Watch Crystal, the most important element nobody talks about
Hey crunchers,
As collectors we dig into the finer details of a watch. The lug to lug, the thickness, the movement, but the one thing you can never know is any good until you see it in the metal is the crystal.
For example I have my Fears Archival and the Tudor Black Bay 58. To most people the Tudor is a superior watch in every way until you get it in person and realize that the crystal on one is superior to another. I’m not sure this is an AR vs non AR argument but am I the only one who hates to look down and see your reflection or a glare and it ruins some of the love?
Has anyone had a watch that they loved on paper, bought it online and then when it arrives you are disappointed with the constant glare, or legibility issues. I feel like I always come here or to the gram to find real picture of the watch because the camera never lies.
Trying not to blow all of the college money for my kiddos on watches and sneakers.
I love the crystal on the BB58. The domed crystal is not only better for deep diving, it's a specific look with edge effects that make it super easy to read the time at any angle.
If you don't like the look, I understand, but it's not inferior. It's specifically for underwater angled magnification
Sapphire crystal without AR is really not the most legible option due to the highly reflective nature of the sapphire. Domed sapphires make it even more difficult when there is a lack of AR or the crystal hasn't been machined properly ending up with a milky hue around the edges. The clarity of mineral crystal is superior and also it is relatively easy to get it right but you can't say the same for a cheap sapphire crystal.
Tudor's AR coating in the BB58 is weak. I have noticed that while I owned it and it was pretty obvious alongside my Seikos. Tudor puts enough AR coating on their watches but is not really the best when it comes to avoiding glares and sometimes I have wondered if there is any AR coating. A few older Tudor models completely lack AR and so did all Rolex models prior to 2020. Hamilton is another brand for some reason despises using AR coating on its watches and with the glossy dials, it is a mandatory addition. The best AR coating I have seen in person is on the Seiko Astrons, the super clear coating Seiko uses makes the crystal almost invisible. Omega and Longines have the same effect and so do other brands that use double-sided AR coating but over time pick up scratches on the surface.
Personally, I would take a nice mineral crystal for the clarity rather than a cheaply made sapphire or one without AR especially when the crystal is domed. I work in quite a bright work environment so for me a well done AR coating is something I look for in a watch.
For me crystal glare and reflections are fine, I like the additional shine sometimes. I generally find myself admiring the watch on my wrist long enough to read the time perfectly, rather than taking quick time checking glimpses. The most disappointing moments regarding legibility are the times when
I find the watch dial smaller than I was expecting,
the polished hands are disappearing under some lighting conditions,
hands are passing over some complications, such as an open heart.
Sapphire crystal without AR is really not the most legible option due to the highly reflective nature of the sapphire. Domed sapphires make it even more difficult when there is a lack of AR or the crystal hasn't been machined properly ending up with a milky hue around the edges. The clarity of mineral crystal is superior and also it is relatively easy to get it right but you can't say the same for a cheap sapphire crystal.
Tudor's AR coating in the BB58 is weak. I have noticed that while I owned it and it was pretty obvious alongside my Seikos. Tudor puts enough AR coating on their watches but is not really the best when it comes to avoiding glares and sometimes I have wondered if there is any AR coating. A few older Tudor models completely lack AR and so did all Rolex models prior to 2020. Hamilton is another brand for some reason despises using AR coating on its watches and with the glossy dials, it is a mandatory addition. The best AR coating I have seen in person is on the Seiko Astrons, the super clear coating Seiko uses makes the crystal almost invisible. Omega and Longines have the same effect and so do other brands that use double-sided AR coating but over time pick up scratches on the surface.
Personally, I would take a nice mineral crystal for the clarity rather than a cheaply made sapphire or one without AR especially when the crystal is domed. I work in quite a bright work environment so for me a well done AR coating is something I look for in a watch.
I had a Hamilton khaki field and sold it because I couldn’t get over the lack of any ar coating. I have a tag Heuer that I inherited from the early 00’s that is like looking into a mirror when checking the time.
The best ar crystal mix I’ve seen is on a Sinn U50 diver but it appears that the non Swiss watches tend to have more of an attention to the crystal
I love the crystal on the BB58. The domed crystal is not only better for deep diving, it's a specific look with edge effects that make it super easy to read the time at any angle.
