Steeldive Watches - UK based outlet launched

**Mitch** · 3rd August 2020, 16:24

Originally Posted by sickie

I bought the Halios Puck version as a tester before I commit to looking for the real & I have to say it's actually pretty well made.
Quite solid & running just fine at around +7 seconds a day. What I don't like is they say it has a Sapphire crystal but I can tell you for certain it's not.
If I decide to keep it I will probably buy a Domed Sapphire crystal for it.

Either way it's cheap and cheerful so I'm happy with it.

How did you test the crystal?

I did the water drop test on Steeldive crystal and it showed up as sapphire.

Mitch

**Bry1975** · 4th August 2020, 02:09

**Neil.C** · 4th August 2020, 13:22

Originally Posted by Bry1975

How does that work Bry?

Just tests the relative hardness between sapphire and mineral I guess?

**sickie** · 4th August 2020, 14:53

Maybe it's sapphire coated but that's about it in my opinion.
For starts it's just a dull looking crystal & I have to wipe it 4 or 5 times a day to keep it clear (no I don't do anything messy or mucky to get it this way)
Like most of you I have quite a collection & have owned probably over 50 watches over a long time & other than acrylic crystals (sometimes) I have never cleaned a crystal so much.
So in my opinion they are not Sapphire. Who know's maybe I got one that wasn't fitted with one if they ran short on a batch but like I said I'm happy with it for the money & if I decide to keep it I will fit a Domed Sapphire.

Originally Posted by Mitch

How did you test the crystal?

I did the water drop test on Steeldive crystal and it showed up as sapphire.

Mitch

Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app

**Bry1975** · 4th August 2020, 15:16

Measures the crystal-gemstones heat conduction rate.

**Mr Tetley** · 4th August 2020, 15:22

Originally Posted by sickie

Maybe it's sapphire coated but that's about it in my opinion.
For starts it's just a dull looking crystal & I have to wipe it 4 or 5 times a day to keep it clear (no I don't do anything messy or mucky to get it this way)
Like most of you I have quite a collection & have owned probably over 50 watches over a long time & other than acrylic crystals (sometimes) I have never cleaned a crystal so much.
So in my opinion they are not Sapphire. Who know's maybe I got one that wasn't fitted with one if they ran short on a batch but like I said I'm happy with it for the money & if I decide to keep it I will fit a Domed Sapphire.

Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app

I have a Tissot with a flat sapphire and I regularly have to wipe it so I’m not sure if this is a great way of differentiating. Of course I could be wrong.

Maybe someone could test the hardness to confirm either way?

**sickie** · 4th August 2020, 15:56

Their are so many fake Tissot watches out there I would of either taken it back & exchanged it if you bought it from an official dealer. But if it was eBay or some such place it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't real.

Originally Posted by Mr Tetley

I have a Tissot with a flat sapphire and I regularly have to wipe it so I’m not sure if this is a great way of differentiating. Of course I could be wrong.

Maybe someone could test the hardness to confirm either way?

Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app

**Mr Tetley** · 4th August 2020, 20:15

Originally Posted by sickie

Their are so many fake Tissot watches out there I would of either taken it back & exchanged it if you bought it from an official dealer. But if it was eBay or some such place it wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't real.

Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app

It’s 100% genuine. Bought from a local AD who ordered it directly. Sapphire crystals are not immune to finger prints/smudges. Black dials and flat sapphires will just show them up more than domed and light coloured dials.

**Bry1975** · 4th August 2020, 20:41

Fyi a hardened steel screw or razor blade will scratch mineral glass but not sapphire-corundum with no ar exterior coating.

**sickie** · 4th August 2020, 21:07

Tested. And I hold my hands up

I couldn't scratch it with a razor blade so maybe it is sapphire after all.
I pressed as hard as I could & scraped all over & nothing. Not even a hair line mark.

Gonna try with a hard screw tomorrow

Still going to replace it tho. But yes assuming it beats the screw I will 100% eat humble pie.

Originally Posted by Bry1975

Fyi a hardened steel screw or razor blade will scratch mineral glass but not sapphire-corundum with no ar exterior coating.

Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app

**stevecross** · 4th August 2020, 15:39

Originally Posted by sickie

Maybe it's sapphire coated but that's about it in my opinion.
For starts it's just a dull looking crystal & I have to wipe it 4 or 5 times a day to keep it clear (no I don't do anything messy or mucky to get it this way)
Like most of you I have quite a collection & have owned probably over 50 watches over a long time & other than acrylic crystals (sometimes) I have never cleaned a crystal so much.
So in my opinion they are not Sapphire. Who know's maybe I got one that wasn't fitted with one if they ran short on a batch but like I said I'm happy with it for the money & if I decide to keep it I will fit a Domed Sapphire.

Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app

I recall buying a Phoibos watch and that had a sapphire crystal but exactly as you said it was very dull and the same had to keep wiping it, I returned the watch but often wondered why it was so dull and murky when looking at the watch dial. Maybe you have answered my question, thanks

**Mitch** · 4th August 2020, 16:38

Originally Posted by sickie

Maybe it's sapphire coated but that's about it in my opinion.
For starts it's just a dull looking crystal & I have to wipe it 4 or 5 times a day to keep it clear (no I don't do anything messy or mucky to get it this way)
Like most of you I have quite a collection & have owned probably over 50 watches over a long time & other than acrylic crystals (sometimes) I have never cleaned a crystal so much.
So in my opinion they are not Sapphire. Who know's maybe I got one that wasn't fitted with one if they ran short on a batch but like I said I'm happy with it for the money & if I decide to keep it I will fit a Domed Sapphire.

Sent from my SM-N960F using TZ-UK mobile app

I did the fingernail 'ping' test and compared it to a mineral crystal and a known sapphire crystal, it still came out as sapphire. Mind you, younger ears might have been better!

Mitch

**snowman** · 4th August 2020, 16:48

Originally Posted by sickie

Maybe it's sapphire coated but that's about it in my opinion.
For starts it's just a dull looking crystal & I have to wipe it 4 or 5 times a day to keep it clear (no I don't do anything messy or mucky to get it this way)
Like most of you I have quite a collection & have owned probably over 50 watches over a long time & other than acrylic crystals (sometimes) I have never cleaned a crystal so much.
So in my opinion they are not Sapphire. Who know's maybe I got one that wasn't fitted with one if they ran short on a batch but like I said I'm happy with it for the money & if I decide to keep it I will fit a Domed Sapphire.

I suspect the difference you've seen is more down to AR coatings on different brands than Sapphire or not.

My Breitling looks as though it has no crystal at all, but other watches (Sinns, for example) are more prone to marking. I didn't buy those from eBay, before you ask...

I'm not sure, either, how you're going to guarantee your Domed Sapphire will be any more authentic...

M

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