Dome Vs Flat

[SteveR]

Is it purely aesthetic? I've not seen a dome or even raised crystal. Mine is flat and flush so I can't appreciate if it looks better. Surely a raised crystal is more likely to suffer a ding by catching on something.

Does the doming magnify the dial at all?

[Wallasey Runner]

I have had a multitude of different crystals ranging from flat sapphire crystals right through to a Rolex superdome plexi crystal and in all honesty I haven't noticed any difference in the risk of damage.

Personally I prefer acrylic or hesilite crystals with a dome. They are more tactile and easy to sort out in the event of an accidental scratch. I appreciate that the overwhelming number on here prefer the scratch resistant sapphire type crystals, but if you do damage them, edge chips etc repair is almost impossible unless you are extremely skilled.

And finally, I just prefer the look of a domed crystal.

[RustyBin5]

Not magnify but it creates a distortion when viewing the dial at an angle which is quite mesmerising sometimes. I doubt it serves any purpose other than aesthetic as it does indeed make scratching easier. It's often used to add a vintage vibe


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[SteveR]

Cheers. Is there a specific reason older watches were domed, if current ones are going for a vintage vibe. Easier to make?

[alfat33]

Like previous posters I also enjoy the more organic look of domed crystals, especially acrylic. I can think of a couple of practical reasons for them as well. First, for optimum readability, a dial that is flush with the case, e.g. with no bezel, allows light in from the side as well as the top. Only a domed crystal works in that situation.

Secondly the crystal in an Amphibia needs to be domed so that increasing water pressure forces it into the case - but maybe that is a bit of a special case.

[Morning Wood]

Cheers. Is there a specific reason older watches were domed, if current ones are going for a vintage vibe. Easier to make?

The domed glass certainly helps with the vintage look, but I don't think they would be easier to make.

[RustyBin5]

I think originally case designs were such that the only reason crystals were domed was for clearance from the dial. Introduction of bezels saw more flatties


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[SteveR]

Was is the difference between all the types I read about? Hesalite, plexi, etc etc. What is the best? Or do they each have their good points?

- - - Updated - - -

The domed glass certainly helps with the vintage look, but I don't think they would be easier to make.

Ok, that does look rather nice

[alfat33]

Isn't this a thing of beauty in its own right?

[Afka]

The dome is to ensure the durability of the structure. This is the case with thin acrylic crystals you see in old classical watches. Nowadays mineral and sapphire crystals can easily be flat and dome or flat is more of a style issue.

[krusty]

Isn't this a thing of beauty in its own right?

It sure is.

[bedlam]

Is it purely aesthetic? I've not seen a dome or even raised crystal. Mine is flat and flush so I can't appreciate if it looks better. Surely a raised crystal is more likely to suffer a ding by catching on something.

Does the doming magnify the dial at all?

Domes can be used to increase the strength of the crystal and have been used on dive watches fairly frequently. As makers have been able to make thicker crystals that has been less of an issue. They also reduce light refraction (distortion) when viewing the dial underwater but conversely tend to increase reflections (they don't slate completely but reflect light to some degree on most angles), whereas flat crystals will reflect completely on one angle (slating) but hardly at all on most others.

Comparison of reflection vs refraction issues on a dome (SBBN017) vs flat (SKX007) crystal underwater:

[krusty]

Isn't this a thing of beauty in its own right?

I would love a watch like that.............with a movement or course.

[Bry1975]

An example of EXTREME domed crystal strength>>>


upload gifs online

[Neilw3030]

An example of EXTREME domed crystal strength>>>


upload gifs online

Now thats going to be hard to slip under a shirt cuff in the boardroom

[greasemonkey]

i bought a Hamilton field watch recently and it had a domed sapphire crystal which with the semi gloss black dial,the glare made it difficult to see the time at a lot of angles and it bugged me so in the end i swopped it out for a domed plexi.this was a great improvement.this obviously woudnt happen if the original crystal had an AR coating..

[Der Amf]

Thanks to dome of the mineral crystal on one of my watches, the two or three little scratches I've put into it are all in the same place. Nice and tidy, and when I have it serviced I'll have a new glass fitted.

When I had a watch with a flat sapphire crystal, the one time I bumped it there was no dome to take the blow, and I put a scuff into the polished bezel.

[sweets]

Domes add pressure onto the seal (strengthening it) when pressure is applied, like the caseback in compressor watches.
Also, you never get a blinding reflection off a domed crystal.
And personally I think they look a whole lot better.
D

[alfat33]

I would love a watch like that.............with a movement or course.

Readily available from Meranom and elsewhere at modest prices.

[Thewatchbloke]

My old Dulux jump hour was a beauty

[SteveR]

Thanks for the info chaps.

I'm catching my watch on things all the time so imagine a prominent dome would be scratched beyond recognition

[bedlam]

Also, you never get a blinding reflection off a domed crystal.

IMO its a poor trade. Flats slate ("blinding reflection") on one angle and little else. Domes still slate at the centre but also refect heavily on one part of the crystal on many angles. In real world use underwater domes require more effort to read as a result. Given that I have never dived beyond 65m the additional potential water restistance isn't a benefit.

[HappyJack]

I've found that I get more reflection from a dome, but also greater legibility. The worst watch I have for legibility Is the Rolex GMT Master II which has a reflective, uncoated, flat sapphire. The hands are polished, which helps a little to cut through the reflections, but it's not nearly as good as the SMP 2264 which has a domed sapphire with IIRC, an anti-reflective coating on the inside only. This means that the light reflects very well off the polished bevels of the sword hands, and you can read it clearly, whatever the angle of the light.

My Fortis Cosmonaut chronograph has a very effective double ARC - inside and out - which means the crystal effectively disappears most of the time, but it's a thick crystal designed for 300m WR, so it's harder to read the dial at shallow angles.

My Breitling M1 offers the combination of a domed sapphire and double ARC which means that the dial is very clearly visible, even at extreme viewing angles - it actually looks as if it's missing a crystal, until you catch the occasional pleasing purple flash of the ARC... It's extremely legible and the domed sapphire (despite the thickness of something designed for 1000m WR) and ARC is the reason for that.

[seikomatic]

I believe more and more are returning to the domed as those re-issue did...Seiko calls it box-shaped sapphire

PNM





The first thing I did for recent new purchases was to swap it with a domed sapphire, therefore, scratch is not any more a concern...for me, flat is just boring.

[dylanbooth78]

I think it adds another dimension / angle of interest. Especially the raised acrylic crystals as opposed to the domed sapphire....





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[ddm27]

Domed all the way for me. I actually was turned off the Pelagos completely purely because the crystal was so flat and flush!


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[ASW1]

Dome adds warmth but does compromise readability. I like them.

http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...enic-Breitling

[Andrew S]

Domed

[bedlam]

I've found that I get more reflection from a dome, but also greater legibility. The worst watch I have for legibility Is the Rolex GMT Master II which has a reflective, uncoated, flat sapphire.

Yeah, sapphire is bad for reflection and really needs AR coating.