Round #10: The Crystals (U1 > MM)

[vbuskirk]

This is a difficult decision. Apples and orange here, but ultimately I will fall back on my primitive likes and dislikes to break the tie. I like flat crystals. The Sinn has a flat crystal. The Seiko does not.

Many will harp on the Seiko's lack of sapphire crystal, but I would caution them not to get too uppety when it comes to comparison to the Sinn's smudge magnet, outer anti-reflective coating. Check out the scratch at 2:00, which mars the dial of my U1 (i.e. starting at the tip of the hour hand and proceeding downward).




Round goes to Sinn!

[vbuskirk]

I've read that flat crystals are not suitable for diving due to their mirror-like effect underwater. Any comments on that?

[mattcantwin]

Since I have the U1, I like the way you called this round...


but, I figured it would go the other way.

[bloozy]

I've read that flat crystals are not suitable for diving due to their mirror-like effect underwater. Any comments on that?

Huh. people dive with these too?

Excelent photo there Chris. What are you shooting with? A recent lake trip has me needing a new camera. I would like to buy one that has good macro abilities, my last one made macro claims, had a macro setting, but performed rather sadly in that capacity.

I would really like to take photos nearly as nice as many I have seen from others.

[dshap]

I've read that flat crystals are not suitable for diving due to their mirror-like effect underwater. Any comments on that?

Huh. people dive with these too?

Excelent photo there Chris. What are you shooting with? A recent lake trip has me needing a new camera. I would like to buy one that has good macro abilities, my last one made macro claims, had a macro setting, but performed rather sadly in that capacity.

I would really like to take photos nearly as nice as many I have seen from others.

Check out this thread for camera recs viewtopic.php?f=23&t=3992


Does the Seiko crystal scratch? Is it less scratchable than the Sinn's AR coating.

[vbuskirk]

Well, it isn't very scientific, but according to this test the Seiko scratches easier. There are no scratches on my Seiko, but sizeable scratch on my Sinn.

[mattcantwin]

Well, it isn't very scientific, but according to this test the Seiko scratches easier.

There are no scratches on my Seiko, but sizeable scratch on my Sinn.

I don't follow this, some sort of reverse logic.

[vbuskirk]

Excelent photo there Chris.

Thanks.

Here's my watch photography starter kit.

• Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera
• Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Digital SLR Lens for EOS Digital SLR Cameras
• Canon ET-67B Lens Hood for EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM Digital SLR Lens
• Tiffen 52mm UV Protection Filter
• Canon Wireless Remote Control RC1 for Canon XT/XTi, XSi, and T1i Digital SLR Cameras
• Manfrotto 190XPROB 3 Section Aluminum Pro Tripod
• Manfrotto 322RC2 Joystick Head Short

[vbuskirk]

Well, it isn't very scientific, but according to this test the Sinn scratches easier.

There are no scratches on my Seiko, but sizeable scratch on my Sinn.

I don't follow this, some sort of reverse logic.

EDIT: sorry, type. The Sinn scratches easier


EDIT2: sorry, typ-OOOOOOOO. Ummm, this is harder than it looks guys.

[deepcdvr]

I took the outer AR off the U1. I like it a LOT better now. The look is a bit better with the coating, but now the watch is virtually indestructible. I don't have to worry about scraping it up along side a concrete building or banging it up coming out of a submarine hatch.

This watch has been trashed for the last couple of years and still looks great.

[SCM64]

I'm one of the lone advocates of the Sinn outer AR feature. I don't understand what the big deal is about a 2 second shot of hot breath and a wipe with a clean sleeve,shirt, napkin, whatever.

Granted there is the risk of a scratch, but worth the gain in clarity and legibility, IMO. The Sinn crystal is top notch at providing the best view to the information displayed by the awesomely functional dial and hands.

[deepcdvr]

Oh, I'm not knocking the AR one bit, Steven. It ROCKS! VERY cool look to it and I didn't mind the smudges, etc. I took the coating off because it had a bunch of light scratches on it from going through an underwater obstacle course barbed wire 'challenge' and they were bugging the HELL out of me. Now I don't sweat any task with it on. Just wear the hell out of it, go from a dive to a hot shower, to gear clean up, etc, never thinking even once about beating up the glass.

[moishlashen]

I prefer domed all day long. Sapphire kicks the crap out of Hardlex though but I really like the shape of the MM. The U1 wouldn't look right with a domed crystal though.

