, probably because it is softer so some of the metal must be abrading from the grit. I certainly don't think of titanium as a down market material, quite the contrary. Love the channel, I'll be checking out your upcoming sales extravaganza!

Love that Breitling model and always wanted one. The only watch l regret selling was a Momentum Format 4 titanium. I love the material, weight, feel of ti. Its really versatile in terms.of finishing options and wish more companies would use it for their divers and field watches. Shogun is on my wishlist but for the $ it should really have a ceramic bezel and saphire crystal. Any plans for a Long Island Ti diver!?

THANK YOU VERY MACH- GREAT VID

Thanks, a Tudor Pelagos is on my dream list. And I do know that it’s not coated. Also Titanium is cool because of the connection to aviation and the military.

Wow, those Bertucci are really reasonable for titanium, will have to check them out. I am a big fan of Ti in general, primarily for the look (I prefer matte to shiny) and the hypoallergenic properties. I also just like the way it feels. It kind of seems like it adjusts to skin temperature better than stainless, if that makes sense.

I recently picked up a Casio Oceanus, all titanium bracelet etc. I got it in a Black Ion coating (not even sure what that is), after a month, no scratches! Very impressive, and the all black look is a good change of pace from my steel watch on bracelet.

Thanks for doing a show on titanium!

Great job as usual! Would you do a show on value (not cheap) light weight quality watches. I think you’ll get a lot of interest generated. Thx.

I have a MARATAC SR35 made out of titanium. Love the watch and it is very light, and comfortable.

Great video I wish I new this years ago thank you 👍

I agree that TI is a great material for a watch and I love the flat matte color. My wife bought me a Citizen TI watch for a wedding present 32 years ago and I still have it and wear it. I am not hard on my watches and this one still looks practically brand new. Great video.

Love My Bertucci Years now. Just got an Invicta Titanium Pro Diver and it fit great. Cant beat price.

Great video Mark glad to see another installment of the “Watch and Learn” series. I also own an Aerospace (I LOVE it btw) but it really amazes me every time I put it on how it just disappears on the wrist as you said. I am cautious when I wear any of my nicer watches but they all have had a few bumps and bruises and from my experience the titanium Aerospace does not scratch or mark up any easier than my steel pieces. But I do know that there are different grades of titanium as well, Grade 2 and Grade 5 are commonly used the higher the grade the harder and consequently darker the titanium is. The Aerospace uses Grade 2 which is pure titanium with no other alloys present so it’s actually the more pure, softer of the commonly used grades. Love your video I always learn something, keep up the fantastic work. Jamison

When you move up to grade 5 or 6 titanuim....which is used on some richard mille watches its a whole new ball game. Its a superb material

Nice video. I'm considering the titanium Certina 38mm diver.

thank you indeed for the interesting and scientific video

Last week I got myself a promaster titanium. So far so good! Time will tell how it's gonna hold up.

I alwayd liked titanium watches, my first was an Oakley Timebomb, which after 20 years has stood up well, I think the sand blasted finish has helped hide a few of the minor scratches it's picked up over the years, and if you have a brushed finish you can sort that out yourself with a plastic scourer as you demonstrated in a previous video. With the addvent of DLC and alloys being applied makes it a very good material for watches.

I love my titanium Omega Planet Ocean. Beautiful, durable, and dead-on accurate.

Great video !! Interesting learning about titanium vs ss

Marc, please make a video about some affordable Titanium watches!

I have the early version, Repetition Minutes Aerospace, only issue is replacing the battery every 2 years or so. But its light as a feather, it has minor scratches but still looks great, my favorite watch.

Mark, you're right about it disappearing on your wrist. I have a titanium IWC on a strap and when I wear it I probably glance at my wrist 3-4 times per day thinking I forgot to put on a watch.

Titanium seems to be a very good base for a properly applied DLC coating. I've seen such a watch actually scratch other metal instead of receive the scratch. So, it's a good way to mitigate titanium's easier scratching, while keeping the great light weight (as long as you like a black case). The DLC coating pulled off metal and the metal, an assumed scratch on 1st glance, was able to be buffed off the DLC without compromising the coating adhering to the case. The watch did have wear in the coating on the crown stem in a couple places. The lugs were kinda sharp and the DLC had been worn off on one bit of the underside edge of a lug. Other than that, after a year of daily wear, the coating had either patinated to a slightly lighter and more matte hue than new (or wasn't entirely clean). It was a Fortis Marine Master Mars 500 and the DLC looked in great shape over the titanium compared to some concerns I'd heard of DLC wearing, scratching or chipping off, which wasn't true of this peice except the couple areas mentioned. I don't know if that was typical of DLC on titanium or if Fortis did a great job coating it. Note, PVD is a coating process, not a coating material. DLC is a coating material that can be applied via PVD. Not all PVD is DLC. Usually if a coating is DLC it's stated "DLC". If a watch says it has a "PVD" coating, it is probably not DLC, otherwise they would advertise it as DLC (as DLC is about the best PVD coating you can get). But, a watch with a "PVD" coating could be DLC and a poor marketing team.

