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Is A Sapphire Crystal REALLY Worth It?

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John Chan

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Dec 2, 2005, 12:48:18 PM12/2/05
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I am looking at the affordable Invictas. There is a 8926 with a Miyota
movement and a 9937 with a ETA movement. The other difference is that
the 8926 has a mineral crystal while the 9937 has a sapphire crystal.
The price difference between the two is pretty substatial -- 8926 for
$80 and 9937 for about $300. If the movement doesn't really matter to
me, does the sapphire crystal really make a difference? I could buy
almost four 8926s for the price of one 9937, if I scratch the crystal
on one 8926, I can just switch to another.

Any thoughts?

--
John Chan (extrala...@gmail.com)

Jack Denver

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Dec 2, 2005, 1:31:58 PM12/2/05
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The sum is greater than the parts - the eta 2824 adds maybe $50 in cost to
the watch, the sapphire maybe another $25. As you say, you could go thru
four 8926's for the same price as the 9937. But watch economics are always
like this - the upgrades are never "worth it".

Some people are very rough on watches and are disturbed by the slightest
scratch. Others are gentler and don't mind a few marks here & there. If you
are the latter, you can certainly live with a mineral glass crystal.


"John Chan" <extrala...@gmail.com> wrote in message
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Mij Adyaw

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Dec 2, 2005, 3:45:17 PM12/2/05
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Yes, it is extremely scratch resistant. I would not buy a watch that does
not have a sapphire crystal.

"John Chan" <extrala...@gmail.com> wrote in message
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Brian Talley

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Dec 2, 2005, 5:00:47 PM12/2/05
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I write software for a living, but I still manage to scratch up a crystal.
Maybe I'm just a clutz. My watches with mineral crystals look awful. Those
with sapphire look new. To me, it's worth it.

Mij Adyaw

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Dec 2, 2005, 6:46:48 PM12/2/05
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Yup, I have learned this lesson many times and will never own another watch
without a sapphire crystal.

"Brian Talley" <bta...@rochester.rr.com> wrote in message
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germ

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Dec 4, 2005, 12:13:16 AM12/4/05
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In article <1133545698....@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com>, John
Chan <extrala...@gmail.com> wrote:


I have been wearing my watch for over 20 years. The sapphire crystal
looks like new. If you like the watch you are going to buy and plan to
keep it for a long time, the sapphire crystal is definitely worth it
IMHO.

--
germ Remove "nospam" to reply

Fraser Johnston

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Dec 4, 2005, 6:19:44 AM12/4/05
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"John Chan" <extrala...@gmail.com> wrote in message
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I wear an 8926 nearly every day but I wish I'd spent the extra for the 9937.
Sapphire crystals are awesome. The ETA movement is a bonus. 10 years from
now you'll have forgot the $200 and the watch will still look like new.

Fraser


John Chan

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Dec 4, 2005, 6:44:09 PM12/4/05
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"I wear an 8926 nearly every day but I wish I'd spent the extra for the
9937.
Sapphire crystals are awesome."

Does your 8926 have scratches on the crystal? Why do you say sapphire
crystals are awesome?

Fraser Johnston

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Dec 5, 2005, 12:36:37 AM12/5/05
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"John Chan" <extrala...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1133739849.6...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

No scratches on the mineral crystal but I have a sapphire crystal on my
Breitling which is much clearer. It's also glareproofed.

Fraser


SWG

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Dec 5, 2005, 1:22:46 AM12/5/05
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For long time visibility, the true alternative to a sapphire crystal is
not a mineral but a plexiglass crystal, which can be repolished several
times.

Frank Adam

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Dec 5, 2005, 2:24:53 AM12/5/05
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On 4 Dec 2005 15:44:09 -0800, "John Chan" <extrala...@gmail.com>
wrote:

This whole thing depends entirely on the watch, the shape of the glass
and the conditions you wear your watch in.

If it's a dress watch and you're only likely to wear it on weekends
when you go out, then by all means, make sure it's a sapphire either
way. The chances of breaking the glass is slim, unless you get pissed
every weekend.
If it's an every day use watch and you are an office worker or someone
who is not likely to bang it around, a round sapphire is still worth
having, but a mineral is ok too. However, if it's a shaped glass, make
it sapphire, since replacing shaped crystals cost more than round
ones.
If you are a mechanic, brickie, professional mountain climber, etc,
you should probably stick to a mineral crystal, because the chances of
smashing the glass is great.

The cost is the pivotal point. Replacing a round crystal here in Oz is
20-30 bucks, having a shaped one cut will cost around 40-45. A mineral
round crystal up till recently used to be about 80-90 bucks retail, a
shaped one(genuine), probably more in the vicinity of 150+.

Sapphire shatters easier, so for a hard labourer it is certainly not
one i would recommend. One of my carpenter friends broke his watch
glass 3 times in about a week once. He made around 600 bucks a week
then, so over half his money earned would have gone just for the
crystals if it had been a sapphire crystal.. :) At retail it would
have cost close to hundred for the mineral crystals.

Generic round sapphire crytals have dropped by quite a bit now, but
genuine ones will remain expensive.

--

Regards, Frank

Norman M. Schwartz

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Dec 5, 2005, 12:30:33 PM12/5/05
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"SWG" <swissw...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1133763766....@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
I have PG on one of my watches and really enjoy it. The watch sort of takes
on the marks of your "persona" and light surface scratches easily come out
by wiping with any soft cloth.


OracLeIntL

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Dec 6, 2005, 12:02:28 PM12/6/05
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I have a half dozen new 9937's with the coin edge bezel (the new
scalloped one shouldn't cost $300 on ebay) and one with the Miyota
movement. I am no expert on anything but what appeals to me, but I
wouldn't trade one 9937 for four with the Miyota movement - I get in a
twist over scratched up crystals.

I don't claim that one is significantly better than the other, or that
the difference in price is mechanically justified, but the equation for
me is $300 = happy, verus $100 = annoyed.

Also (I am have them here in front of me), although the bands look the
same, upon cloer inspection the band for the 9937 is significantly
heavier/thicker. Although both have solid center links, the cheaper
watch has a thinner brcelet, it has "Invicta" stamped on the back of
the center links and the clasps are COMPLETELY diffferent. The 9937
has a very nice clasp.

Also, the date magifier on the 9937 is much bigger - a lot like the
Rolex. The cheaper one has much less magnification. Both claim water
resistance 200M.

To me, the sapphire crystal is the deal breaker.

Good Luck,

Bill Branscum
www.MrMoms.org

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