What happened to this crystal?

Aroxx · Apr 14, 2023

I have this watch I purchased a long time ago and barely ever wore. At the time I liked the design but it's way too big at 44mm and all dial. It has sat in my watch box with all the others for years and has never seen water. Take a look what has developed on the inside of the crystal. Very strange. Figured maybe it would be fun to share and speculate. Just cheap/defective plastic? Any ideas?

I've been meaning to try and sell it for a long time because I will never wear it but this may make it unsellable. I considered trying to take it apart and "clean it off" myself but haven't gone for it yet. Figured I don't have much to lose if I destroy it. And please don't come at me with the "stealth for sale post" stuff. I would never sell this thing to you fine people. 😉

Foo2rama · Apr 14, 2023

Something etched the inside of the acrylic.

I think some volitile lubricants can do this.

should polish out though.

__ryan__ · Apr 14, 2023

Could be something growing in there? The dendritic patterning makes me think it's not a structural failure, like crazing. You say it's not been exposed to water, but there's moisture in the air and the gaskets may have failed?

Vercingetorix · Apr 14, 2023

That is to remind you of the fog Charles Lindbergh had to fly through on his way to Paris.

MRC · Apr 14, 2023

Aroxx
I have this watch I purchased a long time ago and barely ever wore. At the time I liked the design but it's way too big at 44mm and all dial. It has sat in my watch box with all the others for years and has never seen water. Take a look what has developed on the inside of the crystal. Very strange. Figured maybe it would be fun to share and speculate. Just cheap/defective plastic? Any ideas?

I've been meaning to try and sell it for a long time because I will never wear it but this may make it unsellable. I considered trying to take it apart and "clean it off" myself but haven't gone for it yet. Figured I don't have much to lose if I destroy it. And please don't come at me with the "stealth for sale post" stuff. I would never sell this thing to you fine people. 😉

Looks to me like the fungus that can grow in camera lenses that have absorbed a little moisture and fungus spores. I have some >40 yo lenses like that.

Aroxx · Apr 14, 2023

__ryan__
Could be something growing in there? The dendritic patterning makes me think it's not a structural failure, like crazing. You say it's not been exposed to water, but there's moisture in the air and the gaskets may have failed?

It's certainly possible. Thanks for teaching me a new word today. 😀

Aroxx · Apr 14, 2023

I just realized the obvious solution to my problem. I'll just list it as having a "Stunning dendritic patina on the crystal". 😁

Walrus · Apr 14, 2023

Aroxx
I just realized the obvious solution to my problem. I'll just list it as having a "Stunning dendritic patina on the crystal". 😁

They resemble snowflakes slightly maybe you could work that into the ad

ErichPryde · Apr 14, 2023

Walrus
They resemble snowflakes slightly maybe you could work that into the ad

"Ultra rare Snowflake dendrite"

Syrte · Apr 15, 2023

Aroxx
I just realized the obvious solution to my problem. I'll just list it as having a "Stunning dendritic patina on the crystal". 😁

Another very easy solution. Pay your watchmaker 20 euros to put in a new crystal. List it as “never worn. New crystal”

Aroxx · Apr 15, 2023

Syrte
Another very easy solution. Pay your watchmaker 20 euros to put in a new crystal. List it as “never worn. New crystal”

In that case, I’ll have to list it on Chrono24 for $500 or so.

Aroxx · May 6, 2023

I finally got around to trying to clean this a few days ago. Cleaned up no problem. Now the trick will be getting these tiny C-clips back on the pushers that I unnecessarily removed. They like to shoot off and I almost lost them once already.

Aroxx · May 13, 2023

Well with some better tools and a better (still makeshift) work station I was able to get the c-clips back on (without losing them!) and put everything back together. Having a couple of legit loupes is huge. Now it’s ready to sit on Facebook marketplace with no action. I’m going to be stuck with this thing forever…

Pastorbottle · May 13, 2023

That came up pretty well.
Yeah those pissy little retaining clips on pushers are a rite bleeding bastard to get on without launching them off into the wild blue yonder, probably the next time you’ll notice them will be a slight tinkling sound as they pass up the vacuum cleaner tube.

watchyouwant · May 14, 2023

Shooting off ? Use the inside of a bigger plastic container as your workplace to mount these and tiny springs ....

Pastorbottle · May 14, 2023

Nah when one boings off into the distance, I just let the uncooperative little bastard go and just reach for another outta the boxed assortment I have……thousands of the little turds in there.
I can’t be arsed chasing clips and wayward spring bars!
Dropped screws are bad enough……..and they should be just under where your working + a little bounce and roll radius.

Aroxx · May 14, 2023

watchyouwant
Shooting off ? Use the inside of a bigger plastic container as your workplace to mount these and tiny springs ....

I’d thought about building some kind of enclosure to work in. I did put up some makeshift walls. But like @Pastorbottle I decided if they got lost it was time for me to just buy an assortment of extras. What I did do that helped a lot was put some radico under and around the pusher to help hold the clip in place. Almost like a tiny enclosure. It can be seen in the picture. Also, I put the clip on sideways so if it shoots off it stays in the radico or doesn’t go far. Only had one shoot off and that was when picking it up with tweezers. Radico also helps pick them up off the table. As always, the info I found on various forums helped me get it done. Mostly the radico trick. Maybe this will help the next poor sap who is first experiencing these little devils.

I was also recently doing a quick bracelet swap and launched a springbar inside my $200 mechanical keyboard. Rattling around in there and won’t come out but doesn’t seem to be obstructing any keys. ::facepalm1::

Aroxx · May 14, 2023

Hard to photograph this mirror. Really enjoying this new 10x loupe.

Arancio601 · May 14, 2023

Congrats, looks fantastic. I can never understand the whole, I like to keep the scratches on my crystal movement. Its like a different watch once you removed the 'dendritic' patterning

Pastorbottle · May 14, 2023

Arancio601
Congrats, looks fantastic. I can never understand the whole, I like to keep the scratches on my crystal movement. Its like a different watch once you removed the 'dendritic' patterning

Yeah, at my age, l have enough trouble looking at the watch face, without having to peer through all that shit!

What happened to this crystal?

Aroxx

Foo2rama

ryan

Vercingetorix

MRC

Aroxx

Aroxx

Walrus

ErichPryde

Syrte

Aroxx

Aroxx

Aroxx

Pastorbottle

watchyouwant

Pastorbottle

Aroxx

Aroxx

Arancio601

Pastorbottle

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