Platinum. A Beautiful But Stubborn Metal.

Horage Omnium K2 – Another First for Omnium

The Omnium, our latest model release, is arguably one of our most significant of the last few years. It blends the history of the Omnium from the last 17 years with our in-house K2 micro-rotor and now offers a new first, a platinum case option.

The Omnium is in many ways a watch of firsts for Horage. The first watch to present the Horage name to the world, the first watch we produced in precious metal, and the first watch we produced in 904L Stainless Steel.

The 2024 Omnium K2 37mm is available in 18k 3N Yellow Gold, 904L Stainless Steel and of course is our first model to be offered in platinum. Of all the models Horage has produced the Omnium couldn’t be more worthy of this milestone.

Above: The 2024 Horage Omnium K2 37mm range, in Platinum, 18kt Yellow Gold and 904L Stainless Steel.

Today, Erik Slaven, our technical features editor, is going to give a deep dive on the use of Platinum as a material in watch making and discuss the challenges and complexities of its use.

Without further ado, over to Erik.

Platinum

The Omnium K1 was our first in-house watch to use 904L stainless steel, which is superior to the more common 316L variant regarding corrosion resistance and overall sheen. So, it’s again fitting that Omnium is our first watch to use PT950 Platinum. Although Omnium K2 is also available in 18k 3N Yellow Gold, Platinum is considered by many to be the ultimate in precious metals. Interestingly, gold is worth more than platinum (often double the price from a raw metal standpoint), but platinum is much more difficult to work with - and that’s what makes it ultimately more expensive with a finished product.

A Stubborn Metal

What makes platinum such a tough metal to work with? For starters, it has a very high melting point of 1,768°C / 3,215°F (in comparison Gold is 1,064°C / 1,948°F) and it is easily contaminated by carbon from heat and even the metal tools used to work it. This contamination introduces impurities which can significantly weaken the metal. Therefore, very specialized tools, often with ceramic tips, and specific solder must be used to maintain the Platinum’s purity.

Above: A nugget of raw platinum

Platinum is also among the rarest of metals found on earth - all the platinum found in the world would fill an Olympic-size pool up to your ankles, while all the gold in the world would fill three Olympic-size pools completely.  

Unlike Gold, Platinum is not very malleable, making it tough to shape and manipulate. It’s also much harder than gold, making it very difficult to polish. Laser welding is often used with platinum for precision, to avoid contamination and to reach the very high temperatures required. This being a much more specialized technique than conventional welding adds considerable cost to manufacturing. In fact, contamination is such an issue that only platinum specific tools should be used and separated, even if others are suitable but have been used with other metals. Repairing platinum is also difficult due to the high melting point and need for specialized tools and training.

This is typically why platinum jewelry and watches are more expensive than gold variants, even though it’s less expensive by weight. It’s also why platinum is rarely used in relation to gold and why few watchmakers offer platinum cases.

We at Horage are extremely proud to introduce our first platinum watch. It is well known that we don’t follow industry norms, choosing not to participate in artificially inflated pricing of precious metals. This naturally extends to the Platinum Omnium K2, making it much more accessible than many other Swiss counterparts, priced at only CHF 14,990.

Keeping in mind that this price includes our COSC-certified, in-house K2 micro-rotor movement. Swiss micro-rotor watches in steel are often more expensive than our Platinum model for reference. This is also the first time we’re using our 2.9mm variant of the K2 micro-rotor, allowing our 37mm Omnium K2 to be only 7.95mm thick.

A Few Interesting Platinum Facts

The use of platinum goes back to ancient Egypt with a finished work found in a 7th century BC casket.

Platinum was considered a precious metal in 1751, and French chemist François Chabaneau perfected the purification process in 1783. One of the most famous and earliest (contemporary) platinum objects is the Chalice of Pope Pius VI from 1788, as seen below;

Platinum is invaluable for emissions control in the automotive industry and used in catalytic converters.

Platinum is also used in the medical field, from dental fillings to pacemakers and more.

Platinum is a chemically inert metal and won’t corrode at any air temperature and is very resistant to acids.

Thanks to Erik for a dive into the use of Platinum in the watch industry, we hope you enjoyed learning a little more about its use and the challenges of doing so.

Before we go, a quick reminder on a few dates that are fast approaching.

Final chance until 3rd December 2024 at 18:00 CET...

…to purchase the Omnium K2 37mm with a 18 karat 3N Yellow Gold or PT950 Platinum case at the extra special introductory price, before it reverts to its great value regular retail price…

Omnium K2 37mm 18 karat 3N Yellow Gold - ONLY 10,990 CHF until 3rd December 2024 at 18:00 CET**

Omnium K2 37mm PT950 Platinum - ONLY 13,490 CHF until 3rd December 2024 at 18:00 CET***

Remember these prices end soon!

Golden Ticket Raffle - Closing Date for inclusion in the 2024 Draw is Friday 6th December 2024.

The Platinum Omnium K2 (alongside the 18k 3N Yellow Gold variant) qualifies buyers for our Golden Ticket campaign. A purchase provides one entry to win a VIP luxury trip to Biel in 2025. This will include a tour of our workshops, and you’ll meet our small but very experienced team. You’ll also learn all about Biel and the Swiss watch industry. We’re also big on amazing food, so incredible home cooked meals and restaurants are included! Qualifying watches for the Golden Ticket include our Omnium K2 in 18k 3N Yellow Gold and PT950 Platinum, and the Tourbillon 2 in 18k 3N Yellow Gold and 18kt White Gold.

YouTube Live - End of Year Round Up and Raffle Draw - Thursday 19th December 2024

Join Andi and David for a Tube Live on Thursday 19th December 2024 over on the Horage YouTube channel where we'll be having an end of year round up, drawing the winner of the 2024 Golden Ticket and teasing about what 2025 has in-store.

Thanks from Erik, David and all the Team at Horage, Until Next Time.

Notes.

** SRP is 11,990 CHF

** SRP is 14,990 CHF