Polishing a Watch Crystal: Possibility or a Myth?
It all depends on the type of crystal your watch has. Older watches, even those from luxury brands like Rolex, used to come with Plexiglass. This is an acrylic glass, which is more prone to scratches. But the good thing about these is that you can easily polish them. Just like you polish off the scratches from your watch’s case and bracelet, these scratches can go away as well. However, if you have a newer watch that has a sapphire crystal on it, this is no longer a possibility. If you scratch a sapphire glass, your best bet is to replace the glass if you want to get rid of the scratches.
Plexiglass’s Ability to Get Rid of Scratches
Vintage watches often feature a crystal made of plexiglass, also known as acrylic. Due to the lack of research and development at the time, this was the best material on offer back in those days. While these are not as scratch-resistant a regular glass, they do possess a unique characteristic and that is they are relatively soft when compared to glass. This softness allows for them to be polished to get rid of the scratches.
If you have a relatively older timepiece that has a plexiglass crystal with minor scratches, its a relief. Just take it for watch polishing, and the service center would gladly accept to polish the crystal as well. With the help of the right tools, the watchmaker or polisher can effectively buff out these scratches from the plexiglass. The process involves using specialized polishing compounds and techniques to gently remove a thin layer of the acrylic As long as there are no cracks, most scratches can be polished out unless they are not too deep. This is a huge advantage for vintage watch owners.
Sapphire Crystal is a More Durable Option
In contrast to older watches, modern luxury watches are shipped with sapphire crystals. Now, it might sound like a disadvantage here, but the perks of having this glass make up for its disadvantages. Being a sapphire glass, this type of crystal cannot be polished as it is only second to diamond in hardness. But due to that fact, it is also more resistant to scratches.
Where a plexiglass can quickly get scratched, the sapphire crystal will always resist scratches and remain pristine for a longer period of time. Unfortunately, when these do get scratched, your only best option is to get the glass replaced.
Also Read: Watch Glass Replacement: Things You Should Know Before Replacing the Glass
While you might see some videos or articles online showing you how you can get rid of these scratches, those will definitely not work. Even though these glasses are usually very durable, you will have to replace them once they have got immensely scratched or have got a crack on them.
What’s better – Plexiglass or Sapphire Crystal?
Hands down, sapphire crystals are much better than plexiglass. This is why most modern watches have made the switch from acrylic to sapphire. Yes, Plexiglass does have the advantage of being polishing-friendly, sapphire crystal is just more durable and will last you a long long time.
