Hardlex crystal

It's overblown like there's no tomorrow, if you aren't a moron and use your watch like a basketball, you have nothing to worry about.

Like two days ago there was a poster here asking to see all Hardlex scratches. Exactly one response came from someone who had managed to bang two tiny chips into one. Period. There are a bajillion Seiko 5's out there with Hardlex and how often does one ever see a damaged crystal? Maybe when they are 30 years old and beat to hell?

Here’s mine and I’ve had it for years. I have a small battle scar from a fight with a countertop.

You should see the countertop…

Seriously though you will be fine.

It’s a daily dress watch though so I can’t see how you’d be getting into any trouble. Something about that glass makes for a clean legable experience.

If you really like the dial, go for it.

The Cocktail Time line is one of the best value for money watches.

• Brand with high reputation and rich history

• Good quality

• Inhouse movement

• Beautiful shiny dial

The fact, that it doesn't has a sapphire christal is a kind of a flaw, but considering what you get a minor flaw.

In that price range I have no other alternatives to recommend you. The next beautiful dial alternatives are the Seiko sharp edge.

I've got here an example for a similar watch. The German brand Bruno Söhnle and it's model-line Stuttgart.

• Similar dial. But not that sparkling in real as like that if the Seiko

• No inhouse movement (although a good Selita)

• A Sapphire Christal

• But almost 1,700 Euro

• 200 Dollar more abd you get an amazing King Seiko

Unless you miss treat it, you won't have a problem.

I have a 76 Pogue which in all its years has a minor 1mm square scuff if you hold it at a specific angle. If it was bigger I'd use the Glass Polywatch repair but it's really not worth it. Other than that I've never had a problem with hardlex.

Sapphire I've chipped one and had to replace it. Acrylic I've had to Polywatch a handful (though it's still my favourite crystal).

It really doesn't scratch easily at all. But as I always say when people ask questions like this, how much of a klutz are you? Only you know. For example, I can't recall the last time I knocked a watch into a wall, door frame, etc. I really can't. Maybe I just have great spatial awareness, who knows? But my point is there are people who seem to be the complete opposite to this. If you're like that, and forever whacking your watch into things, maybe you should have some concern; but that's a kind of concern you should maybe have in general, not just in relation to a watch with hardlex, as it can also affect watch cases, bezels (in the case of a diver), and so on. So really, think about how hard you are on your watches. That's your real answer.

Been wearing Seiko's for 25+ years & I've yet to scratch a Hardlex & I'm not gentle with 'em!

It was a long ago when I purchased a box of Seiko watches that were new but didn’t sell, returned to some wholesaler who sold to a buying agent. There were a few watches that I kept but managed to sell off the redundancy. Some of the watches were fitted with hardex honestly over time they did show tiny scratches and a few small chips. I might admit that the watches were beater items but never handled roughly. The interesting point of my experience was that some more compelling watches were fitted with hardex crystals while less expensive models often had sapphire. A watchmaker suggested it was cost calculation by Seiko that hardex would be cheaper to replace under warranty for watches that might see heavier usage.

You can get a sapphire crystal replacement from longisland watches and have a professional swap it for you. It’s easier to just live with it though!

@benswatchclub did a deliberate scratch test on most types of crystal to see how the different brands faired:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p-KRwrU-a2g

I think hardlex is fine, a Seiko Presage is a dress watch, if you're wearing it for mixing concrete or breaking rocks then you get what's coming to you!

If you do manage to scratch it and that's a big if, you then have an excuse to get it replaced with a sapphire crystal.

The case will be scratched before the hardlex.

As others have said, unless you mistreat it you should be fine. That said, this stuff does scratch. Not super easily, but things that won’t touch sapphire will scratch it. I wore this watch daily for several years, and admittedly wasn’t kind to it. It held up well, and I’m not here to complain about it. But the hardlex most definitely has scratches on it. Not sure if the pics will show them, but they’re visible in person and you can feel them.

It’s fine really, and in the worst case you can have it replaced with another mineral (or even sapphire if there are such options.

6 of my 8 current Seikos have hardlex (3 of 4 presage) and I approach it this way; if I scratch it I'll replace it. Maybe with sapphire which is available.

Some people putting "info" out there don't realize the impact they're having on some. When it comes to brands, materials, etc.

