parabolic sapphire crystal?

[j napier]

I am new to the Forum, so this question may have been asked / answered already. I have a vintage 1982 Oyster date with acrylic crystal. I found a supposed watch maker on the internet who sells a parobolic sapphire crystal which he claims will 1) fit the bezel of the watch, and 2) since the interior is concave, it will allow room for the hands to move freely. In need of a new crystal, but hate the acrylic! By the way, my other watch, a 1993 Breitling Colt Auto has a mineral crystal that i also loathe as have replaced that 3 times in 17 years!http://www.rolexforums.com/images/smilies/banghead.gif

I know everyone says no to sapphire in this case, but has anyone tried this parabolic option?

thanks,

jim

oyster perpetual date
Breitling Colt automatic

[Jackxv]

I wouldn't consider having it done, trade it for a newer model or keep the plexi.

I like plexi and the saphire both, the plexi is ultra strong against cracking but scratches are easily to get, but also get rid off.
Saphire is crazy strong but when it cracks > service.




Jack

[Earl]

keep the acrylic much cheaper to replace when the time comes... and you can remove on your own the small scratches from the crystal. What does parabolic mean domed on the inside of the crystal or the whole crystal is domed, which is what you kinda get with the acrylic if you think about it!
my 2 cents

[j napier]

parabolic in this case refers to the interior of the crystal being concave, otherwise domed towards the watch face, allowing the hands to move. The exterior looks like any other rolex sapphire crystal.

Thanks for the advice, as a newbie, I respect all the experience and insight everyone has to offer! I will keep the acryllic as the watch is all original and keeps perfect time.

BY the way, although the watch is new to me, I first fell in love with this Oyster perpetual date, SS, with White roman numeral face and machined bezel in college, but couldn't afford it.

Still can't afford it, but....

thanks,

jim

oyster perpetual date, circa 1982
Breitling Colt Auto, circa 1993
------------
"this is the worst day of your life... so far"- homer (simpson)

[Tools]

There are a number of members who have replaced their acrylics with sapphire.. I don't know about that particular vendor, but since the sealing is different on one type of installation than it is on the other, then water proofness is always a key issue when you try to replace the acrylic with another type of crystal..

On the DJ, the bezel squeezes around the acrylic providing a positive seal.. the Sapphire does not have the same flexibility and therefore, it needs it's own sealing gasket, but it needs to be the proper outside diameter to allow the bezel to be replaced and stay on without distortion..

[mrwatchmaker]

I've seen them installed on several cases but I've pressure tested 4 none passed the pressure test.

[email protected]

[Rikki]

Don't doooooooooooo itttttttttttt. Leave it original. Rik

[mpkRolex]

Originally Posted by Rikki

Don't doooooooooooo itttttttttttt. Leave it original. Rik

x2

[Rikki]

The problem with trying to replace an acrylic crystal with sapphire is not so much the diameter but the height of the bezel because the crystal seals at the top as well as the bottom and the bezel for the acrylic is to short to reach the top of the sapphire crystal seal. A cyclop 118 is the same diameter as the sapphire crystal. The reason they made it parabolic is because they had to lower it so as to seal and so the hands won't hit the underside of the crystal. It is a bad deal all around and I definately would not recommend it. Rikki

[deschen]

I've come across a company offering this service as well on top of the usual repair's and overhauls.

Not sure if it's the same one that Jim was referring to but since the general consensus is that it's not advisable to do the change; I'm not sure if I should post the website openly until one of the experts have checked them out.

Anyway, the price's listed range from $129.95 - $189.95 depending on model.

Prices listed include installation which covers the cost of removing your old plastic crystal, removing the watch movement, installing the new sapphire crystal, reinstalling your watch movement and supplying new gaskets for your Rolex watch. Your Rolex will also be pressure tested. We also polish and clean the watch case. Your Rolex will look like new with a new sapphire conversion crystal.

Feel free to PM me for the link at your own risk should you decide to follow through but don't blame me if your watch ends up FUBAR.

[Rikki]

First of all you won't get an authorized Rolex parts account holding watchmaker to promote anything that is not original to the watch, that's a one way ticket to a lost parts account. Rik