5508 Sub




5500 Gilt Explorer




1665 SD


5513 Sub


94010 Sub


5508 & SM 300


SM 300


and this don't happen.......


M

 

They're special, for sure!

 

Love a glass dome with a cyclops on a 6605 DJ from 1959.

 

I went to some trouble with this acrylic Cristal but thanks to Al, happy ending!
So I decided to make her a new strap for the good news!

 

I'll go.

 

NOT when they do what one did for me, yesterday! Newly serviced Rolex 16031, cased, and placed in the water tester. Pumped up the pressure, left it for five minutes, immersed the watch in water, released the air pressure, and PHOOMPH! The crystal exploded, filling the newly serviced movement with water! Unbeknownst to me, there was a 300° crack around the crystal behind the bezel where I couldn't see it! The entire flat center surface of the crystal exploded out, leaving the perimeter of the crystal firmly in place behind the bezel! No damage. I had the movement dismantled and in the heat dryer within 30 minutes, with a complete servicing, again! I had a new crystal on hand. Fitted it, replace the crown and gasket ( without movement), and tested it again. No problem. Oh, I hate it when things like that happen!

 

I'm on the fence. I went sapphire with my Speedy because every time I went and looked at them they had marks on the crystal.

 

Bergeon or Calypso? I had a Calypso but I've used the Bergeon also.

Just a suggestion - in the short time I used this type of tester (could not wait to get rid of it for this specific reason), I ran the entire cycle of pressurize, time at pressure, and depressurize with the watch suspended above the water line first. If the crystal was going to let go, at least the watch didn't get completely flooded. If the crystal stayed in place, then I would run the test a second time submerging it in water.

Better yet is a proper dry testing machine, but I realize that's likely not practical for you at this stage, as they are a lot of money and would take a fair number of years to pay for themselves.

Cheers, Al

 

You likes domes? I'll give you some domed plexy!

 

Bergeon. It was my stupidity! I was testing this watch with the movement in place, which I know better than to do! After replacing the crystal and gasket, fitting the crown, and testing it again, it was fine. Serviced the movement again, to eliminate the water. Better it should happen here, rather than when it is back with the owner who lives in a rural area.

 

Man does not live by plastics alone! Behold the mighty crystal!


or you can solder your tempered glass in!






okay, yes I've been silly now..... I love the durability of the damned acrylics.

That's especially hard for me to say as I'm an engineer for an automotive lighting company and acrylic lenses are my friggin life these days!

 

There may be a bit of a misconception about the durability of synthetic sapphire crystals! They definitely are more resistant to scratching than either acrylic or tempered mineral crystals. While shattering doesn't happen often, as can be seen in this thread, they can be broken! Perhaps the most significant negative to a sapphire crystal, is the cost of replacing a damaged one!

 

Wackmann and speedie. A little toothpaste and elbow grease and the are brand new.

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