Seiko Vintage Watch Crystals | Acrylic v Sapphire

Thanks to WC, I fell headlong down the "Vintage Seiko Rabbit Hole" Over the past six weeks, I've been perusing the huge selection that eBay had to offer and made two purchases. The first watch finally arrived yesterday after thee weeks traveling across the Pacific.

My question for vintage Seiko collectors is this... for a 1960s era Seiko watch, should I replace the cracked acrylic crystal with a new acrylic or sapphire crystal? An acrylic crystal would preserve the original aesthetic and an AR sapphire would provide better protection and anti-reflecting. Is installing a sapphire crystal into a vintage case/bezel even possible?

I would appreciate anyone's opinions, suggestions or concerns.  🙏

Reply
·

If for wear, sapphire,  if for show, acrylic.  IMHO

·

On my Vintage Seikos I usually replace like for like. Most have  Mineral Crystals from the early Seventies onwards. Some sixties watches that use Acrylic have the crystal compressed into a retaining ring, it may not be possible to fit mineral or sapphire crystal to a case with this type of ring. The last Seiko I had serviced was a 7625 Sportsmatic with a cracked Acrylic crystal,  I had it replaced with a Sternkreuze acrylic of a similar profile as an original Seiko replacement was very hard to find

·

Here is most likely a original- or At least one from 1980 as it’s been in a drawer for about 40yrs like this.

1970 -Resist/Resistant 

Image