Reply With QuoteI like the way hesalite glass looks on speedmaster.
I had read about the differences before but came across this video and found it worth sharing. Apologies if it has been posted before.
I like the way hesalite glass looks on speedmaster.
Interesting stuff; thanks.Originally Posted by FK77
Hopefully I can get to view both alongside each other at some point!
Listened to it, got bored half-way through. Could've summed up the acrylic vs sapphire debate in 30 seconds! A bit long-winded to say the least.
For me, it’s hesalite all the way. Certainly on a Speedmaster, and even on other watches too.
Sorry for wasting 4 minutes of your time
And miss the opportunity to (re)use your carrot and mountain analogy, such a shame for us all.
I thought it was interesting, thanks for posting it.
Also found it interesting, thanks.
These Watchfinder videos remind me of Fingerbobs (anyone old enough?) - like the 2 Speedies were reading the script to camera.
Just me then...I’ll get my coat.
Good post OP, I'm considering a Speedy Pro or a FOIS so this was worth a look.
16k posts, are they all like that!? Lighten up.
FFS, I didn`t say it wasn`t interesting or worth posting, I merely made the point that it was very long-winded!
Acrylic v. sapphire: One will scratch easily but won`t fail in a catastrophic manner if it received a heavy blow, one will resist scratches very well but is prone to chipping around the edges. One is easy to repolish, the other near-impossible. One costs a lot more to replace than the other too!
There, typed it out in under 1 minute....including the joined-up thinking!
I have a couple of Speedies with hesalite crystal. Wouldn’t mind replacing one with a sapphire model at some point, hence my interest in the subject.
To be fair, I have seen some informative posts from him. IIRC, he is a watchmaker which would explain why he found this comparison boring. My own response to him was just a lighthearted one, pretending to have taken his comment to heart.
Would have watched it but the advert sits halfway across so there is no point!
https://youtu.be/R21hgz-A7JY
Thank you FK77. For me it was interesting as i did not get the reason for the 'band ' around the dial with the crystal. Now i do, it is the crystal thickness.
Always preferred the hesalite.
The condition of my hesalite makes me wish I had sapphire. Maybe when it's time for service I can get it swapped for sapphire. What do you think? If I could go back in time I would get sapphire with the see through case back. Either way I would always buy the seamster clasp for on the fly adjustment.
That crystal could be repolished to look like new in approx 15 minutes.The condition of my hesalite makes me wish I had sapphire. Maybe when it's time for service I can get it swapped for sapphire. What do you think? If I could go back in time I would get sapphire with the see through case back. Either way I would always buy the seamster clasp for on the fly adjustment.
What Paul said - being able to polish scratches out is one of my favourite things about Hesalite (as well as the lovely old-school distortion you get round the edges of the dial). I've had good results from gentle rubbing with a tiny dab of liquid Brasso to get rid of the scratches, followed by a more energetic polish with a small amount of toothpaste to smooth things out. Decent outcome for ten minutes' work...
While I wouldn't mind a clear caseback on my Speedy, I think the Hesalite is an integral part of the overall aesthetic.
Acrylic crystals are quite thick, there's plenty of meat to go at if they get deep scratches, but there's a right and wrong way to do it. Fine wet and dry paper wrapped around a flat rubber block is the way to go (a pencil eraser's fine) and various grades of wet and dry paper from 1500 grade up to 5000 grade. Using a flat block gives a levelling effect, that takes the surface down to the bottom of the scratch in the most efficient manner as opposed to using polish on the end of a rag! Once you've got your head around this concept it becomes obvious that its the best way to tackle it, same applies to polishing scratches out of metal.
It'll look much worse before it looks better! The crystal will acquire an even opacity, which will develop back to a smooth finish as the finer grades of paper are used. I used to finish off with 3000 then use metal polish and finally polywatch, but now I use 5000 grade prior to polishing. It doesn`t make much difference. I`ll usually use 1500, 2000, 3000, 5000, you can skip a grade but it's easier this way.
The metal polishing and polywatch stages can be done using a soft cloth, at this stage all the scratches should be gone and you're only removing the very fine scratches left by the abrasive paper.
Always mask off adjacent areas of the watch, insulating tape's fine and if it leaves a sticky residue that'll come off with a dab of white spirit on a cloth.
The whole process can be completed in 15-20 minutes, just be sure there are no cracks in the glass before starting, it's infuriating to spend time polishing an old crystal only to find a tiny crack in it!
Finally NEVER try this process on a mineral glass or sapphire crystal! NEVER be tempted to try polishing an acrylic crystal with a dremel or similar, it's all too easy to soften the surface and end up with the polish embedded in the plastic. If that happens you'll need the wet and dry paper to get it out!
None of this is rocket science. It's easier refinishing a crystal when its out of the watch but it can be done just as well with the crystal in place. It's worth getting the right materials together rather than mess around with tooth paste, T cut or Brasso.
[QUOTE=Chairman LMAO;4943472
16k posts, are they all like that!? Lighten up.[/QUOTE]
Does this post meet your standards, Chairman?
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