[SCM64]

Oh, I'm not knocking the AR one bit, Steven. It ROCKS! VERY cool look to it and I didn't mind the smudges, etc. I took the coating off because it had a bunch of light scratches on it from going through an underwater obstacle course barbed wire 'challenge' and they were bugging the HELL out of me. Now I don't sweat any task with it on. Just wear the hell out of it, go from a dive to a hot shower, to gear clean up, etc, never thinking even once about beating up the glass.

I dont mean you, I mean us cush civies.

[cali kid]

Got to be the best ongoing review of all time!

[vbuskirk]

Got to be the best ongoing review of all time!

I rock!

[ezcheese]

I dislike flat crystals and I super domed crystals.

[toxicavenger]

I dislike flat crystals and I super domed crystals.

+1

[argabright]

I'm one of the lone advocates of the Sinn outer AR feature. I don't understand what the big deal is about a 2 second shot of hot breath and a wipe with a clean sleeve,shirt, napkin, whatever.

Granted there is the risk of a scratch, but worth the gain in clarity and legibility, IMO. The Sinn crystal is top notch at providing the best view to the information displayed by the awesomely functional dial and hands.

I'm with you on the AR. The U1 and the Seawolf have it and as I'm only a desk diver, I wish ALL of my watches had it.

[Sukispop]

I prefer domed all day long.

+1

I dislike flat crystals and I super domed crystals.

+1

+another

I know that flat profile crystals provide for greater legibility, especially while viewing the watch dial at certain angles...and immediate legibility may be critical at times for some. But, for me, it never is, so my preference for domed crystals is based solely on the fact that I just plain like their looks a lot more. Somehow, that bit of optical distortion that domed crystals manifest when being viewed at an angle...is something that I enjoy seeing while admiring my watch. Hard to explain...but for me it's a perk.


Great pics and nice review, Chris!

[bloozy]

my preference for domed crystals is based solely on the fact that I just plain like their looks a lot more. Somehow, that bit of optical distortion that domed crystals manifest when being viewed at an angle...is something that I enjoy seeing while admiring my watch. Hard to explain...but for me it's a perk.


Great pics and nice review, Chris!

If I'm not mistaken, your domed crystal is single domed and has a flat bottom. This is what causes the distortion you are speaking of.

Watches with a double domed crystal, like the one in my Planet Ocean for example, do not share this characteristic. In fact non-distorted viewing, even from severe angles (~10%) is still quite clear and legible. I myself consider this a very desireable property of the domed (double domed) crystal.

[Sukispop]

my preference for domed crystals is based solely on the fact that I just plain like their looks a lot more. Somehow, that bit of optical distortion that domed crystals manifest when being viewed at an angle...is something that I enjoy seeing while admiring my watch. Hard to explain...but for me it's a perk.


Great pics and nice review, Chris!

If I'm not mistaken, your domed crystal is single domed and has a flat bottom. This is what causes the distortion you are speaking of.

Watches with a double domed crystal, like the one in my Planet Ocean for example, do not share this characteristic. In fact non-distorted viewing, even from severe angles (~10%) is still quite clear and legible. I myself consider this a very desireable property of the domed (double domed) crystal.

I believe you are correct. My SMP does not share this distortion characteristic, either. Neither does my Ball Engineer Master II Classic. So I suspect that double domed crystals are utilized in those two watches.
Single domed or double domed crystals; either way, I prefer them over flat crystals. I just like the convex shape more.

[vbuskirk]

I think this round would have gone much differently if I were a little more fond of domed crystals. So much so, that I'm second guessing myself now. I probably should have given this round to the Seiko.


Also, I'd like to say that I have a few outer AR watches, and I don't mind cleaning them once in a while. The Sinn is horrible, however. Whole notha level. It is much more prone to smudges than any other watch I have ever examined, and it is all scratched up from much use (similar to Paul's story). Likely, I'll replace the crystal one of these days just to get it back in pristine condition and then I won't be so frustrated (assuming it doesn't scratch back up under office use conditions). Until then, it will continue to look horrible in most of my macro photos. Sigh.

[toxicavenger]

I undestand what you are saying Chris. My Marcello C Titan I use to own had inner and outer AR. Which looked pretty cool when it was clean but other than that it pissed me off how it looked smudged all the time.

[Pasquale]