Plastic

[chris mabbott]

I remember a time when anything made from plastic was cheap junk, in fact not so long ago, the 70s weren’t THAAT long ago, were they Bob

Anyway, I have a huge dislike for plastic watch crystals, I think they’re ugly and make a nice watch feel and look cheap, pocket or wrist type..
They kinda crept into the industry under the disguise of being “unbreakable” and then they just took over.

I realize that they have their place, sports watches etc, but now we see them on everything, almost.

Like their more superior glass or sapphire glass counterparts, the plastic lenses are not impervious to damage from scratching, yellowing, distortion or even breakage..

What made me think of this was a watch I recently received that had a scratched, yellowed plastic lens, I immediately ditched it and threw it in my growing pile of rubbish plastic scrap 👿

I’ve seen many, many examples of WW 1 & 2 trench watches, most from the vets families, with the original glass lenses scratched but intact.

These pieces went through combat and survived, so why the change I wonder, to plastic?
I wonder this not from an economic standpoint, because they were marketed as “unbreakable” and not a cheaper solution.
Maybe it was a new wonder material, like asbestos, and it simply took over ?

What ever the reasons I wish glass or some super glass would re-emerge and knock plastic out the ring…

Again I’m going in the waay back machine, but I remember when it started to appear in autos. That plastic was a better grade than what you’d find on… A transistor radio for example haha but not to distant.
I remember when alloys, metal and real wood were also used on the interiors, touted as lighter for economical reasons, due to better engine technology and improved aerodynamic design, mixed with reduced size, and I’m comparing the 1970-80 boat cars, a few extra pounds/kilos of natural material shouldn’t make much diff..

[tmac1956]

All:

Should anyone be interested on cleaning up scratches in watch crystals, this is pretty good:

http://www.daveswatchparts.com/Info/RemovingEtchMarksFromGlassCrystals.pdf

Later,
Tom

[arutha]

I can understand why they would prefer to make some of those funny shaped crystals in plastic as they would be a nightmare to produce in glass but I am with you on having glass in all my watches.
Paul.

[david pierce]

Plastic is used because it costs a lot less to produce. When a plastic watch crystal comes out of the mold it is ready to put into the watch. Plastic also requires a lot less energy (heat) to melt than glass.
david

[arutha]

it all comes down to cost David I agree but I would still rather have glass.
Paul.

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