I'm glad you came here to ask because as you see, some of us are not easily duped when it comes to this watch stuff 😉

It's not a problem and if it become one then a replacement crystal is a few bucks away.

Simply put, it's not worth worrying about it.

https://www.seikowatches.com/us-en/products/presage/spb203j1

I have this watch in red and its great! Sapphire crystal and 6R35 movement is what you get for the price bump. You can likely negotiate a discount at an AD. I got mine for $700!

You can scratch them but it isn't any worse than front coated sapphire. The upside is that it isn't as reflective, like dual coated sapphire 😉

My Seiko 5 has some small scars only noticable in certain lighting conditions. Everyone likes to get their panties in a twist over Hardlex, but it really isn't as sensitive as it's blown up to be. You don't hear many vintage owners complaining about scratches on their domed acrylic crystals. I daily some vintage pieces and they fare well; I don't baby them much. You'll be fine, trust me.

Thank you all for answering, really appreciate it😁 The seiko presage will now be my first mechanical watch ⚙️😄

Aren't there lots of tutorials on replacing the crystal on a Seiko? If you're ok with DIY, there is more support on moding Seiko than any other watch. Or have a local watchmaker switch it out.

Since you are asking, I think it will continue to bother you. It may be harder for you to enjoy the watch, IMHO.

I’ve got more seikos than I should have, some have hardlex, and none have been a problem. It’s like any watch, take care of it and it’ll be fine.

I scratched a hardlex crystal once.

I wore an SKX like a tool watch as intended and bashed it on something when I was using a breaker bar to pry a bolt loose.

Glad it damaged the watch and not my arm.

SKX came out unscathed EXCEPT for a scratch on the hardlex and bracelet got stretched out.

RIP bracelet, still looking for OEM jubilee for an SKX013.

Even as a daily wear, I doubt you’ll be in a situation where you are tyring to loosen rusted on bolts wearing a Cocktail Time.

Hardlex is perfectly fine

Have had over a dozen Seiko watches with their hardlex crystal and never had any issues, the case will be covered with scratches long before the crystal will get even one, my SKX007 case has lots of scratches and dings, but the crystal is still scratch free

The only watch where I scratched up the mineral crystal was a Citizen Eco-Drive from the mid 90's and even that was stupidity on my part, the scratchs could have been avoided if I'd been just a bit more careful

I have the "Blue Moon" version of this watch and it's a great looking watch. Never scratched the Hardlex even though it's been worn quite a bit. It doesn't really bother me that it's not a sapphire crystal, however, I'm sure I saw someone on YouTube replace the hardlex for a sapphire crystal on this exact watch. Although I could be wrong, it might have been a different Seiko, but worth doing some research if it bothers you.

I have one and the crystal holds up well. The only scratch it has comes from when I banged it against a door frame 😤other than that still looks good

Hardlex scratches? None on my hardlex crystal Seikos (SKX, Seiko 5).

But my wife's Seiko SRP39J1 Presage - which has been her daily for the better part of two and half years is another story. She is hard on watches! Housework, cooking, jumping a dead battery on the car, playing with the dogs and grandkid, gardening, or going out for dinner - you name it, she'll do it with this watch on her wrist. More than once I've caught her wrist deep dirt planting roses and vegetables with the Presage on her wrist! Mostly the bracelet has the scars to show for it, but around the curve of the crystal, mainly between 1100 and 1300 marker and the 1700 and 1900 marker, the hardlex is pitted a fair bit. Almost impossible to see with the naked eye, but visible enough with a loupe.

Apologies for my non-existence macro photography skills (watch/loupe in one hand, phone in the other!), but the pitting in the hardlex is visible under magnification. With the naked eye, hard to notice and only visible in the right light.

Despite its minor scars, it's still a great looking watch, perfect for small wrists (33.8mm case diameter). Her's runs like a champ too: +/- 1 spd for weeks on end from a humble 4R35 movement.

Bottom line: Don't let the hardlex crystal be the reason to pass on a Seiko Presage. You don't have to baby it, but so long as you forego gardening with you should be alright!

I had a présage with the hard lex crystal and it there was a scratch on it from bashing it against the edge of a metal table, one that was only perceptible to watch geeks and no one else under a certain angle in the light with the wind blowing in the right direction