Sapphire crystals, I am amazed

[DieselDave]

I know a high % of you have been wearing a watch with a sapphire crystal for many years but I've only had mine about 4-5 months. Prior to this watch I wore a Luminox 3101 for about 4 years. The Luminox as well as every other watch I've owned prior to this one had something other than a sapphire crystal as far as I know. I love the Luminox but that one and every other one would have a trashed crystal within 6 months. I'm not talking a few scratches I'm talking about so many scratches the face would look cloudy. I wear my watches 24/7 and must abuse them badly because they all look terrible. I replaced the crystal on the Luminox at least once a year if not more often and not because I'm picky. It would become so that reading the dials was a challenge or I would crack or chip the crystal. When I replaced the first crystal on the Luminox I should have stepped up and bought a replacement sapphire crystal, I would have been money ahead in the long run. I had no idea how much better the sapphire would be for me until now.

The TSAR I'm wearing now has a couple of hard nicks on the edge of the bezel and a few rub marks on the bezel but the crystal is absolutely scratch free. I knew the sapphire would be better but for me this is night and day. I'm sure I will own another watch with a non-sapphire crystal but I will never again spend more than $100 for a non-sapphire crystal watch.

 

[leukos]

I'm a believer in the superioritiy of sapphire as well. Worth the extra money.

 

[cy]

rolex submariner was one of the first watches to come out with sapphire crystal.

love my TSAR!!

 

[FredericoFreire]

I have a Tissot watch with sapphire crystal for 10 years. I used to wear it every day and night.

Now I keep it, and it has many scratches and dents. But the crystal is absolutely free of any kind of mark or cratch.

 

[kingoftf]

I own a Omega Seamaster around 15 years now in very rough conditions. All the steel parts have scratches all over but the glass looks still like factory new.

There a also a few cellular phones out there with sapphire glass displays (custom made) available (lots of $$$$) For this phones it would make even more sense than for watches.
All my cellular phones have big scratches from keys and other things a few weeks after purchase.

 

[mtbkndad]

I have a Croton Chronomaster with a saphire crystal lens. Last summer I was adjusting the height of a dishwasher for a friend and accidentally rubbed my watch crystal with my full body weight against the rough baked and glazed tile floor. When I got up I looked at the watch and thought I rubbed it so hard against the tile the finish got worked into the the scratch. When I scraped the tile off it turned out there was no scratch. The saphire just removed some of the floor .

Take Care,
mtbkndad :wave:

 

[John N]

+1 for me.

My last watch was a Casio G-Shock and the "quartz crystal" looked like it had been through a war.

I purchased a Rolex GMT Master II which has a sapphire crystal about 15 years ago, have worn it every day and it has seen some hard use. While every part of the stainless watch has quite a bit of 'character', the crystal looks brand new. Interesting thing about the GMT Master, is the crystal is actually raised. No bezel to protect it.

My dad got me a Seiko black monster for Christmas and I've been wearing it a bit lately, and despite the *recessed* crystal, I managed to scratch it the *first* day. FWIW, this watch is an incredible value. Lot of watch for the money. I hear you can get a sapphire retrofit for this watch.

Sapphire crystals rule.

-john

 

[Kiessling]

I have a Glashuette for 6 years now ... sapphire crystal is perfect.
I won't buy a watch with anything less than sapphire.
bernie

 

[dcowboyscr]

I've got a Tag Heuer 2000 Classic 9 years old worn hard no scratches on the sapphire crystal. My Seiko 009 is about a year old with two scratches on the crystal.

 

[Kilovolt]

And what about my 29 years old IWC Titan?

the case has some dents but the crystal is very well preserved. Lumapower M3 with Turbo Head in my hand is proof that the pic is very recent......