Standing wave of Sapphire 25's , GS and now High CRI

[BenChiew]

Wow. Never realized that Arc is actually selling them. When Don first introduced the Sapphire, it uses an Arc LE. I wonder if there is any difference between the first Sapphire sold by Don and the present Arc version.

[McGizmo]

Hi Benchiew,
I think I mentioned some of the background on this before so I won't get too carried away here. Some of us tried to talk Peter into doing a titanium Arc AAA for years but he never embraced the idea. I had done some work for him and had also done some one off's using the ARC AAA LE. As I recall, I asked him if I could buy some of the LE's from him to use in a small production run of 100 titanium AA lights that I had designed around his LE and using some of the ARC AA geometry. He agreed to sell me the LE's and as the project moved forward, he asked me if he could buy half of the run to sell through ARC and see how they were accepted. After the first run which we split, I cnotinued to have my titanium parts machined by my source and for a while continued to use the ARC LE. I provided ARC with the CAD drawings for the flashlight body and the elected to do their own. I had some issues with the ARC LE and was able to get a new converter from Japan which I felt was a better solution and at that point I was doing my Sapphires completely independent of ARC and they independent of me.

[ibcj]

I've ordered from both sources, had some issues with Arc an promptly returned them. I won't get into the reasons here, but I will just say that on their face they appear to be similar lights, in reality there is a definite difference. I will only buy McGizmo products in the future.

[BenChiew]

Thanks for the explanation Don. Now I understand how ARC could still be selling those lights. I did read on your original sapphire thread that the LE was sourced from ARC and have since been changed to your present one. So all along, your initial sapphire is history until the confusion today. All is good and I am better informed now. Thanks again.

[erehwyrevekool]

Very interesting post Don! Knowing the details of the story makes me appreciate even more your productions (flashlights and parts).

[thenikjones]

My GS arrived last week and took it to the caravan for a few days - great nightlight, lovely beam with no hotspot and great for checking on my 8 month old son when he's sleeping. It is very much a luxury for me - the beam is far nicer than the massively cheaper Fenix E01 I have replaced - but it's a work of art I can't stop playing with! I think it is a niche product - unless it is pretty dark the beam can't be seen - but it fills that niche very nicely.

It is my fist McGizmo torch, I hope it won't be my last.

[BenChiew]

This light works great in environments where there is little or no ambient lighting.

[mbira]

email order sent for Sapphire GS

[piglet]

I got one for my better half, and got a klarus mi x6 for myself. The sapphire feels amazingly solid in the hand.

[srgantong]

Email sent for Sapphire GS.

[Toons]

Mo money sent to Maui for a Sapphire 25 GS!

[srgantong]

Received my Sapphire last week and it has not left my side since. Very beautiful and functional light. Really all I need for most of my task at night. Now I don't know what my next Mcgizmo will be. Thanks Don.

[rwilliam68]

Email sent for Sapphire GS and a Tether

[rwilliam68]

Paypal sent.

Mahalo

[lockdoc]

Email sent for Sapphire GS

[lockdoc]

Payment sent

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[Tkvthe2nd]

Email sent for sapphire 25...thought gs would be fine


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[chrischoi]

Email sent on GS?

[wandw]

Email sent for a Sapphire 25 (DS). Can't wait to see it.

[fyrstormer]

I have three Sapphires. The Sapphire is one of my two favorite Gizmos currently in production. (My other favorite is the Hi-CRI Mule.) The Sapphire is the penultimate iteration of the Arc AAA concept, and I expect I will someday end up giving them to my grandchildren.

[nbp]

I have three Sapphires. The Sapphire is one of my two favorite Gizmos currently in production. (My other favorite is the Hi-CRI Mule.) The Sapphire is the penultimate iteration of the Arc AAA concept, and I expect I will someday end up giving them to my grandchildren.

What is the ultimate iteration of the Arc AAA concept?

[fyrstormer]

Heh. It took me a second to figure out what you were asking. I don't know, honestly. Perhaps a light that can achieve several times the brightness, and uses an infinitely-variable driver with a progressive-twisty interface to control it. The Peak Eiger tries to do that, but its design relies on QTC material to provide variable resistance in-line with a constant-voltage driver, and it just doesn't work as well as I'd hoped. The biggest problem is the massive amount of pressure put on the threads by compressing the little rubber disc of QTC material, and the thread-lubrication issues that presents.

Or, maybe just a 3-mode progressive-twisty interface, like the Muyshondt Aeon mk. 2, but in an AAA form-factor. The Muyshondt Mako was close, but the threads on mine never stopped feeling gritty, and the LED was unprotected and non-replaceable, so I couldn't use my favorite emitter, and the spacing between the two modes wasn't significant enough to make the multi-mode interface worthwhile.

In lieu of the perfect AAA-powered titanium moonlight, the Sapphire 25 will just have to suffice.

[scout24]

Seems to me the Arc AAA concept was a single- level, durable, elegant keychain or backup light with good runtime that wouldn't leave you in the dark as the battery depleted. I think Don has refined that about as far as one can. What you describe sounds like your fantasy AAA light, which may be perfect for you, but may in fact bear little if any resembalance other than form factor to the Arc AAA or the Sapphire... And may not be perfect for anyone else.

[stillsurfing05]

I have a Sapphire with I believe the Nachia 310 DS LED and it is perfect light for my working conditions. I'm a 2/M on tanker where any "Bright" light on the bridge at night can cause temporary blindness and loss of sight could be catastrophic to say the least. The Sapphire emits just the right amount light for chart plotting or just finding your way around without disturbing anyone's "night" vision. This is keeper!!

[McGizmo]

I have a Sapphire with I believe the Nachia 310 DS LED and it is perfect light for my working conditions. I'm a 2/M on tanker where any "Bright" light on the bridge at night can cause temporary blindness and loss of sight could be catastrophic to say the least. The Sapphire emits just the right amount light for chart plotting or just finding your way around without disturbing anyone's "night" vision. This is keeper!!

I am stoked to read this! I got sucked into CPF many years ago after the first white LED's came out and I had done some custom small stainless steel fixtures using a single Nichia specifically for use on boats at night for this very reason.

[stillsurfing05]

I'm so glad to have "stumbled" upon your light, but I think I've created a monster as now my co-workers, pilots and even agents are in the hunt for one too. Needless to say I keep mine pocketed at all times for fear of it finding a new home..unintentionally!

[PanderingMonk]

Email sent for Sapphire GS!

[cowsmilk]

Don, can you post the dimensions of the sapphire? Both length and diameter?

Thanks!

[McGizmo]

Don, can you post the dimensions of the sapphire? Both length and diameter?

Thanks!

1/2" OD x ~ 2 13/16" long

[persco]

Don, can you post the dimensions of the sapphire? Both length and diameter?

Thanks!

Eric, you'll love the Sapphire. I got rid of my other keychain lights and went back to this one. It's one of the few that has stayed with me for the last 2+ years. Very useful. Runs FOREVER on a single AAA.