Removing tiny micro scratches
So i had some very bad luck, I got nudged in a cramped metro on the way out and got these tiny scratches. It's supposed to be sapphire crystal. Is there any way I can remove these scratches ? Should I go to a watch shop is there any way to get rid of these tiny annoying scratches? They are only seen from a certain angle, I am not sure if you can spot them on the photo.
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Ilja
I'm a fellow student who is into mechanical and automatic movements. My budget for watches isn't great but I hope to with time expand my roster. My main collection piece so far is a certina DS first a...
Prague
Member since
Last active: 5 days ago
try one of these polywatch. dont buy the arcylic variant, i think the glass variant can remove it
If you’re sure it’s a sapphire crystal, you may have just scratched the anti-reflective coating on top? Not sure.
If you’re sure it’s a sapphire crystal, you may have just scratched the anti-reflective coating on top? Not sure.
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
@Small_Floppa, if it's sapphire crystal, you almost certainly did not scratch the crystal itself. That is nearly impossible to do. Check this video out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R21hgz-A7JY
As @TheSharperTheBetter says, it's the AR coating. Watch manufacturers realize that most people just get watches in order to take wristshots, so put AR coating on the top of the crystal. It's awful for those of us who don't baby our watches.
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
@Small_Floppa, if it's sapphire crystal, you almost certainly did not scratch the crystal itself. That is nearly impossible to do. Check this video out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R21hgz-A7JY
As @TheSharperTheBetter says, it's the AR coating. Watch manufacturers realize that most people just get watches in order to take wristshots, so put AR coating on the top of the crystal. It's awful for those of us who don't baby our watches.
Thanks for confirming.
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
@Small_Floppa, if it's sapphire crystal, you almost certainly did not scratch the crystal itself. That is nearly impossible to do. Check this video out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R21hgz-A7JY
As @TheSharperTheBetter says, it's the AR coating. Watch manufacturers realize that most people just get watches in order to take wristshots, so put AR coating on the top of the crystal. It's awful for those of us who don't baby our watches.
So in case it's the AR coating i should attempt to remove it or just live with it ?
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
@Small_Floppa, if it's sapphire crystal, you almost certainly did not scratch the crystal itself. That is nearly impossible to do. Check this video out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R21hgz-A7JY
As @TheSharperTheBetter says, it's the AR coating. Watch manufacturers realize that most people just get watches in order to take wristshots, so put AR coating on the top of the crystal. It's awful for those of us who don't baby our watches.
If he indeed scratched the coating then im kinda shocked. I had no idea seiko uses the AR coating on the top side of the crystal. Can’t imagine people baby their Seiko 5s.
Brb. Gotta tell my Girl that I need to buy a new watch to help me cope with these dramatic circumstances.
So in case it's the AR coating i should attempt to remove it or just live with it ?
I just looked up Seiko 5 Sports and randomly clicked around on different models, and in each and every case, it says the crystal is "hardlex." OP, if you can provide the exact model #, you can easily google it, and confirm whether it's sapphire crystal or hardlex. If it is indeed sapphire, then you scratched the AR coating, and you're simply SOL.
If it's hardlex, then simply use some Polywatch, and you can polish out the scratches in like 30 seconds.
If he indeed scratched the coating then im kinda shocked. I had no idea seiko uses the AR coating on the top side of the crystal. Can’t imagine people baby their Seiko 5s.
Brb. Gotta tell my Girl that I need to buy a new watch to help me cope with these dramatic circumstances.
It’s not a sapphire crystal but seiko‘s proprietary hardlex.
It’s not a sapphire crystal but seiko‘s proprietary hardlex.
Damn!
When I google'd polishing Hardlex, here's what I found. Sounds like it's better to replace than to try to polish.
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/can-hardlex-crystal-be-polished-by-polywatch.4807563/
I'd live with it or get a new crystal.
Hey Guys
Columbo here.
I investigated further and this is the Seiko 5 Streetfighter Ken Edition.
the crystal is hardlex.
Therefore OP u done scratched that glas.
@Omeganut U do not have to apologize to my bank account for now. I think I can handle the shock without buying a new watch.
