Luxury World

Fever in South Africa mines, the underground dark depths of 1,000 meters, containing a watch industry’s most expensive materials: platinum. Vacheron Constantin we went into a deep underground to study why is this so expensive and rare metal so fascinating.

 

When the lifts in just a few seconds down from the surface height of 200 multi-storey building, our brain, the heart of efforts to make their own try to keep calm. Every day, 2,300 miners are also along the same underground passage between the shuttle on the ground may be this is so that we can not feel very safe. Arrival gate咣when opened, the air it is very rare. The temperature at 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit) and humidity maintained at 80% of people very uncomfortable, full of rotten wood and ammonia changes the taste began to feel as if people suffering from claustrophobia.

 

This is not unusual to visit the factory. Fully armed and wearing a safety suit, rubber boots, wearing helmets and searchlights to enter the mine, such a journey is not suitable for weak and timid person. Tunnel from the ground to keep the underground extension of the process of gradually narrowing, only the miners helmet on the searchlight lit up full of cables and machinery, roads, miners were about to cross the puddles and mud everywhere have been walking down the corridor, Sometimes corridor height is only 1 meter. Suddenly, the channel in a very steep place to come to an end, I saw a group of people drilling a rock face, looking for one of the most expensive metal – platinum.

 

This is the world’s second-largest platinum producer, South Africa’s Impala mine, employing over 28,000 people. Most employees are in South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex, Ground Floor 1000 meters to 2000 meters (3280-6560 ft) in depth, an area of 65,000 square meters as a maze of tunnels to work.

 

Several billions of years ago, molten rock, or lava started upward from the center of the Earth movement is generated at platinum. Is not ejected lava crust, but the rocks along the already existing level of movement and cooling. When the lava contains heavy sulphide deposits down on the form of two with a layer of platinum, now you know Merensky (German geologist Hans Merensky discovered in 1924) and the UG2 Reef.

 

There are 14 leading to the entire mining area underground passageway. Each channel also leads to numerous tunnels, each tunnel by 12 mining ore miners formed the detachment operation. These men and women miners by 8-hour shift work, the installation of posts and play a supportive role to ensure the safety of tunnels at the top. Then they carved into the rock-drilling holes so that the machine be able to penetrate and blasted rocks. The next step in the night shift workers to clean out fried pieces of rock transported to the ground, work equally hard. In the past 12 months, Impala has been like this mined 28 million tons of heavy rock. May seem like a big number, it should be said to have a big number, because 14 tons of ore to produce one ounce (28.3 grams) of pure platinum, or 20 tons of ore in order to create a platinum Vacheron Constantin watches. The combination of these facts, the worldwide annual production of platinum is about 190 tons, while annual production of about 3300 tons of gold, so that we more easily understand the rising price of platinum. (This article is the delivery of print, the price of an ounce, platinum 1660 Swiss francs (1431 U.S. dollars), gold price of chromium ounce 928 Swiss francs (800 U.S. dollars)). In addition, silver, and without a substantial library of platinum reserve, and gold, compared to any supply disruption will lead to price spiral.

 

However, not only is the Earth itself, the scarcity of platinum reserves, leading to today’s high price of platinum; Moreover, to obtain the pure platinum prior to after 50 different multi-channel processes. First of all, the rock to be crushed into powder, and then through the suspension system to produce the dust extract the minerals. Subsequently, to become heated lava rocks, drying and after dozens of different chemicals mixed to the separation of each element 11. Extracted from the rock to the last one process can take up to more than six weeks (see Supplementary explanation).

 

The end of the production line, workers put in transparent plastic bags filled with yellow platinum salt. Platinum salts will then be made according to customer requirements, or platinum bullion platinum particles. Daily production of platinum, worth 150.8 million Swiss francs (1.3 billion).

 

The production process is lengthy and expensive platinum worth half of the story behind it. It is surprising is that 70% of the world’s platinum is used to manufacture automobile industry catalytic device. Over the past decade, the increase in the number of diesel vehicles in Europe and worldwide increasingly stringent emission standards are also pushing up the price of platinum, an important factor. The growth of the Chinese market is also one of the factors pushing up. From the Impala refinery, Mr. Scott Stevenson explained that, since 1999 to 2004, China imported only from Impala Platinum a quantity from 0 ounces increased to 50 million ounces (14 tonnes). Watches and jewelry industry, using only the amount of the world’s platinum, 20% of the remaining 10% was used in the production of other kinds of products, such as cancer drugs, pacemakers, ladder, fishing rod, parachute silk, fertilizer, I-pod and even the glue used to paste notes.

 

Because the processing of platinum metal parts (case, crown and dial, etc.) costs rise, the price of platinum timepiece also increased. Manufacture of a platinum case of gold than manufacturing a case to spend three times as long. This is mainly because of the need to use a special manufacturing tools to flip, milling and carving drill these parts and components; the same time, the tools required slower speed and lower pressure to minimize the friction between the tools, coupled with on the ongoing process to create a unique hand polished platinum finished.

 

Federation of Swiss Watch reported that in 2006, sales of platinum watches, an increase of 23% (2005 17.2%), sales of the amount of more than 390 million Swiss francs (3.3 billion). These figures Swiss watch exports in 2006 compared with growth of 10.9% over the same period, reaching 13.0 billion Swiss francs, it is clear, platinum and gold watches to become a popular choice than ever.

 

Why is platinum watches charming? Only experts can distinguish between the eyes and gold watches, platinum watches of different (Patek Philippe in their products embedded in a diamond so as to avoid confusion). Why today’s customers are willing to pay higher prices for platinum watch it? Watch industry trend now is to use scarce and expensive products, such as fossils, meteorites, precious stones and so on. Platinum is just part of the endangered species, especially the few companies manufacture a variety of series with the platinum watch, platinum watches to enhance the uniqueness. However, the purchase of platinum watches not only have a rare and expensive products that simple.

