Damasko Sapphire Crystal scratch - suggestions?

CameronD · Sep 9, 2021

Hi Everyone -

Somehow, I scratched the sapphire on my Damasko DSub1. There is no AR coating on the outside of the sapphire.v( I was wrong - there was AR coating on the outside of the Sapphire glass - the Ad informed that there was none)

Watchmann in Michigan (The AD) can replace the crystal for $150 plus shipping. Since it is a dive watch, my first choice would be to see if I could somehow buff out the scratches. (see the photograph - at 2 and at 10.)

Any suggestions as to the best method and /or material to attempt this?

Thank you in advance.

rcs914 · Sep 10, 2021

*edit* The below info is wrong - definitely possible to fix it as illustrated further down.

That is definitely annoying! Had to have been a pretty hard hit to scratch sapphire. As for buffing it out - I don't think you will find that to be particularly easy to do. Buffing a regular mineral crystal is a pain - polishing sapphire is nigh on impossible. First of all a sapphire crystal is more likely to break or chip than scratch typically - so polishing it, even with diamond paste, could make the scratch worse because it is hard and brittle - more could chip off.

Ultimately how much is your time worth? You could remove the bezel and try with a polishing wheel and paste, but my guess is that you will still end up in about the same place. I'd probably either live with it, or cough up the $150 to replace. I'd probably try to wait till it needs to be serviced as well and try to combine the two.

Archer · Sep 11, 2021

rcs914
That is definitely annoying! Had to have been a pretty hard hit to scratch sapphire. As for buffing it out - I don't think you will find that to be particularly easy to do. Buffing a regular mineral crystal is a pain - polishing sapphire is nigh on impossible. First of all a sapphire crystal is more likely to break or chip than scratch typically - so polishing it, even with diamond paste, could make the scratch worse because it is hard and brittle - more could chip off.

Polishing a sapphire crystal with diamond paste won't cause anything to chip off or make the scratch worse - I've done it may times.

rcs914 · Sep 11, 2021

Archer
Polishing a sapphire crystal with diamond paste won't cause anything to chip off or make the scratch worse - I've done it may times.

Thanks Al! Good to know.

CameronD · Sep 12, 2021

Archer
Polishing a sapphire crystal with diamond paste won't cause anything to chip off or make the scratch worse - I've done it may times.

Many thanks. I bought some Polywatch for Sapphire crystals and it did the trick. Funny thing is: I wrote Greg from Watchmann (Damasko AD from whom I purchased the watch) and he said that the Dsub 1 did not have AR coating on the outside of the crystal and suggested a crystal replacement. He was mistaken. (The Dsub1 has AR coating on both sides of the crystal) So, in one action I removed the scratches and the AR coating. (Damasko double coats the AR - on most of their watches - interior and exterior). The watch looks like new.

CameronD · Sep 12, 2021

rcs914
That is definitely annoying! Had to have been a pretty hard hit to scratch sapphire. As for buffing it out - I don't think you will find that to be particularly easy to do. Buffing a regular mineral crystal is a pain - polishing sapphire is nigh on impossible. First of all a sapphire crystal is more likely to break or chip than scratch typically - so polishing it, even with diamond paste, could make the scratch worse because it is hard and brittle - more could chip off.

Ultimately how much is your time worth? You could remove the bezel and try with a polishing wheel and paste, but my guess is that you will still end up in about the same place. I'd probably either live with it, or cough up the $150 to replace. I'd probably try to wait till it needs to be serviced as well and try to combine the two.

I tried the diamond paste method (Polywatch) and it took all of ten-minutes to remove the scratches and exterior AR coating. The $150 cost was not a big deal - it is actually closer to to $210 when you factor in FEDEX shipping to and from Ann Arbor, Michigan - the home base for Watchmann. (Damasko AD) I had nothing to loose if the Polywatch Diamond paste did not work. Thankfully it did. Thanks for your thoughts.

Damasko Sapphire Crystal scratch - suggestions?

CameronD

rcs914

Archer

rcs914

CameronD

CameronD

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