PATINA 4

The OMEGA Cosmic was produced at the end of the 40s and early 50s. It was a manually wound, triple calendar wristwatch with a moonphase which came in both a series of round cases and also a significantly more rare, large, square case like the current example. This piece with an original black dial is more unusual still and maintains its case proportions despite being over 70 years old. It is made in 14ct rose gold which was often indicative of a watch destined for the Americas due to the high taxes imposed on 18ct, although this particular piece was sold through the official OMEGA agent in Curaçao. This tropical region is the likely cause of the interesting patina that the case exhibits.

The Patina:

The Patina: Pure gold does not corrode or discolour. The reason that you often find oxidisation or discolouration on gold watches and jewellery that have been left untouched for considerable time is due to the metals alloyed to gold to create a less pure but often more practical metal. Pure gold, or 24 carat, is also very soft so watches and jewellery tends to be made from 18ct or less in order to make the metal stronger and more easily workable. In this example, 14ct rose gold is 58.3% pure gold, 9.2% silver and 32.5% copper. The silver and copper in rose gold both tarnish on contact with air, the copper in particular lending the case the distinctive blue colour which is accelerated when there is salt in the atmosphere as you would get on a Caribbean Island.