If you don't like the look, I understand, but it's not inferior. It's specifically for underwater angled magnification
And while I don’t think it’s inferior (little bit of a typo on my part) the domed crystal while vintage in design isn’t nearly as optically nice as other divers that I’ve handled. But hey. Its a brilliant watch and is by far my favorite. I need to stop desk diving and put it to use in the water!!
For me crystal glare and reflections are fine, I like the additional shine sometimes. I generally find myself admiring the watch on my wrist long enough to read the time perfectly, rather than taking quick time checking glimpses. The most disappointing moments regarding legibility are the times when
I find the watch dial smaller than I was expecting,
the polished hands are disappearing under some lighting conditions,
hands are passing over some complications, such as an open heart.
Good points! Agree about the polished hands disappearing. I tend to notice that on my black dial watches.
Sapphire crystal without AR is really not the most legible option due to the highly reflective nature of the sapphire. Domed sapphires make it even more difficult when there is a lack of AR or the crystal hasn't been machined properly ending up with a milky hue around the edges. The clarity of mineral crystal is superior and also it is relatively easy to get it right but you can't say the same for a cheap sapphire crystal.
Tudor's AR coating in the BB58 is weak. I have noticed that while I owned it and it was pretty obvious alongside my Seikos. Tudor puts enough AR coating on their watches but is not really the best when it comes to avoiding glares and sometimes I have wondered if there is any AR coating. A few older Tudor models completely lack AR and so did all Rolex models prior to 2020. Hamilton is another brand for some reason despises using AR coating on its watches and with the glossy dials, it is a mandatory addition. The best AR coating I have seen in person is on the Seiko Astrons, the super clear coating Seiko uses makes the crystal almost invisible. Omega and Longines have the same effect and so do other brands that use double-sided AR coating but over time pick up scratches on the surface.
Personally, I would take a nice mineral crystal for the clarity rather than a cheaply made sapphire or one without AR especially when the crystal is domed. I work in quite a bright work environment so for me a well done AR coating is something I look for in a watch.
My experience was opposite, I knew my Seiko LX SNR033 had Sapphire crystal but only later in the evening I noticed that it looked like there was no crystal at all. I actually poked it to make sure it did not simply fall off. And it’s like that at most viewing angles too!
My experience was opposite, I knew my Seiko LX SNR033 had Sapphire crystal but only later in the evening I noticed that it looked like there was no crystal at all. I actually poked it to make sure it did not simply fall off. And it’s like that at most viewing angles too!
LX series and GS have the super clear coating too. Seikos with that AR coating have that illusion 😂
I had a Hamilton khaki field and sold it because I couldn’t get over the lack of any ar coating. I have a tag Heuer that I inherited from the early 00’s that is like looking into a mirror when checking the time.
The best ar crystal mix I’ve seen is on a Sinn U50 diver but it appears that the non Swiss watches tend to have more of an attention to the crystal
My friend had the crystal replaced with a aftermarket one with AR on his HKF and it made a huge difference. Mirror effect is a vintage charm at this point for your Tag.
German brands do double side AR and its really nice on tool watches.
My Raymond Weil has the best sapphire+AR of any of my watches. It's like there's nothing there at all. Sometimes I wish I had more watches like this:
Other times I appreciate the effect of a domed crystal, whether acrylic or mineral, like this FEICE:
What can I say, I'm easy to please. 👍
Love how this dome saphire it so clear😊
I can rarely read the digital displays on my g-shock lol
Also, just installed a dome sapphire on my SRPD, it’s pretty uhhh… pretty!
The Murph.
Love the style, love the size, love the film....
But it was by far the most illegible watch I've owned. Only kept it a couple of weeks.
Gutted 😢
The Murph.
Love the style, love the size, love the film....
But it was by far the most illegible watch I've owned. Only kept it a couple of weeks.
Gutted 😢
Sadly I know this feeling all too well
Love how this dome saphire it so clear😊
Umm...Taxidriver, we need more information and many more pictures of that stunning watch! That's a looker.
I've never found crystal glare/reflections have had a negative impact on my ability to read a watch. The watch is on my wrist, a slight turn or move completely fixes the problem. It's literally less effort than turning your head to see the watch in the first place...
Thank you! 🥰