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Thread: Sapphire vs acrylic

  1. #101
    Master TheGent's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Boxsash View Post
    A couple more for comparison. The prs 29a is acrylic and the rolly flat sapphire.


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    Fantastic collection!


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  2. #102
    Grand Master markrlondon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheGent View Post
    I’ve noticed over the last openings that lots of models are shown as sold out after the shop closes, but then end up showing as in stock again a few days/weeks afterwards. Think it must be a software thing.
    I rather think it's an Eddie thing. ;-)

    Shopify only knows how much is in stock because a number is entered by Eddie.

    When new stock comes in from the manufacturer then Eddie can of course add it to the Shopify stock for sale but furthermore he doesn't even need to release every item of his existing pjysical stock for sale as far as Shopify is concerned at the same time in order to be fully occupied with despatch.
    Last edited by markrlondon; 28th November 2021 at 15:56.

  3. #103
    Quote Originally Posted by Boxsash View Post
    Here’s a comparison of two acrylic crystals. One domed and one flat. The domed still has a milky ring.


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    Very nice… the incipio must have been a hard one to find. Interesting with the acrylic, also has its own milky ring then.

  4. #104
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    I bought one Incipio homage and it has a replacement flat crystal. I wanted to try the original domed crystal version. What surprised me was the way the flat crystal makes the dial appear wider and clearer. I so wanted to prefer the domed acrylic but just prefer the flatter version on the wrist. Yes they were made as a limited edition run for a magazine in Japan so there are not many around. For me I think tase are the best 1016 explorer homages around.....sorry Eddie.

  5. #105
    The incipio has that zeno explorer look


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  6. #106
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    Yes I see what you mean about being like the zeno. What I like is the incipio has a thinner case. Very close to the oyster case profile. The zeno has quite a chunky case as I recall.





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  7. #107
    Administrator swanbourne's Avatar
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    If they's had sapphire crystals in the 1950s, they would have used them.

    Eddie
    Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".

  8. #108
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    If they's had sapphire crystals in the 1950s, they would have used them.

    Eddie
    To be fair if they’d had quartz in the 1950s they’d have used that, too. Mechanical watches are old (some might say obsolete) technology so an equally outdated choice of Crystal seems to be fitting.

  9. #109
    Quote Originally Posted by swanbourne View Post
    If they's had sapphire crystals in the 1950s, they would have used them.

    Eddie
    For outdoor watches that can banged about in factories or whatever , surely acrylic more appropriate for watches with the outdoors in mind

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  10. #110
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    The whole concept of a mechanical watch in an age of wearables, iWatches, etc. is anachronistic.

    I personally struggle with the idea of vintage-inspired watches/recreations of vintages pieces/whatever the correct terminology being ‘updated’ to use slightly less out-of-date, period incorrect materials. It renders the piece neither an accurate recreation of the original nor a modern re-imagining. For me, and I know that I am in the minority here! , rule of thumb is that if the ‘source’ watch had an acrylic crystal, then so should the remake/hommage/etc - otherwise it just won’t look right. This gets more true the older the original piece is.
    Last edited by Neil.Ldn; 1st December 2021 at 11:16.

  11. #111
    Personally acrylic v sapphire i take on a watch by watch basis , but a 36mm watch hsirorically aimed at outside pursuits seems to be a lot nicer on acrylic.

    But sales are sales, this is a business and not enough people are buying acrylic

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  12. #112
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    Sorry, I do not buy the "shouldn't update the specification " argument, we'd be left with poor wr, useless lume etc etc.
    I like a vintage inspired watch, but i like to wear them too, so most things in the spec that makes it better or tougher are fine by me, sapphire included. Eddie's sales seem to agree with me.

  13. #113
    Yeah to be fair they went up Everest and on expeditions in them then, now we go to Costa

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  14. #114
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    I think the crystal is such an important part of the aesthetics of a watch, and acrylic really does have a look of its own. A large part of the way a vintage watches look the way it does is because of the crystal.
    Ia it a better material? Yes and no (impact vs scratch resistance) but either way - there is no way of replicating the specific look of acrylic. Personally, I would choose it every time.


