SMP GMT Crystal explodes overnight???

[d4m.test]

This is about the strangest watch related thing Ive ever had happen... Some time last night between about midnight and 9am this morning the SMP GMT that I posted about yesterday exploded. LITERALLY. The watch was sitting on my desk, away from anything, away from the edges of the desk with no one else in the house.
I set the watch with the US Atomic clock around 11:30 and went to bed... all was fine.
I pick up the watch this morning to see how it did through the night and the crystal is completely shattered.
I pulled the movement and it seems to be running fine.
I have never seen this happen before... A crystal spontaneously combusting?
Oh well, my brother was on his way over here today to watch the Indy 500 and pick up his new watch. I wonder which one of mine he is going to walk off with???
Anyone need some parts?
T

 

[d4m.test]

Seriously, if anyone needs a case, bracelet or movement/dial/hands let me know... Im not going to do anything with these parts.
Just let me know and pay postage, the parts are free.

 

[KBH]

I can't pass that up. I have the same one from WBK. I'd love it

 

[pcsam]

i will have the parts off you mate ill take the lot if you don't mind .ill pay postage and will also donate a few $ to RWI as well :mrgreen:

 

[KBH]

I'll even pass on the rest of the parts that I don't use.

 

[tenshin2002]

Thats really weird! Never seen anything like it!

 

[d4m.test]

Ok guys, the parts were claimed via PM about 2.5 seconds after I made the post. The parts will be on their way to Sconehead in the UK.
And a very generous offer has been made by another member to replace the watch for my brother. Now the logistics of getting it here in 3 days...
Thank you RWI!
T

 

[KBH]

Couldn't go to a better guy. And a very generous offer from CBR.

 

[sconehead]

Thanks CBR, donation made to the forum on your behalf...

 

[d4m.test]

Thank you Sconehead... That is very much appreciated by the forum and I.
Its all cleaned up and the movement is back in the watch. If you have a crystal, she will be ready to have it pressed in. Otherwise, youve got some parts to play with!
T

 

[ThinkBachs]

 

[ABC123]

Very strange....

 

[fakemaster]

It was the energy from your atomic clock obsession.

 

[trailboss99]

That's CBR for you, generous to a T.
Dude, that has to be the strangest thing I have ever seen. You got ghosts?
And hey yeah, it's Indy time!

Col.

 

[BlueRod37]

could it be possible that some Aliens are trying to comunicate through wtaches ??


[smilie=alien.gif] [smilie=alien.gif] [smilie=alien.gif] [smilie=alien.gif]

ok i'm leaving

 

[carnut]

Had to be a pressure difference- probaby started in the air on the way to you, then the slight vibrations in the watch caused the cracks to expand.

 

[frankt8242]

Actually quite common on Panerai 47mm >>>

127's and 217's...Especially on mineral crystals...Mine broke with the same fracture pattern about a year ago...Many threads about it on Panny forum areas...

 

[PHicks]

Back when I was studying for my mechanical engineering degree (over 35 years ago!) we had a lecture about the strength of ceramics. Apparently, from a purely theoretical perspective, ceramics (which include glass of course) have a huge tensile strength. In practice we know otherwise; you can't bend glass. Further research discovered that ceramics have microscopic cracks present. Once these cracks achieve a critical crack length they will fail with a very small load; in fact the failure occurs at the speed of sound. In the case of our watch crystal I would guess it was holding a considerable amount of stress. When one of the cracks slowly increased in length it achieved the critical length and BAM it shattered. Of course I could be wrong and maybe it was an Alien.

Back to my story; so some bright spark realized that if they could create a ceramic with no cracks (at least in the critical direction) then the theoretical strength could be obtained. A thin glass strand was created who's diameter was less than the critical crack length. The glass strand proved to be extremely flexible and achieved the theoretical strengths predicted.

We now call this fiberglass.

 

[R2D4]

Check out wholesale outlet on the bay. They have a single sided AR crystal to fit the SMP. I bet it would fit this watch. Problem is it's 70 bucks. I bought one to confirm it does fit the 2531 rep.

 

[jmd33]

I'm never fast enough on the replies - but he was VERY generous and gave it away (I would have bought it for parts - I need an Omega stem and crown for my GMT). Maybe next time. [but my wife already knows I spend WAY too much time here - I may have to move to Carlsbad when she dumps my ass for speding way too much time and money on watch porn]