INTRODUCTION
MUCH SCIENCE BEHIND THE WATCH CRYSTALS
The watch cover, a piece of clear material that protects the dial and internals. So simple, yet so much science behind it. Welcome to Infinity Timewatch, and this guide will walk you through some of the common watch crystal types used to make the watch covers – So you know what you are getting for your watch.
CONFESSION
AN HONEST DISCLOSURE
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1) ACRYLIC
| Scratch Resistance | Weak |
| Shatter Resistance | Strong |
| Cost | Very Affordable |
The chemical name for acrylic is polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and simply put, it is clear plastic. Acrylic is easy to shape and cheap to manufacture – Which is why most affordable watches use acrylic instead of Glass. Sadly, acrylic is not as scratch resistant as glass. But on the plus side, it does not shatter as easily as glass and it is cheap to repair.
2) PLEXIGLAS
Some of you guys may have already heard of this. Plexiglas, is in reality, a brand of acrylic (PMMA). So yes, Plexiglas® is essentially acrylic. Source – Akriform.
3) MINERAL GLASS
| Scratch Resistance | Strong |
| Shatter Resistance | Decently Good |
| Cost | Affordable |
Mineral glass is a common material used in watch faces. It has been heated, treated and hardened to better resist scratches. While it is much more scratch resistant than plastics, it is also much more brittle – It is more likely to shatter than plastics.
4) HARDLEX
| Scratch Resistance | Strong |
| Shatter Resistance | Decently Good |
| Cost | Affordable |
Hardlex is Seiko’s brand of mineral glass. Is it any good? From most of the feedback from the Internet – It does seem to do decently good, and not many complaints from Seiko watch owners.
5) GORILLA GLASS
| Scratch Resistance | Strong |
| Shatter Resistance | Moderate |
| Cost | Affordable |
The “modern-day glass” that is commonly used on smartphones, tablets, and even smartwatches. Gorilla glass is a good balance between cost and quality – Specially made to withstand fingernails and keys. As you might have heard, it seems to do pretty well against scratches but shatters when dropped from a certain height. The newer generations of Gorilla glass seems to be becoming better though.
6) SAPPHIRE GLASS
| Scratch Resistance | Very Strong |
| Shatter Resistance | Decently Good |
| Cost | Expensive |
Touted as one of the best watch crystals… and very expensive. Sapphire glass is super scratch resistant, and it is nearly impossible to damage with your fingernails, keys and even pen knives; It can take some real punishments. But do take note, even though sapphire glass is very rugged, it is not indestructible. Given enough force, you can still scratch and shatter it.
7) SAPPHLEX
| Scratch Resistance | Very Strong |
| Shatter Resistance | Decently Good |
| Cost | Expensive, but less than sapphire glass |
Sapphlex is Seiko’s hybrid sapphire-mineral glass. It has slightly better scratch resistance than the regular Joe mineral glass, but also costs slightly more… Although not as much as the “full” sapphire glass. Overall a good balance between price and durability.
CLOSING
THERE ARE ONLY 3 GENERAL TYPES OF CRYSTALS
We have come to the end of this short guide, but please do take note that the list is not exhaustive – There are more, such as the Hesalite crystal (which is Omega’s version of Plexiglas crystal). Watch manufacturers may have their own ways of making their crystals, and including all of them in this guide just don’t make sense.
But in essence, there are only 3 general types of crystals – Plastic, Glass and Sapphire. I hope this guide has given you some insight on your watch.
The post The Various Watch Crystal Types (Know Your Watch) appeared first on Infinity Timewatch.
