What is a sapphire crystal and why does it matter?
If you've been perusing our website or shopping for quality timepieces elsewhere, you may have come across the term "sapphire crystal." What is a sapphire crystal? What makes it special? Why does it matter?
If you're new to the world of watches, you may not even be familiar with what we mean when we say "crystal." No, it's not some new-age way to tell time. "Crystal" is just the term used to describe the glass that covers the dial of the watch. Some watches (including the Wasson Automatic Field Watch) also have a crystal on the case back so you can see the movement without opening it up.
Cool, so now you know what a crystal is. So what about sapphire crystal?
Sapphire can be created synthetically, and is done so for a wide range of applications, including for watch crystals. It is manufactured in sheets, and discs are cut out according to the desired specifications of the watch manufacturers.
Sapphire is desirable because it is extremely durable and hard. The Mohs scale measures hardness in materials, and diamond comes in at a 10. Sapphire is a 9. It is extremely scratch resistant, and very difficult to scratch unless you are using a diamond.
Due to its high resistance to scratch and abrasion, sapphire crystals stays very clear for many years. In contrast, other crystals (acrylic, mineral, gorilla glass, etc.) are far more susceptible to scratches and abrasions, which are unsightly and can obstruct your view of the watch dial.
As impressive as sapphire is, it's not indestructible. While scratching it may be quite difficult, a sapphire crystal may be broken or shattered if hit directly by a heavy, pointed object, or if it is dropped from face down on the floor. While most watches with sapphire crystals will never suffer these types of mishaps, they are possible.
The upsides of sapphire far outweigh the down, and for that reason it is considered the the best option by far for most watch lovers.
For this reason, we use sapphire crystals for all our watches. But we don't stop there. The Wasson Automatic Field Watch is made with marine-grade 316L stainless steel for the case, crown, and bracelet, and a 25-jewel automatic movement that is made in Switzerland.