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  15. #115
    Grand Master abraxas's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheGent View Post
    I think the crystal is such an important part of the aesthetics of a watch, and acrylic really does have a look of its own. A large part of the way a vintage watches look the way it does is because of the crystal.
    Ia it a better material? Yes and no (impact vs scratch resistance) but either way - there is no way of replicating the specific look of acrylic. Personally, I would choose it every time.
    The thickness of the acrylic matters too. If I remember correctly the acrylic of the 1016 was thicker than the acrylic of the no-date Air King. There is nothing worse than thin and cheap acrylic.

  16. #116
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    Quote Originally Posted by abraxas View Post
    The thickness of the acrylic matters too. If I remember correctly the acrylic of the 1016 was thicker than the acrylic of the no-date Air King. There is nothing worse than thin and cheap acrylic.
    Yes that’s true as well.


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  17. #117
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    I totally agree. The acrylic is such a big factor in the ‘look’ of vintage inspired models. Yes, sapphire is stronger but heck I’ve never had any problem with an acrylic watch crystal and they can still be used in space!!

    I understand why Eddie wants to stop making them. It’s just the numbers and that’s ok.


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  18. #118
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil.Ldn View Post
    The whole concept of a mechanical watch in an age of wearables, iWatches, etc. is anachronistic.

    I personally struggle with the idea of vintage-inspired watches/recreations of vintages pieces/whatever the correct terminology being ‘updated’ to use slightly less out-of-date, period incorrect materials. It renders the piece neither an accurate recreation of the original nor a modern re-imagining. For me, and I know that I am in the minority here! , rule of thumb is that if the ‘source’ watch had an acrylic crystal, then so should the remake/hommage/etc - otherwise it just won’t look right. This gets more true the older the original piece is.
    I understand your point....At the end of the day everyone can just do what they think best......a win win....... If you like acrylic, just replace with acrylic. I've replaced many , both with acrylic and the other way round.....

  19. #119
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil.Ldn View Post
    The whole concept of a mechanical watch in an age of wearables, iWatches, etc. is anachronistic.

    I personally struggle with the idea of vintage-inspired watches/recreations of vintages pieces/whatever the correct terminology being ‘updated’ to use slightly less out-of-date, period incorrect materials. It renders the piece neither an accurate recreation of the original nor a modern re-imagining. For me, and I know that I am in the minority here! , rule of thumb is that if the ‘source’ watch had an acrylic crystal, then so should the remake/hommage/etc - otherwise it just won’t look right. This gets more true the older the original piece is.
    100% agree with this.

  20. #120
    Interesting topic, I understand where some of you are coming from but I don’t agree with the thought process of some.

    Could someone make a poll on here? asking what people prefer. Sapphire or plexi. Would be interesting to see the results. Seems like the majority want acrylic.


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  21. #121
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    I'm generally a fan of acrylic, maybe because it's unusual on modern watches. Just don't switch to mineral crystal - that's worse than either.

  22. #122
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    A poll might be interesting, but the one that matters is what started the thread. Eddie has been accommodating enough to make an acrylic version, and it hardly sold.
    For his business, that's the poll that matters.

  23. #123
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    Quote Originally Posted by sweets View Post
    A poll might be interesting, but the one that matters is what started the thread.
    This.

    Its fine to carry on discussing and ruminating but I dont think any one should be under the illusion that there is going to be a change in strategy as regards the TF range.

  24. #124
    Quote Originally Posted by Velorum View Post
    This.

    Its fine to carry on discussing and ruminating but I dont think any one should be under the illusion that there is going to be a change in strategy as regards the TF range.
    No I’m not under any illusion that Eddie will change the line to acrylic.

    I agree and I am one of the ones who would choose sapphire over acrylic with Eddie’s Everest/commando watches. I guess it is only a handful of buyers who are on the forum, I saw a poll elsewhere asking the same question. If you could only have one watch would you choose sapphire or acrylic and the majority (90%) chose sapphire.