First of all, high purity platinum than gold. Impala Platinum production up to 99.95% purity. In comparison, 18 carat gold purity of 75%. Gold naturally soft metal, for this reason that almost no use of the highest purity of 24 carat gold manufactured products, but always need to mix gold with other elements to increase the strength and durability. Rose gold is a gold and copper alloy, but platinum and nickel and / or silver mixed to increase the intensity and change color. In contrast, platinum is more pure, and do not change color, and gold will be different, for many years showed slightly pale yellow. Purity is the main selling point, especially in the Japanese market, the purity is seen as a very important quality. In addition, the durability of platinum is also far higher than gold. Platinum is the best choice for life-long wear material, its density and weight of platinum also more durable than other metals. For example, “if it is designated a platinum, the metal is only shift, but its weight has not been reduced, still retains its original weight – the fact that platinum shows a symbol of eternity.” Vacheron Constantin CEO Juan-Carlos Torres’s explanation. Platinum and heat and acid, is a low-allergen, because it contains less than gold alloys. Its quality is also incredible, a 6 cubic inches (15 cubic centimeters) of platinum, there is less emphasis on general adult men.

 

From the probe into the underground depths of platinum and then to watch the latest presentation, together with the Vacheron Constantin spent a wonderful five days later, the understanding of such expensive metals have a new meaning. From the mine to large chemical refining plants, manufacturing, just one ounce of platinum process is so interesting. In the artistic product of the production process, the work itself and finished the same attractive, which is true for the manufacture of platinum watch is completely applicable.

Malte Tourbillon Regulator, Malte Perpetual Calendar Chronograph

Vacheron Constantin’s Excellence zinc and copper alloy (PGE) series

Vacheron Constantin as early as 1820 began production of platinum. Last year, the company began its “Vacheron Constantin Collection Excellence Platine (PGE) Series” of production, is produced specifically for the exclusive distribution of limited collection types. Each watch has a solid platinum (Pt950 printed mark) dial, case and hasp. Vacheron Constantin Vacheron Constantin has also expanded the production of platinum watches ,2006-2007 compared with 2004-2005 production increased by 76%.

 

Juan-Carlos Torres explains why the company decided to increase its platinum family of products. “When we embark on the journey ahead, there’s nothing on the purity, uniqueness and in the eternal nature of platinum on the more than 950 gold, treasure of our future, the desire to better the future symbols of it?”

 

In 2007 another two new series of Excellence Platine listing: A is the Malte Tourbillon Regulator, another is the Malte Perpetual Calendar Chronograph, respectively, there is a limited production of 50 label products. Malte Tourbillon Regular equipped with Vacheron Constantin manual winding mechanical movement 11790R. The special thing is that fine-tuning of the hour and minute display, small seconds on the Tourbillon, 40 hours or more power storage. Malte Perpetual Calendar with the 1141QPR mechanical manual winding movement, well-known of the Department lies in its column-wheel chronograph device, at 3 o’clock 30 minutes timer, the central chronograph seconds, perpetual calendar and moon phase display profit and loss.

 

Hard to believe that these watches a few billions of years ago in the ground began their lives. This is indeed a very long journey, but only into the work of art in order to highlight the eye-catching such a pure metal without the true light.

Interesting facts about platinum

70% of the world’s platinum is used to manufacture automobile industry catalytic device to control the discharge of hazardous substances.

- 77% of the world’s platinum from South Africa.

- In the 17 World Pharaoh Dynasty (1551-1306 BC years) a few pieces of jewelry found in a mixture of platinum and gold.

- “Platinum” is from the Spanish “Plantina” or “little silver.” In 1520 the Spanish conquistadors had found a river in Ecuador this white metal.

- China is a platinum gold watches and jewelry of the largest consumer country, annual consumption of 40 tons, followed by Japan and the United States.

- From history to the current mining the initial amount of platinum can be filled with a common living room.

- The melting point of platinum is about twice the gold.

- The number of platinum-gold one-tenth of the number of gold mines.

- A piece of butter the size of platinum weighing 5 kilograms of gold bullion could be worth 1.5 million U.S. dollars.

- “Platinum Blonde” this phrase from the movie the same name. In this 1931 film, the famous American actress Jean Harlow’s hair dyed the color with the Max Factor.

Extracted from the rock platinum

Concentrator

The first step in platinum ore into a place on the ground, a place called the concentrator. Used for large-scale mineral processing mill and the ball to 95% of the unwanted rock crushed into powder. Crushing of ore and then with water and special chemicals mixed together, the metal particles become separated with the water. At this time, through the manufacture of liquid foam into the air, metal particles (copper, nickel, platinum, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, gold and silver) on the attached bubbles, and these metals will float to the surface and then be recycled.

 

Melting

Dried, selected metal was sent to the furnace heating furnace temperature of more than one thousand degrees Celsius. This process does not require a lot of precipitation of metal, the remaining sulfur-containing metal and sent converter. In the air flowing into the converter to remove iron and sulfur, the then remaining particles after weighing heavily guarded (monitored by satellite tracking) and escort cars sent to Johannesburg Springs refinery.

 

Refinery

Springs refinery is divided into two parts: the base metal refining and precious metal refining. Base metal refining copper, nickel and cobalt removal, while the precious metal refining put the platinum, palladium, gold, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, osmium and silver separated. With different chemical processes of these metals can be separated one by one. In the refinery will be able to use 14 days to complete the full separation of platinum salts to obtain bright yellow powder, made of platinum bullion, or the ultimate platinum particles.