I have a seiko sgg731 in route for an upscale daily watch. Titanium case and bracelet w a sapphire crystal that was pretty affordable also. Love my mechanical watches but sometimes a no fuss quartz is easy when on the run.

Excellent series! it would be great to see an episode about variations on quartz watch--- like Mondaine Stop To Go, the different radio control/GPS control watches that are quartz driven, but check the time against the NIST radio signal, or the various permutations of "high accuracy quartz", and the quartz watches that move at very high frequencies like the Bulova quartz watches. Most recently, I just found out about the upcoming Junghans Max Bill Mega, which is a quartz watch with radio control, but also has a minute hand that jumps precisely every 60 seconds. It's just nice to dispel the notion that quartz watches are boring.

Great info. I may look more into this for a watch for my daughter. I was leaning towards an SKX013 or marathon General Purpose.

I love your pressage cause i own it and baught it from long island lol Freaking great value for money.

I love titanium made watches. I have a gshock fisherman with titanium backcase. I love the way it look.

I love titanium I have a mido ocean star iv titanium it's by far my favorite watch!

Thank you! I have been preaching about Bertucci's for years. They are indestructible. Everyone loves G-Chocks, but I have had my Bertucci A2-T for years. Because of the design the crystal has never been scratched, the case shows sleeve and glove wear from working with it on, and it's been in swimming holes and hot springs for years. Oh yeah and it's lost 2 seconds in the last year. The most accurate watch I own. These watches don't get the love they deserve. I think they are as tough as anything out there.

I owned a fossil titanium watch from 2000 to 2013. Loved that watch. Wearing a titanium watch feels like nothing on your wrist. I know many people prefer the weight of a steel watch, but you must try a titanium watch at least once in your lifetime. Contemplating that Shogun watch for next purchase.

Love the channel.

I had a Shogun (with sapphire) and sold it because i needed the money for something else. I also had a Sumo in blue (with sapphire) and kept that one. The Sumo is on a stunning rubber strap from Crafterblue and i wear it very often. Beautiful watch and Seiko is increasing the price of the current Sumo generation because it is a awesome watch with an awesome shaped case. It just was priced too low i guess.

Your an Engineer and a Watch expert and a great guy - so when do we get the Long Island Watch design by Marc???????

Love Titanium and have 3 Seiko Titanium watches. Remember reading someplace that it can not be welded in air don't know if that's acurate? Nice video Cheers😊

I have a Titanium Samurai and the SKZ 40th Anniversary Titanium. Both are very light which is good because the SKZ is pretty big. It also has a Tungsten bezel and a graphite face. The only places they get scratched are on the back from the clasp. They are both very comfortable to wear. A Titanium Turtle would be interesting.

Great video! 👍

Well done Marc, all the negative talk about Ti really gets up my nose! I have used Ti watches (and other things) and I have never worried about the wear and tear.

Great explanation of titanium. Just getting interested in watches but have been into bikes and knives for awhile so have some knowledge of these materials. I read about these expensive watches and find it odd many use cheap stainless steel like what is used on a fridge! Some companies seem to be interested in improving performance like Sinn but I ,personally, find their use of submarine steel to be much more marketing than real upgrade. I mean, its a submarine, they are not going to use premium steel on a government contracted vessel of that magnitude. Put it this way titanium would never be in the running simply due to cost regardless of its superiority so the fact its submarine steel does nothing for me. Not sure exactly which steel it is but I know its nothing expensive. If hardness and corrosion resistance are most important ,strength of any steel is really unquestionable for this application, why not use what would be a high end blade steel like X15 or LC200N, nitrogen steels with far less nickel than 316l and far more potential for hardening? Yeah, its pricey but with the asking prices of watches, case material really doesn;t seem to factor considering titanium is used in sub $200 watches. Rant over.