    It’s a little like Lorier, they produce watches only with acrylic but in reviews and in comments I often see people mentioning it or asking for sapphire etc. Things like if only it had sapphire I’d buy it. Or I like the acrylic but I’d rather sapphire. I own a Lorier hydra v1 that I’ve worn since 2019. My most worn watch and the acrylic has held up. It’s scratched up a lot and I’ve used polywatch once or twice but I don’t see the need anymore. The scratches don’t detract from the watch. And I’d buy another watch with acrylic if it only came as such. As Eddie has been making watches with sapphire for so long now, most will see it as a downgrade. Lorier started with it and have stuck to it so it’s a little different.

    As others have done and said, modding is easy enough if it’s something someone really wants.
    Last edited by theflyingfisherman; 3rd December 2021 at 09:47.

  25. #125
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    Quote Originally Posted by theflyingfisherman View Post
    As others have done and said, modding is easy enough if it’s something someone really wants.
    I’d say that is is partly true (as a voice of experience). An acrylic crystal can be fitted to the Everest cases, but as Eddie has pointed out, the case has been redesigned for the acrylic version he sells. I’m pretty certain that is to allow the crystal to sit at a better height and not too high as it did with my mod.
    So yes, you can mod an existing watch, but I think it’s better if the case is actually designed for the crystal type intended.

    Personally I would love to see the standard Everest with an acrylic crystal. It would be closer to the style of the 1016 is clearly pays homage to. But sales are sales and the Everest appears to be Eddie’s best selling watch ever - so from a business perspective I 100% adhere to the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ thinking.


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  26. #126
    Quote Originally Posted by TheGent View Post
    So yes, you can mod an existing watch, but I think it’s better if the case is actually designed for the crystal type intended.

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    That is true about the case being designed specifically for the crystal. Was that your reason for letting go of the acrylic mod you did? Because it was a little taller than you wanted?


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  27. #127
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    I am loving the commando sapphire to be honest, and having mused over an acrylic I thought it would be ok but invariably will give it too much of a dome profile which I think looks naff.

    I think the points made above about a reimagined watch should only have period correct materials is missing the point.

    I don’t see it as a vintage reboot at all, like I don’t see a new sub, explorer, chronomaster or whatever as a modern version of an old watch.

    ATEOTD no one bought the acrylic so it’s a niche within a niche, and the option to swap is there if you want it.

  28. #128
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    Quote Originally Posted by theflyingfisherman View Post
    That is true about the case being designed specifically for the crystal. Was that your reason for letting go of the acrylic mod you did? Because it was a little taller than you wanted?


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    Yes pretty much, it was like an add on rather than integrated into the case.


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  29. #129
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    Sapphire vs acrylic

    Quote Originally Posted by pete-r View Post
    I am loving the commando sapphire to be honest, and having mused over an acrylic I thought it would be ok but invariably will give it too much of a dome profile which I think looks naff.

    I think the points made above about a reimagined watch should only have period correct materials is missing the point.

    I don’t see it as a vintage reboot at all, like I don’t see a new sub, explorer, chronomaster or whatever as a modern version of an old watch.

    ATEOTD no one bought the acrylic so it’s a niche within a niche, and the option to swap is there if you want it.
    I agree - it’s a modern piece, and sapphire would be perfect if it was a shape that didn’t give the milky ring effect. For those who can’t see it or don’t mind it, happy days.

    The moonwatch trades on the vintage vibe of the acrylic crystal and I guess Omega sells more of those vs the sapphire version. The continuity of production helps the cause I think.

    If Rolex (who never would) relaunched the 1016 with an acrylic and sapphire option I’m 99% sure they would sell more of the sapphire as acrylic is a niche - agreed.

    For those of us who love acrylic, nothing will replace it. But we’ are in the minority.
    Last edited by TheGent; 3rd December 2021 at 11:30.

  30. #130
    Indeed , as Eddie's sales demonstrate.

    I'm an acrylic guy certainly for a watch range that is for playing out and is homage to expeditions of old

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  31. #131
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    I have tried to love the Everest but in the end, I couldn't get past the thick glass, so I moved on. Some people seem to love it, good for them. I would love to get an acrylic PRS-29 but unfortunately, as the song says you can't always get what you want.

    I enjoy the watches I like and leave the others for somebody else. I can barely buy half the watches I would like to have, so that's a relief in a way.

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