Depending on the kind of watch you own or where you go for repairs, a sapphire crystal replacement can run anywhere from $75 to $250. With its awesome capabilities, sapphire comes at a premium.
Sapphire scores a solid 9 out of 10 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, just below diamond, making it even more scratch resistant than mineral glass. Sapphire crystal is used by the high-end watchmakers. Many watchmakers simply recommend replacing these crystals, as the cost is negligible when compared to the parts and labor involved in doing it yourself. That’s all well and good, but unfortunately this hardness creates difficulties when it comes to polishing. Mineral glass is created with a melting process involving glass and hardening minerals, a process that creates a material seven times harder than acrylic and far more scratch and impact resistant. If your watch has very deep scratches, it might be worth paying for a crystal replacement.Īlthough acrylic crystals are still used on less expensive watches, many manufacturers have moved on to mineral glass. In general, it should take a couple of minutes to get rid of the scratches, as long as they’re not too deep. The process consists of (1) covering up the bezel with tape, so as not to damage it during polishing and (2) using a soft polishing rag (or something similar), to work a small amount of your chosen substance into the scratch in a circular motion. The most commonly endorsed polishing agents are Polywatch, Brasso, Displex and toothpaste. Everyone seems to have the “correct” way of doing it, when, in reality, it’s hard to go wrong as long as you follow directions. A trip to the watch forums in search of scratch-fix techniques for this crystal type will yield about a dozen different remedies. Acrylic is used for its low cost and its capacity to be polished. Up until the 1980s, nearly all watches came equipped with an acrylic crystal to protect the dial and hands. First you need to determine what can be done - and that depends on the type of crystal you’ve scratched. But before you send your tainted timepiece back for a crystal replacement, you may want to consider a home remedy. The feeling can be even worse on a brand-new watch, or one that just returned from servicing.
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Welcome to Product Support, a column devoted to helping you get the most out of the gear, gadgets and software you already use.įor watch lovers, a fresh scratch on an otherwise flawless crystal is a devastating sight.
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