Gentlemen I'm new to the game of collecting vintage timepieces and would appreciate some guidance. What is the advisable route in this scenario: vintage speedmaster from the 70's with chipped mineral glass. Should I: a) Pass and wait for a watch with no chips in the crystal. b) Buy the watch and replace the crystal right away! c) Unless it is something really bad, just keep it as it is ... it adds charm (?) to a vintage timepiece. Any thoughts?
Hmm this is a good question. I dislike chips in the glass, and I would probably have the glass changed and save the old one. But I think it comes down to what you prefer. If you don't mind it, just leave it as it is
Replacement crytals can be easily found so as long as the rest of the watch is good, I would say go for the watch. Whether you should replace the crystal depends on the severity of the chips but a new crystal can breathe new life into the watch.
Replacement is easy / cheap. A watchmaker worth his weight in gold can also polish it out, thus keeping the original crystal with the watch, which has become somewhat fashionable of late. Edit : I have by no means an extensive watch collection, but in servicing a number of different vintage omega's and seikos from the 60's/70's, all of them are plexi-like, and the most expensive crystal replaced cost about $35 and it was for a speedy (new price is about $50). The Seiko's were slightly cheaper. Some of the crystals were polished instead of replaced, and that came at no extra-cost (i.e. it was dealt with as part of the service). Naturally there are exceptions and special cases, naturally YMMV...and naturally mineral glass / sapphire etc is a different ballgame...
I don't think too many would polish out a chip in a mineral glass unless the type of mineral glass (faceted or otherwise oddly shaped) is hard to source. For a Speedmaster I'd say just change it to a new one.
Seeing as you mention 70's Speedmaster, just be aware if it's for a Mk.2 they can be quite pricey to replace. Not crazy money but certainly nothing like a regular mineral.
It is not always easy or cheap . If the from is standard, (round, no or small bevel, stays in place with a I or L gasket), OK sure. If it is beveled/faceted, UV-glued in a steel part for a monobloc case like in a vintage Seiko LM... I'd like to see a guy changing it properly for 5 bucks. Research the technology of the watch casing before buying it. A good example of the problems that can arise are the vintage Seikos or Citizens of the 60s-70: lots of forms and various technical solutions, sometimes only a original crystal can be used, sometimes a generic is a direct fit even if the profile can be different, sometimes you can have a mineral crystal cut to size by special order, sometimes you reuse an original part (steel ring or bezel) and adapt a generic crystal. For some Citizen divers (flat top, curved on the inside), I think some modern copies exist. Also, sometimes, you are stuck and can't do exactly as the original... It can be a good idea to check the availability of spare crystals beforehand. Hopefully a Speedmaster should not be a big problem.
These two are currently on the back burner waiting for me to arrange replacement (high dome, faceted) glasses. Speedmasters are low cost, by comparison, and available off the shelf. I would never be put off by a chipped glass, whether it's hesalite, mineral glass (I take it you're looking at one of the "marks" ?), or sapphire. Just change your price accordingly if it's going to have an impact.
I think they meant generic... With respect to Seiko/Citizen replacement crystals, the challenge can more in finding the correct part number for your model than in finding the crystal itself. I’ve found that most parts suppliers have a good stock of generic mineral glass crystals to fit Japanese watches, but without the part number you are SOL. gatorcpa
That would be my suggestion. Although I don’t believe they will sell parts in the US (unless you are an authorized repair facility), their factory service is reasonably priced if they have the parts. gatorcpa
In France/Europe, they even sell parts to regular customers through their boutiques, it should be a regional policy. I would not hurt to go ask in your nearest Seiko boutique.
Thanks for all the feedback. Answering the question, I'm talking about Speedmasters from the 70's (Mark II and 4.5).
Can anyone advise whether (and how) scratches in the mineral glass on this Seiko can be buffed out or softened? As the bezel sits higher than the crystal, getting to the edges of the crystal might be difficult without removing the bezel but even if I can soften the scratches closer to the centre that would help.
From my research, a dremel + diamond polish paste can do the job. That being said, it seems that crystals for Seikos can be easily sourced.