Being such, you can't polish it the same way you can a plastic or acrylic crystal. Carfidant Scratch and Swirl Remover. It is scratch-resistant. 66. This is to ensure that any of the previous grit is removed as it will only scratch again when the finer grit is applied. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Hey guys, just wondering what your experiences with Seiko's Hardlex crystal are. Hardlex is just Seiko's name for mineral glass. I used this on a moderately scratched Seiko Automatic with a Hardlex mineral crystal and it worked well with a little help! I've seen videos where they use silicon carbide loose grit and water to smoother edges of a just sawn glass bottle. Superficial scratches, however, can be fixed in essentially the same manner as sapphire. Sapphire = much more scratch resistant although apparently they shatter if dropped/hit hard although there have been very few accounts of this happening. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 901, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Your original paint finish is the very definition of "perfect" and it is superior to a repaint. If many or deep scratches start with a 5cm roundel of 600 grit wet paper on a rotary tool. In fact, a vehicle with original paint retains a higher (monetary & utility) value than a repainted vehicle. Seiko loves to use it on many of their low to middle range watches Seiko loves to use it on many of their low to middle range watches Knowing the issues with impact resistance of mineral, some watch companies have made their own proprietary mineral crystals with enhanced properties. The Hardlex is the best tool watch crystal ever developed. I have some experience with polishing hardlex. you rather the crystal warping then losing the entire watch movement to the conditions. Here is something I posted on reddit.... Was the "sandpaper" the silicon carbide stuff or just plain ole sandpaper? Key concept for minor dents & scratches: Remember, the paint outside of the damage is called your original "factory perfect" paint finish. However using grit 400 or 600 paper to remove deep scratches is not a problem, the finer abrasives will make do rest. Hard as Sapphire on the outside to reduce scratches yet as forgiving of sharp knocks as mineral. Many of the most affordable resellers that ship to Canada for cheap or free lack in selection. Any polishing no matter the materal is a process of applying finer and finer scratches onto a surface. The kit includes abrasive pads of different grit, a sanding block, a polishing cloth and sanding fluid. Find the best Scratch Removal near you on Yelp - see all Scratch Removal open now. Could I ask what grades of diamond paste you use. I've got my eye on a Seiko to use as a beater, but it has quite a noticeable scratch on the glass (which iscalled hardlex). Mineral / hardlex are quite similar and aren't as scratch resistant but much more impact resistant. Hardlex is Seiko’s nomenclature or trademark for its mineral based clear glass. You've got a couple options, find someone experienced in lapidary and have them grind the marks out, replace the crystal, or get some cerium oxide polish and work at it- carefully. After a few minutes, you should start to see the scratch disappearing. After various experiments I've found that what works best is diamond paste of various grits, applied with a 1cm thick hard felt wheel. Always get nice result but I have better things to do with my life. So, if you accidentally scratch your watch on a simulated-stone surface or a wall that incorporates some of these silicon carbide materials, it could scratch the crystal. Purchase: $127 Luminox A.6402 F-117 Nighthawk Well, glass is 6 on the mohs scale and that is easily polished. Scratches are difficult to polish compared to acrylic crystals.T For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Lio Loaded Pockets. Now I need to do an old Citizen automatic, I am assuming it has a hardlex crystal. Less costly to replace the crystal. In my old Seiko 5 I've got at least 3-4 chips in the glass and its still holding up fine. If you prefer, rather than assembling all the components you’ll need to remove a scratch, you can purchase a stainless steel repair kit from your local home improvement center or on line. Press J to jump to the feed. I haven't really had any problems with Hardlex - in three years since I've been wearing the Seiko 5s, I've gotten maybe 4-5 scratches, and those were from some pretty extreme mishaps. I figure it is definitely possible to polish our Hardlex with the right abrasive, considering diamonds are faceted on an abrasive disk. Above is Seiko SARB065 “Cocktail Time” with Hardlex crystal. Yes it takes time. One popular brand is the Scratch-B-Gone kit. