Not. Sapphire is overrated.

 

I put sapphire on all my Seiko watches. I can scratch a hardalex crystal in less than a month. My watch guys pressure tests after each is done. I know that swapping to sapphire is a mod I really don't consider it one. I feel it makes the watch more durable for normal wear. If i was a professional diver and worked under water maybe I would leave the mineral crystal for impact resistance. Lets face it most of us wear our dive watches because we like the look of them. I also think it makes the dial pop as to me the sapphire is clearer if that makes sense.

 

Various positions on this so you'll get input from "both sides". My experience is that sapphire does scratch and/or chip when you least expect it so you're not really buying anything by swapping to it. If you really beat up your watches, you'll likely be better served by keeping the Hardlex as it's cheaper to replace and shouldn't shatter like sapphire can.

I recently swapped out the 7S for a 4R in my SKX and the watchmaker doing the work suggested I swap to sapphire while the watch was apart but I declined. I really saw no advantage to doing so other than being able to say "It has a sapphire crystal."

As for water resistance, there's no difference using either material as long as the crystal is the right size and an appropriate crystal gasket is installed. Pressure testing will easily show it's good after the swap if you decide to do it.

I say keep it Hardlex and don't waste the money.

 

Agree. I think the Hardlex will be less hassle, but if you want to mod it, that would be a good starting point, IMHO.

 

Keep it OEM.

 

If your daily/beater usage hasn't scratched the hardlex, then you don't need sapphire, so why bother?

If your usage has scratched the hardlex to a degree that it bothers you, then it would make some sense to consider going to sapphire.

 

If you daily/beater usage hasn't scratched the hardlex, then you don't need sapphire, so why bother?

If your usage has scratched the hardlex to a degree that it bothers you, then it would make some sense to consider going to sapphire.

Get outta here with your considered logic : )

 

Scratch the Hardlex first. See how long it takes, and how it looks. Then, decide on replacing it with another Hardlex or sapphire.

I bought my SKX 013 used. It had sapphire (and blue tint) on it already. Nothing to complain here!

 

Swapping the crystal to sapphire is fine. Go with a well known supplier that uses underside anti reflective coating or else it’s a step backwards in my opinion.

 

Thank-you all for taking the time to reply to my questions. Yes, my SKX013 is in excellent condition. There are a couple of very faint scratches on my hardlex crystal that I can only see under certain lighting and angles. But this doesn't really bother me. I was reading some reviews online and saw that some people really like the look of the double dome AR crystal (AR coated only on the inside) and thought that could look great on my SKX. I also have an Omega SMP that has a non-AR coated DD crystal and I really like it. But I keep going back and forth in my mind, thinking that it would be nice just to keep my watch OEM.

I did buy a strapcode SO bracelet years ago and it does feel substantial and looks good on the watch. But I keep going back to the jangly OEM bracelet. It's lighter, more comfortable, and I think I prefer it! I was wondering if I would do the same with the sapphire vs. hardlex.

I know - I'm the only person who can really answer my own question. How many times have I responded to posts asking members which watch to buy? My first response is to go with what you like best...LOL. However, I appreciate the feedback and welcome any comments from those who have done the swap. From your responses above, it sounds like a crystal swap won't affect the WR rating (if done properly), and the decision is more of a personal preference.

Thanks again.

 

Why not wait for the Hardlex to scratch then do the sapphire mod and have the watch pressure tested.

 

I have never swapped crystals on my SKX watches. I have one with enough scratches to eventually warrent a change but when that happens I will use genuine hardlex and gasket if they are still available. I personally like to keep mine original.