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The watch glass is an inconspicuous character, so no one wants to know more about it, but did you know that it is important? Because if you’re not careful, you’ll match your watch glass wrong and it’ll be scrapped.

The Watch glass is divided into mineral glass, sapphire glass, and acrylic glass; it also has a flat, single-dome, and double-dome shape, and Cold-coated glass;

Watch Glass is generally provided by the case factory together because the case factory will be equipped with glass according to the customer’s water resistance requirements.

Do you know the advantages and disadvantages of each glass and want to know more? Follow our steps.

The watch crystal, the clear lens on the watch’s exterior, is also called the watch glass and is used to protect the watch’s dial.

According to the material, the watch glass can be divided into synthetic glass, mineral crystal glass, and Sapphire Glasses.

3 Types of Watches Glasses:

1. Mineral glass
2. Sapphire
3. Acrylic Crystal

The main component of Mineral glass is quartz ore, in addition to a small amount of limestone, sodium carbonate, and other fusing agents, through high-temperature firing to turn it into a fluid, and then made into a variety of glass products.

Sapphire glass usually refers to synthetic sapphire, the main component of which is aluminum oxide (Al2O3), the composition of which is close to that of natural sapphire。

Another name for Acrylic glass is plexiglass, and acrylic is plastic.

Shapes of The Watches Glasses?

1. Flat Glass

   

   It’s all flat like parallel lines.

2. The Single Dome-shaped glass

   

This shape is a convex surface and a flat bottom.

3. Double Domed Glass

   

   

This shape is the face convex and bottom convex; it looks Like the pot we used for cooking.

4. Cold-coated Glass

It looks like the Pod lid.

Cons and Pros of Different Types of Watches Glasses?

Most people searched “Why use Sapphire glasses for watches?”

the sapphire glass is of good hardness, not easy to scratch, and not easy to break.

So let’s see their advantages and disadvantages of them.

Cons and Pros of Them

• Sapphire crystal: it’s physically and chemically stable. The hardness is lesser than the diamond. It can resist scratching, aging, corrosion, etc., but it is fragile. The Sapphire glass mirror watch is very transparent; You can clearly see the dial.

(Generally used for high-grade watches)

• Acrylic Crystal: that is, synthetic glass, commonly known as acrylic, easy to scratch, but good toughness, not easy to break. 98% of the customers won’t use this as the watch’s glasses. Once a long time, this material crystal will be oxidized and the cracks will appear. Also, it needs a larger order quantity. If you are selling plastic watches, some can use them.

(Mostly used for low-end watches)

• Mineral glass: better resistance to friction but the ability to resist vertical blows than sapphire glass. Therefore, military watches mostly use it as a crystal.

(For low-end watches)

How to Identify the Three Kinds of Glasses?

First, you can finger-tap the mirror surface and listen carefully to the sound. Acrylic mirrors will make a plastic-like sound, while the sound of glass then thicker.

Second, you can judge from the weights that the acrylic crystal is the lightest, and the sapphire mirror is the heaviest.

Since sapphire conducts heat very well, when you touch it with your hand, there will be a feeling of coldness.

And sapphire glasses are much smoother than the other two materials; you will feel more smothered when you touch them.

If you put a drop of water on the sapphire mirror, it will still be a drop of water, No slipping away, while on the other material, the water drops will spread out.

Method of Replace the Watch Glass

The glass is the most prominent part of the watch and is subject to the most friction and impact. Because of its material and particular function, the glass is one of a watch’s most easily damaged parts.

If the glass is lost, broken, or cracked, it must be replaced according to the original specifications.

When replacing a watch glass, the main thing to consider is the outer and inner diameter of the glass, The inner diameter should fit the tight ring, and the outer diameter should fit the case tightly.

When the two conditions are met, you can change the glass, which isn’t related to the watch’s brand.

Among these two accessories, the outer diameter is the most important, and It does not matter if the inner diameter is a little smaller. Because the tightening ring can be used as an open ring, this does not affect the watch’s glass.

How to Assemble Glasses for Watches?

When replacing a watch glass, you can directly fit the watch glass into the case glass slot by hand.

After removing the damaged glass, clean the glass groove of the case, configure a tight ring in the inner opening of the glass, and then put the glass into the case groove.

When the inner opening of the glass is equipped with a good tight ring and then put the glass into the case slot, when three-quarters of the glass is already in the case slot, you can use your hand to install the glass.

How to choose the glass ring/waterproof ring?

The inside diameter of the water-resistant ring = diameter of the crystal glass
Height of the water-resistant ring: less than the height (thickness) of the white edge of the crystal.
The outer diameter of the waterproof ring is 0~0.2mm larger than the inner diameter of the case.
(It is usually recommended to choose the outer diameter of the waterproof ring is about 0.1-0.2mm larger than the case will be better waterproof)

For example: the diameter of the crystal 29.5mm, case inner diameter 30.2mm

For example, Waterproof ring Optional:
29.5mm inner diameter, thickness 0.35mm, outer diameter is 30.2mm (available, just right, may be a little loose)
29.5mm inner diameter, 0.4mm thick, outer diameter is 30.3mm (recommended)
29.5mm I.D., 0.45mm thick, O.D. is 30.4mm (recommended)

What’s the function of the waterproof ring, You can check this post:

Suggerimenti per gestire un orologio che contiene acqua

When three-fourths of the glass is already in the slot, use the four fingers of the left hand to hold the back cover of the case. Press the thumb firmly against the center of the glass.

The right thumb pushes the edge of the glass that the part that does not enter the case recess in the case. It is better to use cover pliers. Using rubber cover pliers can make the glass everywhere evenly stressed, and you can press the edge of the glass into the case groove at once.

However, You must accurately choose the right size of the inner and outer diameter of the glass; otherwise, it will crush the glass.

If not, the glass will be crushed. It means the outer diameter is suitable if you can fit it in. and then installed it on the tight circle with amine cover pliers to press into the table.

How to Protect Your Watches Glasses?

When using the watch, try to avoid collision between the watch glass and hard objects or scratching the watch glass by sharp objects to prevent damage. Also, check the watch strap periodically so that the band does not break and cause the watch to fall to the ground.

Watch glass maintenance: proper cleaning of the watch glass.

If the watch glass is stained with a simple and easy-to-remove stain, you can clean it by yourself and get it back to clean. If your watch is water-resistant and has good water resistance, it is simple to clean the watch with soap and water. Gently brush the watch’s surface with a toothbrush, especially where there are crevices, to clean the dirt inside. But remember, when washing the watch, don’t pull out the crown.

Sometimes you can also coat your sapphire glass with a protection film, because sapphire glass is very hard. Once it breaks, it will break into pieces, it will fall to your dial and damage your watch, if there is a film just like the car window has a film, to a certain extent can protect your watch, but also can make your dial see more clearly.

Other Related:

Best Glasses for Watches?

Our suggestion is if you have enough budget, Then use the Sapphire glass, If your budget is not enough, Then use the mineral Glasses.

Watch Glass Cost?

The Cost of mineral and Crystal glass is nearly the same, around 0.15usd-0.5usd. But Sapphire glass is the most expensive one.

Specifications of the Watches Glasses?

The Glass’s diameter is based on the size of the watch, The thickness of glasses is made according to the water resistance.

If for 5ATM, the thickness is mostly 1.2-1.5mm,

If for 10ATM, the thickness will be over 2.0mm,

If for 20ATM, the thickness will be over 3.0mm.

Conclusione:

Although glass is a very simple thing, there is still a lot to know need to know it. What else do you want to know? You can leave a comment.