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Filling Deep Gouges Clean the scratch with rubbing alcohol to remove dirt or wax. Apply a small amount of 3µ paste to the scratch, working it in a firm circular motion with the cloth. Its functions include the following: Calendar with luminescent arrows. The strut juts out at just the right angle, just the right height. The process is as easy as it is to scratch Plexiglass: Cover up the bezel with tape to avoid damage. Done a couple of seiko hardlex glass crystals basically using process of wet/dry then diamond pastes. The crystal is much stronger than they use to be. The scratches and breaks are not visible from most angles. Yes. I started first with wet sanding, using 1000 grit sandpaper followed by 2000, then 3000. PROS. Have you ever scratched a hardlex crystal? If you’re looking for the ultimate car … but the idea is that for some diving watches mineral is better the sapphire becuase mireral will warp and distort. Then it blur's it then it has a awful time to reset back to getting it clear again. A subreddit for discussion of wrist watches and pocket watches. #1 Lio, Aug 11, 2009. shrap Loaded Pockets. Hardlex is a Seiko proprietary type of hardened mineral crystal and comes in at least two different varieties (what goes in Seiko 5's is not the same quality of what goes into ISO divers). In my old Seiko 5 I've got at least 3-4 chips in the glass and its still holding up fine. Come join the discussion about brands, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! This left the crystal mostly free of scratches but 2 or 3 deep scratches remained and … WillisJJ. I just managed to scratch my Monster's hardlex crystal on the exact same ping pong table strut upon which I scratched my Sammie's crystal last month. Its mechanism is automatic with analog display and Hardlex glass. Once the scratch has faded, wipe away the excess and apply the.25µ paste. I have often wondered if it would be worth going to a optician lens manufacturer to see if they could polish old crystals at a decent price, I have a box full of 6309/6105 used crystals. Sapphire = much more scratch resistant although apparently they shatter if dropped/hit hard although there have been very few accounts of this happening. JavaScript is disabled. Joined: Apr 25, 2007 Messages: 148 Likes Received: 274. so? If the scratches in your watch glass can’t be removed through polishing, consider replacing … From my experience the eye catches the lack of uniformity more than the individual scratches. Yes I agree, the wheel is the best. Hardlex is essentially a mineral crystal, so glass. People have no idea how hard hardlex is. I found that 1000 then 6000 grit Japanese water stones did a great job of lifting out the scratches and leaving a flat subject to polish. So supposobly if you are in high humidity or hostile envirenment. I have just got rid of all the scratches from an old Rotary with an acrylic crystal using wet and dry 400 then 1200 then Brasso and it has bought it up like new. $6.99. I know everyone seems to love Seiko 5s and divers and many of them have Hardlex so it can't be that bad, right? I am VERY new to watch repair. I know sapphire will always be more durable, but I'm having a hard time finding a watch I really like with a sapphire crystal at a reasonable price. While polishing watch glass will usually help remove scratches, sometimes a scratch or crack is too deep to repair with a simple polishing routine. It is essential that the crystal is thoroughly cleaned after each polishing step before moving to a finer grit. At the suggestion of a friend, I used Flitz Metal Polish on it. Can watch owners repair or replace them? I'm really just having a hard time finding sapphire watches with designs I love at a reasonable price that are available in Canada or with reasonable/free shipping here. Over the weekend I finally had a go at tackling the badly scratched mineral glass crystal on my Dads old Seiko chrono. Apply the 3-micron paste onto the watch face with a cotton swab, then rub with a soft cloth over the face in a circular motion, concentrating on the scratch areas. On the mohs hardness scale, mineral watch glass is 5, hardlex is 8, saphire is 9 and diamond is 10. WillisJJ. Up till now I have always used wet emery paper but it takes soooo long. The glass polish high-performance diamond polish for glass by PolyWatch removes small and medium scratches from watch glasses, smartphone, car, furniture, household, windows, and much more. It chips out rather than shatter. Wet a soft cloth or … 66. I'm wondering if I could fit some lap disks to my wet tile saw... 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