Lots of great info! By the way I have two Grand Seiko titanium watches. Grand Seiko uses an alloy of titanium that's not coated and is 1.5 to 2 times harder than stainless steel. The reason I said 1.5 to 2 times is they actually have two different alloys that they use. I have more details on my Grand Seiko page at: www.craigshipp.com/grandseiko

Love the look of the BERTUCCI C-1T LUSSO TANK STYLE FIELD WATCH.

My Titanium watch has *shock* Invicta engraved in the case side. Cost was about £106. It's the 0420. The bracelet has invicta's ghastly mirror finished central portion on its links, got scuffed up pretty fast in my usual desk based wear. The nh35 movement has after a couple of timegrapher sessions settled to almost 0+-/24hr so is very satisfactory. On a black Zulu NATO strap it's a handsome piece, moreso than with its own rather nasty bracelet. Its screwback is also Titanium, and the watch while worn is easily overlooked by being so light. The lume is pretty lousy, dim at best and fades away too quickly. Even so this one's a keeper.

I have a baby snowflake and l love how light it is on the wrist. As others have said it just disappears on my wrist. Love it compared to my other watches. Great video btw.

Very informative, thanks. I've always wondered why nobody's made a watch with a tungsten case. Heavy, yes, but durable, solid and feels like it's got value because of that, plus all the other properties you mention here, non-magnetic, hypo etc.

My Titanium Samurai and Seiko 40th Anniversary Titanium Diver are 2 of my favourites. I get them out for a run every now and then.

Also, I'm looking for the most effective way to remove moisture from my seiko SNA411.

I have a Tissot Ttouch in titanium and it's crazy light...def want an Aerospace though!

That Seiko looks really cool 😍

another watch and learn idea. ETA movement vs inhouse movement (Tudor, Rolex...)

My titanium Casio Oceanus has been very resilient. I believe it is coated with Titanium Carbide so it is fairly hard.

Hi Mark! Is there a solar model for Bertucci titanium watch? I’m just curious. Thanks!

Hello Marc: I own several titanium bicycle frames and they are an alloy of titanium and aluminum. Are these watch cases pure titanium or are they alloyed with aluminum?

Very educational 👍🥃🥃

Hi.. Just ran into your video and caught my attention as you discussed the differences between steal and titanium metals. I am currently looking into the Citizen Eco-Drive model number BN0200-56E. What are your thoughts about this watch? Do you also sell watches? if so, what is your website? Thanks.

Amazing insight again, Marc. As for scratching, my wife has worn a Titanium EcoDrive for the past 16 years and only the clasp shows some marks of desk diving, otherwise the bracelet and the case are still like new. No shine, no scratches, although she wears it all the time for all activities. Do you think it is coated? Thanks again, Zs

My first watch was a Timex with plated brass hardware that scarred my wrist over the course of a summer. To this day, in the same areas, my wrist can still get irritated even with good quality stainless steel. Nato straps help most of the time but titanium is nice if my wrist is really irritated.

What about the differences between the grades of titanium, e.g. grade 5 compared to grade 2? Would you consider the scratch resistance of grade 5 titanium superior to the scratch resistance of stainless steel?

I have the shogun! Its great and super comfortable

So I am considering buying a Victorinox Inox Professional Diver in titanium. After seeing this, I am wondering if titanium is the correct way to go if I want to most rugged, durable version of that watch. If someone could let me know which is better that would be great. Thanks

I have a couple titanium dive watches. The only negative is maybe they are more scratch prone, but scratches are easy to remove. The look of titanium is a good alternate to SS.

Whats the coating that can protect titanium and how do i do it, will a boutique watch shop do it? Like omega? And how long does the coating last? Do you have to reapply and what are the downsides of the coating?

I have more Ti than a FA-18 in me .. good stuff

I've been wearing the INVICTA #0420 Divers Titanium without any issues. 10+ years

Titanium has different "galling" and seizing properties than stainless steel. I'd be concerned about threaded components, such as a screw-in caseback, being very difficult to unscrew after a long period of time not being removed or lubricated. Also, titanium threading needs a different type of lubrication to prevent galling. Learned this with a titanium bolt kit that came with a unique thread lubricant, which wasn't the usual grease, or oil.

Great video Marc. Why does one company uses Grade 2 and another Grade 5 titanium. Is the use of a stainless steel caseback a cost reduction? That's the part touching your skin the most and should make the most sense to be from titanium....

Your lighting seems to be a bit off compared to your other videos. Maybe I'm wrong. AnywYs great video. Thanks.