Will report if things change.
But thank god they don’t use ARC on the top of the glass.
I just looked up Seiko 5 Sports and randomly clicked around on different models, and in each and every case, it says the crystal is "hardlex." OP, if you can provide the exact model #, you can easily google it, and confirm whether it's sapphire crystal or hardlex. If it is indeed sapphire, then you scratched the AR coating, and you're simply SOL.
If it's hardlex, then simply use some Polywatch, and you can polish out the scratches in like 30 seconds.
Yeah no, you can’t polish hardlex. Don’t try that. It gets worse.
If he indeed scratched the coating then im kinda shocked. I had no idea seiko uses the AR coating on the top side of the crystal. Can’t imagine people baby their Seiko 5s.
Brb. Gotta tell my Girl that I need to buy a new watch to help me cope with these dramatic circumstances.
Oddly enough, girlfriend did buy me this limited edition street fighter Seiko 5, I guess I will ask her to buy me another one due to this inconvenience :(
Damn!
When I google'd polishing Hardlex, here's what I found. Sounds like it's better to replace than to try to polish.
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/can-hardlex-crystal-be-polished-by-polywatch.4807563/
Wow, Welp so either replacing all together or living with the annoying scratch
Unless its been modded previously its very likely to be Hardlex which is essentially Seiko's proprietary mineral crystal. You can polish it out with cerium oxide but it's not easy (unlike polywatch on an acrylic crystal). I would be tempted to either replace it with a sapphire crystal or just live with it.
See if you can simply upgrade the crystal to sapphire, replace once and done.
Are you sure this is supposed to be sapphire? All the listings for the Seiko 5 Street Fighter models have Hardlex listed, not sapphire. I am not sure what Seiko specifically does as their tempering process, but Hardlex is essentially treated glass, so something to repair mineral crystal might work.
I scratched the sapphire crystal on my Tudor P01 ... reaching into the tank of my porcelain toilet. :-( I could feel the scratch with my fingernail, but also took it to my AD who looked at it thru the loupe and confirmed it was a scratch of the crystal not just the coating. I used toothpaste and a q-tip 3 or 4 times with no luck, so eventually got out my Dremel and got the scratch to buff out. It took a while and watch got really hot from the friction, but no ill effects...yet. Not sure I'd recommend going that route to anyone, but I can confirm that (A) sapphire can be scratched, and (B) light scratches can be buffed out. 👍
🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯
@Small_Floppa, if it's sapphire crystal, you almost certainly did not scratch the crystal itself. That is nearly impossible to do. Check this video out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R21hgz-A7JY
As @TheSharperTheBetter says, it's the AR coating. Watch manufacturers realize that most people just get watches in order to take wristshots, so put AR coating on the top of the crystal. It's awful for those of us who don't baby our watches.
AR coating should always be undercoat, not overcoat.
Damn!
When I google'd polishing Hardlex, here's what I found. Sounds like it's better to replace than to try to polish.
https://www.watchuseek.com/threads/can-hardlex-crystal-be-polished-by-polywatch.4807563/
Yes you can't polish out scratches in Hardlex crystals and it's definitely not a sapphire crystal with anti reflective coating on the outside, no Seiko at this price point has that. I think you would have to go to a Grand Seiko to get those features👍
No seiko 5s have sapphire
When I was in Beggars Canyon shooting Womp Rats while flying my T16, it had a sapphire windshield that only scratched a little when a Tuscan Raider shot at it with his blaster. Other than that, all of my watches with sapphire crystals have remained scratch free.
Sorry that happened butI feel ya bro, I just dinged my brand new Zelos Hammerhead 3. There's not even an interesting story.
I banged it on a gas station restroom doorknob🙄
I feel like situations like this are pretty much unavoidable though #wabisabi
No seiko 5s have sapphire
Ye I found our now, for some reason I thought so
Sorry that happened butI feel ya bro, I just dinged my brand new Zelos Hammerhead 3. There's not even an interesting story.
I banged it on a gas station restroom doorknob🙄
I feel like situations like this are pretty much unavoidable though #wabisabi
That's a beautiful watch