Sapphire are REAL sapphire on rep?

[magagne]

Hi everybody,

I saw your forum so I decide to come aboard with you just after ordered my first rep. (a IWC Classic Mark XV with ETA 2824-2 and a sapphire crystal, at ~$228USD)

Let introduce myselft: I'm an analyst/programmer, a watch freak, my background and knowledge of watch is on different model and mvt, for example: Omega(moon), Sinn356(Valjoux 7750), Sinn142(Lemania 5100), Seiko(s) (7S26), Invicta 9937(ETA), military watch (with ETA mvt), etc. etc.

Ok, now, the point is. I saw a watch for sale here on this forum, it was a Replica Omega Broad arrow model with a LONG LONG deep scratch :shock: . This watch can be find on the web and the description of this model specify "FRONT GLASS: Domed Sapphire Glass". Well, my knowledge about sapphire is you CAN'T scratch a sapphire glass except with a diamond. A Sapphire can be chip, true, or shatered, but NOT sctachable.

So, folks, I need YOUR experiences here about replica watch, it looks to me that rep comes with a MINERAL crystal when they specify Sapphire, I'm wrong about this observation?


Thanks to highlight this for me!


p.s Sorry about my poor english.

 

[By-Tor]

Your watch is probably the Broad Arrow with domed mineral crystal. The one I have reviewed HERE.

Most high-end reps come with sapphire, but this doesn't. And I have never heard of a "domed sapphire".

 

[magagne]

Your watch is probably the Broad Arrow with domed mineral crystal. The one I have reviewed HERE.

Most high-end reps come with sapphire, but this doesn't. And I have never heard of a "domed sapphire".

Hi By-Tor:

I have a domed sapphire on my gen speedmaster moonwatch, and a domed sapphire is VERYYYYY expensif.

but, look here again folks, the description is specific:

http://www.ttwristwatch.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_81&products_id=173

I'm very perplex.

 

[seank]

Hello and welcome. Your observation is correct and wow did we have a discussion about this very subject some months ago. My suggestion to you is ask the dealer you choose to buy from if it is actually sapphire or hardened mineral glass. Some dealers like to substitute the term synthetic sapphire for mineral glass. With regards to being able to scratch sapphire, it is true that sapphire is the second hardest substance so a diamond should be the only thing to actually scratch sapphire.




Sean K

 

[TheTokyoKid]

I have domed sapphire on both my Orient Star and my Orient Royal.

You can scratch a sapphire crystal. Some things are hard enough. I scraped a watch (accidentally) into a stone wall and the sapphire scratched. Not deep, but it did scratch. You don't need a diamond, but you need something pretty hard. Some of the minerals in rock walls and concrete are hard enough to scratch sapphire. Pain in the ass... that watch has deep scratches in the case from the wall incident too.

 

[pugwash]

A few clarifications: Sapphire isn't the second-hardest substance, it's merely got a Mohs hardness of 9 to Diamond's 10. Silicon carbide (carborundum) can also scratch sapphire, and it is this what is used in artificial stone and simulated stone surfaces, like some outsides of buildings.

Sapphire is a corundum aka Aluminium Oxide (Al203), just like Ruby. The jewels in watches are rubies, sharing the chemical compound of Sapphire. Rubies and Sapphires for watches are both grown artificially, giving the name synthetic sapphire and synthetic ruby, even though both are 100% corundum. Natural sapphire and ruby contains far too many impurities to be useful in watches.

 

[magagne]

I have domed sapphire on both my Orient Star and my Orient Royal.

You can scratch a sapphire crystal. Some things are hard enough. I scraped a watch (accidentally) into a stone wall and the sapphire scratched. Not deep, but it did scratch. You don't need a diamond, but you need something pretty hard. Some of the minerals in rock walls and concrete are hard enough to scratch sapphire. Pain in the ass... that watch has deep scratches in the case from the wall incident too.

Sorry to hear that scratching a watch, is a bad bad thing, maybe worst than a mechanical mvt that stop working.

Somebody explain me that there's different quality in sapphire glass. Maybe that can explain why some domed sapphire can cost to $400 to $800 to replace (like Omega, etc) and other, in rep for example, that is sure, is a less quality. Well, my concern here is, I'm worry to buy a watch that is suppose to be sapphire (by the spec) but in reality, it is just a mineral glass. With gen, we are sure that what we pay for is what we get, but with rep, we can be rip. And who will test his watch (by scratching it with his keys) to be sure he got sapphire on his watch? If somebody tried that, please stand up please and share your "experience or maybe your BAD experience with all of us !

 

[pugwash]

Somebody explain me that there's different quality in sapphire glass.

Not really. There's a lot of different coatings, though.

 

[magagne]

Silicon carbide (carborundum) can also scratch sapphire, and it is this what is used in artificial stone and simulated stone surfaces, like some outsides of buildings.
...Sapphire is a corundum aka Aluminium Oxide (Al203)

Very useful comment, thank you, I didn't know that!!!!

So now, I just need to stay away from buildings to be sure I'll not damage my Omega that cost me a leg and an harm :lol:

 

[d4m.test]

Bienvenue magagne,au moins,je ne serai plus le seul de Montreal ou meme du Quebec.

 

[magagne]

Bienvenue magagne,au moins,je ne serai plus le seul de Montreal ou meme du Quebec.

Le monde est p'tit comme on dit dans notre jargon bien d'chez nous!!! :wink:

And say hello to all of you, you seam a nice group here.
I want to share my little anxiety, about to receive my first rep (IWC Mark XV), that I'm waiting for. Don't know if my 2,3 hundred box will give me more trouble than buying the real one (but used, of course). Anyway, if the rep is good, my next target is to purchase the SMP chrono, it look sooooo sweet.

V

 

[pugwash]

Il faut parler Anglais ici. Nous avons deja eu des problemes en parlant des autres langues.

(You've got to speak English here, we've already had problems with speaking other languages)

 

[magagne]

Il faut parler Anglais ici. Nous avons deja eu des problemes en parlant des autres langues.

(You've got to speak English here, we've already had problems with speaking other languages)

No problem, I can understand that.

 

[butterfly]

Magagne,

You've come to the right site. Just keep asking and searching. You will be enlightened.

Welcome!

 

[piratedzeus]

Scratched a gen with saphire with my wall here by trying to get some stuff behind my wardrobe

 

[d4m.test]

Chokjai mot loi.......I saw that avatar and thought what the hell am I posting about...... :lol:

 

[pirvan]

You can buy a diamond tester on the bay, I have one from a Canadian dealer

IWC ingeneur AMG chrono:



Big bang:



(sorry for this bad pic )

 

[magagne]

Scratched a gen with saphire with my wall here by trying to get some stuff behind my wardrobe

What was your watch? A gen broad arrow?

 

[piratedzeus]

Scratched a gen with saphire with my wall here by trying to get some stuff behind my wardrobe

What was your watch? A gen broad arrow?

A Junghans, german brand.

 

[magagne]

You can buy a diamond tester on the bay, I have one from a Canadian dealer

IWC ingeneur AMG chrono:



Big bang:



(sorry for this bad pic )

So with level = 8, you can conclude that the glass is "near" to be a diamond grade, and conclude the glass IS a sapphire.

Did you test other rep watch and got bad result on SAPPHIRE glass, well my question is, all sapphire have the same resistance ?


V