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Crystal and bezel thickness relation...  Rate Topic 
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 Posted: Thu Sep 27th, 2012 05:12 pm
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Hammerfjord
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There's an important relation between the crystal's thickness and the bezel's top: Over, under or right on the crystal's edge.
Why? Well, until I experienced it: I never asked me the question in fact.
Been constantly seeing crystal edges popping out of bezels and never thought out of the box as : Is it a handicap?
Yes it is...
There's no mystery in: Sharp edges are prone to easy shattering under stress.
So, let's get down to the business: I built an homage for working when I'm on oil/gas rigs.
I used it for weeks without any trouble but on one trip, I managed to damage the crystal twice.
How? Just by leaning on a valve-wheel at first and after just by hitting slowly a flange...Bad luck, the leather glove and my working coverall wasn't in between.
It's an Asian case with sapphire crystal: I ordered a sapphire and I know the difference between a sapphire and a mineral, even how to test the difference...
Sapphire is sapphire, or 9 on Mohs hardness scale even when it's thermal grown(man made).
If you want harder: Get a diamond who's 10 on Mohs...
So you get my point: Your Rolex crystal isn't harder than that.
Point is: When your crystal have to be this thick to handle some hundreds meter pressure under water and you bezel is this thin because you watch is designed to be slim: You crystal's edge is exposed.
Pictures there...


It's not easy to capture it with the light effects but you can see the cracks.
Of course we don't talk about big shattering but remember that I wasn't smashing hard on it.
I wait for your meanings and inputs
crusty.gif

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 12:43 am
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oagaspar
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what brand watch have you pictured above?

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 05:00 am
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Keelson
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Ah - a few issues there then:

1. Exposed edge of crystal.

2. Sharp edge acting as a stress concentration.

3.Possibility of microscopic discontinuities in the sapphire crystaline structure which will impact the resistance to fracture.

4. An element of "locked in stress" in the crystal when the watch is assembled to begin with.

Your could always:

1. Consider a thinner crystal since in most cases watches never see the sort of design pressures requiring these "huge" crystals in any event. That is if you still want to maintain the slimline bezel look.

2. If available perhaps a less aesthetically pleasing crystal with radiused edge.

3. Put the watch in your pocket when on the drill floor (or wherever).

4. Finally try not to smack your watch off lumps of steel but I do find that the more conscious effort I put into this the more pieces of ship I seem to find to smack against (Murphy's Law).

Y'awl have a good weekend :-)

dog smile.gif

 

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 05:18 am
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Khronos
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You should never wear a dress on a rig!!! It is a distraction to your fellow workers and may lead to serious injury raspberry.gifcrazy.gif

On a more serious note, could you not invest in one of those straps that cover the watch face, apart from when you want to read the time?

A craftsman like yourself could even build one himself as per the following:-
http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/diy/diy-cordura-tactical-watch-cover/

Dim

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 05:32 am
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Hammerfjord
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oagaspar wrote:
what brand watch have you pictured above?


No brand Oscar...It's a home-grown: Sapphire crystal and ceramic bezel.

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 05:51 am
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Hammerfjord
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Khronos wrote:
You should never wear a dress on a rig!!! It is a distraction to your fellow workers and may lead to serious injury raspberry.gifcrazy.gif

On a more serious note, could you not invest in one of those straps that cover the watch face, apart from when you want to read the time?

A craftsman like yourself could even build one himself as per the following:-
http://www.itstactical.com/intellicom/diy/diy-cordura-tactical-watch-cover/

Dim

I was meaning "coverall" for the suit.
I already have troubles with the nato: After first 5 days(12 hours shift/day)it start to stink, then I wash it, after 3 days it stink, then I wash it, after 2 days it stink, then I wash it, after 2 days it stink...
I'm not a sweaty guy but understand that I'm not sitting in an office there...
Beeing there 14 days: I don't go offshore to wash straps.
Your cover strap is even bigger and that will not fit my needs at all.
+ That: If I use an Asian case, it's just because I don't mind scratching it.
My topic isn't a cry on my scratched crystal: I'm just lifting a problem you will meet with your 7000$+ watch.
As design trouble, nothing else.

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 05:59 am
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Khronos
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Fully understand and my comments were - of course - tongue in cheek.

And the likelihood of me owning a $7k watch in the near future is slightly higher than me growing back all the hair on my head...
homerthinks.gif

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 06:01 am
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Hammerfjord
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Keelson wrote:
Ah - a few issues there then:

1. Exposed edge of crystal.

2. Sharp edge acting as a stress concentration.

3.Possibility of microscopic discontinuities in the sapphire crystaline structure which will impact the resistance to fracture.

4. An element of "locked in stress" in the crystal when the watch is assembled to begin with.

Your could always:

1. Consider a thinner crystal since in most cases watches never see the sort of design pressures requiring these "huge" crystals in any event. That is if you still want to maintain the slimline bezel look.

2. If available perhaps a less aesthetically pleasing crystal with radiused edge.

3. Put the watch in your pocket when on the drill floor (or wherever).

4. Finally try not to smack your watch off lumps of steel but I do find that the more conscious effort I put into this the more pieces of ship I seem to find to smack against (Murphy's Law).

Y'awl have a good weekend :-)

dog smile.gif

 


I see you point but you don't get mine: I am not complaining about my scratched watch... Let it be scratched, I don't care, it's not an expensive watch and if I made it for working: It's because it should take the beating.
I did chose this case because I had a good price, not because I wanted absolutely this design.
I am talking about something else: To avoid this trouble...
The crystal should be domed if the designer should be holding on this thickness(pressure rate) and bezel thickness.
Or, the bezel should be thicker, to reach the crystal's edge.
I am talking about a handicap in a design who try to please the slim watch but want to send it to harsh environment: Get it?
ThumbsUp02.gif

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 Posted: Fri Sep 28th, 2012 06:03 am
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Hammerfjord
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Khronos wrote:
Fully understand and my comments were - of course - tongue in cheek.

And the likelihood of me owning a $7k watch in the near future is slightly higher than me growing back all the hair on my head...
homerthinks.gif

I get you Khronos, and your joke to! Was just explaining...toon1.gif

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