I have a vintage Memovox up on the sales corner.
It's a beautiful looking watch, however one of the things I don't like is the acrylic crystal. To me it feels a bit cheap. What's the view on swapping this out for a proper glass front? Sacrilege or a fair modification?
Can anybody recommend somebody who could do it?
Cheers,
simon
Echoing my post in the thread about PVD Rolexes, this does seem a bit sacriligeous to me. It might still be a nice watch with a sapphire crystal (if possible to fit one), but you'll have robbed it of its essential vintage character imo. I think it would be a rather incongruous marriage.
I much prefer the acrylic look to sapphire on the watches I have. I think it looks warmer and does not show finger marks. A quick polish with Polywatch gets them looking good as new.
It's the reason I have given up on my vintage Rolex watches (for now) I much prefer sapphire for some reason.
Looking at a Cartier like your Gladders - v nice ADLC - if only I could find the spare cash down a sofa or something :)
It's just a matter of time...
I'm another one who prefers acrylic. It has a nice warm look to it. Not even sure that it's possible to switch anyway. May be wrong, but I seem to recall reading something years ago that said it wouldn't work. Can't remember why though.
Edit: I think that thread I remember was about swapping glass on a Speedmaster and the answer was that it wouldn't work because where the crystal seats on the acrylic version was a bit different sized. Of course, I could just be having an old man moment. :lol:
I love that Cartier - the finish is amazing. I don't think the use the same ADLC on the buckle though - that's showing a bit of wear.Originally Posted by Omegamanic
simon
Sacrilege imho but then I much prefer acrylic to sapphire. I'd have though it would knock a big chunk off its value if you decide to go through with it.
Cheers,
Gary
I much prefer acrylic and wish my vintage Doxa had it rather than the irreplacable badly scratched glass.
My AirKing has an acrylic - I wish it was a sapphire!
I spend too much money on a Geneva service when my Dad first gifted it to me - they sent it back like new with a beautiful clear acrylic replacing the nasty scratched and cracked one that had been on there since 1976 ... I cracked it and scratched it in exactly the same place within 3 weeks...and not worn it in anger since ... :shock:
Of course, with a sapphire it would be a daily wearer
G
I don't know what you mean by 'glass' ... if you mean sapphire, then I cannot see how a sapphire could be made that-thin and with that-much curve. You might be able to get someone to cut you a thicker acrylic but the curve-angle might change. I suggest you leave it as is, sell it, and get another watch.
Very-very thick acrylic is sublime!
john
Costume jewellery. Ouch!!!
Sacrilege!
Acrylic is king!
Looks far better, easily buffed up, replacement cost negligible, what's not to like?
I can't understand people moaning about scratching it etc.
Sapphire is a fairly recent thing, how did we all get on before its introduction? :albino:
Cheers,
Neil.
cannot stand acrylic............. horrible stuff that looks cheap and nasty IMHO.
Swap it and give it the upgrade it desrves whilst retaining the acrylic so that, if required, it can be returned to its original state.
Paul
I agree with Neil!
My daily wearers are an LV and a Speedy from '89.
The plexy is so easy to maintain and you do not see smudges are dirt on them. Once in a while you'll need to polish the hairline scratches and if it happens so that you'll crack one (I never had that unfortunate experience in 10 years wearing Speedies for pretty much everything, I even went canyoning with one) it will be cheap (25-30€) to change it.
for the vintage Memovox it would be a sacrilege (I don't think that it is even possible) to change....
????? :shock:
what watch with plexy have you seen/worn that give you that feeling?
I guess it is all pretty theoretical anyway.
I doubt a sapphire could be retro fitted to the Memovox plus anyone interested in buying that type of watch would want it all original.
Cheers,
Neil.
Had a speedy many years ago and hated the plexy and most recent was a steinhart vintage red which in my opinion was spoiled by the acrylic.... I would opt for sapphire any day of the week.????? :shock:
what watch with plexy have you seen/worn that give you that feeling?
Paul
...apart from me :)
simon
I think if it could be fitted as long as you keep all the original bits and they don't have to butcher the watch to fit it there shoudln't be too much of a problem - the particular watch looks fantastic as is though.
It's just a matter of time...
You really can't do it right, glass (mineral or sapphire) crystal gaskets should have an undercut in the case seating area in order to grip the seal.
The other option is to glue it.
Then there is the profile and dial clearance issue. You cannot make a blanket statement that it is impossible to fit glass in place of plastic, but in some cases, it is, others it is very difficult, and in some cases, just a matter of doing it.
Generally in my experience, it is difficult to switch from glass to plastic (or vice versa) and you rarely get the aesthetic results you are looking for...
Don`t even try it....it's likely to end in tears. Chances of getting a satisfactory result are slim.
On vintage watches, I accept the acrylic glasses as part of the vintage style. However, for everyday wear I much prefer sapphire because it doesn`t mark and scratch.
Acrylic is not too difficult to keep up to if you don`t mind polishing it regularly.....but I prefer not to.
Sods law says you spend time and effort repolishing the acrylic glass.......then you scratch it the first time it gets worn :(
Paul
I see. I've noticed a lot of glass being swapped for Sapphire and I always thought this would be an easier just by the number I have seen. Never really considered the issue with moving from Plexi to sapphire though or what this may entail.
It's just a matter of time...
Keep the acrylic. I've never been able to understand what all the fuss is about. I've never had to polish the acrylic on either my G10 or '53 which are both scratch free. Both get worn regularly and I don't baby them either.
How about the other way round - could I fit acrylic to, say, a Submariner 16800 or a SeaDweller 16600? And still keep the water resistance?
In a word no. I seriously contemplated this on my old 14060 as the sapphire, or more specifically the lack of AR coating, annoyed me so much. I asked my watch guy, who's an accredited Rolex repairer, but an acrylic won't fit.
Cheers,
Gary
Mineral glass to sapphire is usually no problem, especially flat crystals. These are fitted to the case in the same manner. It's when you start trying to fit plastic that things get complicated, as the method of fitting plastic is very different from mineral or sapphire glass.
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