Crystal Replacement Advice
Hi everyone. After a few months I've scratched my Seiko Presage Cocktail Time SRPE43J1, the gem of my modest educator's collection. I'd like to get a sapphire crystal, but jewelers' replacements have been quite expensive, while prices seem to vary so much online. Do you recommend buying from any particular site and taking it to someone to replace? Many thanks!
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Thom
Curious about repairs, mods, and other such facets of the habit.
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Last active: 1 month ago
Try crystal times.com
As far as I know, Presage has glued crystal, not pressed.
Pressed crystals are quite easy to install by yourself using even an inexpensive press, but the others should be glued by someone with experience.
Yes Hardlex is a joke I find. Is there a place you'd recommend getting one of those crystals? Should I just measure the crystal and try those that are offered on Amazon?
Try crystal times.com
Ah looks like a great place, but they don't seem to carry crystals for this model.
My limited experience with this event leads me to suggest you go to a trusted watchmaker, a few years ago, my wife cracked the lens on an inexpensive Seiko diver but she liked the watch which was an item that she and I picked up in New York during a US Thanksgiving weekend some years after 9/11 when we wanted to visit some relations. I took the watch to a guy in a mall who was cheap but also did inferior work. The watch was ruined, salvaged only after I took it to an authorized repair shop.
Longisland watches sell the replacement crystal but I guess it if for the larger 40mm model. You can check their website.
The crystal will cost you $100 atleast since box crystals are expensive to manufacture. Plus finding an watchmaker to fix it would be the next challenge and the labor for that is also around another $100 since the box crystal has be glued to the case perfectly to not tamper with the given 50m WR.
Box crystal are a pain to replace but for 38mm, I have never seen a aftermarket sapphire crystal yet on the market. If its any help, the crystal diameter for the 38mm case variant is 34mm.
Box crystals are not easy to manufacture and at $400 price point, expecting any company to put a box sapphire crystal is not going happen. Mineral crystals give you a chance to enjoy the aesthetic of that box shape especially on a dress watch at that price point.
If think the profit is negligible on crystals then Omega should not charge $900 premium on the Speedmaster for the sapphire variant.
Longisland watches sell the replacement crystal but I guess it if for the larger 40mm model. You can check their website.
The crystal will cost you $100 atleast since box crystals are expensive to manufacture. Plus finding an watchmaker to fix it would be the next challenge and the labor for that is also around another $100 since the box crystal has be glued to the case perfectly to not tamper with the given 50m WR.
Box crystal are a pain to replace but for 38mm, I have never seen a aftermarket sapphire crystal yet on the market. If its any help, the crystal diameter for the 38mm case variant is 34mm.
You're right I don't seem to find a sapphire box crystal at that size at any price. Do you recommend I just try to get a replacement Hardlex crystal from Seiko?
You're right I don't seem to find a sapphire box crystal at that size at any price. Do you recommend I just try to get a replacement Hardlex crystal from Seiko?
You probably can source a OEM hardlex from eBay. Or send it to Seiko and they would do a better job with crystal replacement. Will cost you about $60 or so for the box crystal plus labor.
You probably can source a OEM hardlex from eBay. Or send it to Seiko and they would do a better job with crystal replacement. Will cost you about $60 or so for the box crystal plus labor.
Ah I see. Thank you. It looks like I learned a lesson: next time buy something easier to fix.
You can look at AliExpress for new crystals (very hard to find boxed). But like others have said, it takes a few tools to install a pressed crystal yourself. If it is glued, no idea.
Ah I see. Thank you. It looks like I learned a lesson: next time buy something easier to fix.
Box crystal is all about aesthetics.
If the scratch is minor, you can just ignore it for now and replace it with a crystal once it has scratched up a bit.
Box crystal is all about aesthetics.
If the scratch is minor, you can just ignore it for now and replace it with a crystal once it has scratched up a bit.
Ain't that the truth. The thing is gorgeous, but I paid the price for not doing the research. Live and learn!
You can look at AliExpress for new crystals (very hard to find boxed). But like others have said, it takes a few tools to install a pressed crystal yourself. If it is glued, no idea.
Thanks. I've got a few leads on AliExpress. Is box different from double-domed?
Thanks. I've got a few leads on AliExpress. Is box different from double-domed?
Here’s Mark with a useful video: https://youtu.be/DU4KMKqtc90
Boxed crystals are the ones with raised edges from what I know. Dome type is a property of the entire crystal shape.
Here’s Mark with a useful video: https://youtu.be/DU4KMKqtc90
Ah thanks. This offering looks about right, but I'm not quite sure. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805028327889.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1.71eb15dclMCCou&algo_pvid=d0263c4a-f877-4f1e-bb32-4bb80afc032e&algo_exp_id=d0263c4a-f877-4f1e-bb32-4bb80afc032e-0&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%21160.00%2180.0%21%21%21160.00%21%21%402101f49a16933372044916702e59fa%2112000032211684735%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=NtLA7mfccR6k
Ah thanks. This offering looks about right, but I'm not quite sure. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805028327889.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.main.1.71eb15dclMCCou&algo_pvid=d0263c4a-f877-4f1e-bb32-4bb80afc032e&algo_exp_id=d0263c4a-f877-4f1e-bb32-4bb80afc032e-0&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21USD%21160.00%2180.0%21%21%21160.00%21%21%402101f49a16933372044916702e59fa%2112000032211684735%21sea%21US%210%21A&curPageLogUid=NtLA7mfccR6k
Ah never mind. It seems he had to have one special-made for the larger Cocktail Time piece.
Polywatch makes a mineral crystal polish that can buff scratches out - costs about $20 and some elbow grease.
https://a.co/d/6UPmwya
Polywatch makes a mineral crystal polish that can buff scratches out - costs about $20 and some elbow grease.
https://a.co/d/6UPmwya
Oh thanks for the rec. Does it work on Seiko Hardlex and/or the mineral on a Bambino? I'd heard nothing worked on those.
The version for glass that I linked to uses a diamond paste and works on mineral glass (without coatings like anti-reflective coatings), but takes awhile... and many people use a dremel with the diamond paste to buff it out faster.