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DougFLA123
1404
Dec 1, 2018
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I’ve always loved watches but only own two currently. I’ve had a Citizen Eco-Drive (analog/digital) for over 16 years now. The watch band broke a long time ago but the watch still works great.
Dec 1, 2018
DougFLA123
1404
Dec 2, 2018
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DougFLA123Are you more addicted to watches or knives?
Dec 2, 2018
Gunnersmate2
1646
Dec 4, 2018
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DougFLA123Knives by far. Having said that I could easily slip down the rabbit hole with watches if I'm not careful. I bought this Glycine and have been eyeing watches ever since.
Dec 4, 2018
DougFLA123
1404
Dec 4, 2018
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Gunnersmate2I’ve been eyeballing some Citizen Eco-Drive Promaster Skyhawk watches. They’re expensive (probably too expensive for me), huge, have really busy faces and don’t have sapphire crystals. Nick Shabazz (famous knife reviewer and also a watch reviewer) said that expensive watches like this should have a sapphire crystal. Do you agree with that? Is sapphire more resistant to scratches? I believe Citizen uses mineral crystals.
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Dec 4, 2018
Cloaca
1906
Dec 5, 2018
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DougFLA123This one has a sapphire crystal: https://www.citizenwatch.com/us/en/mens-promaster-skyhawk-a-t/JY8068-56E.html At that price I agree that you want a sapphire crystal. Aragon used to offer the service of changing their crystals to sapphire for $100. Their low-price strategy means they tend to use hardened glass, so the Chinese factory put in that, but Aragon's Florida repair guy could swap in sapphire. So in theory you could have the crystal changed by a watch repairman: wait for the first scratch, and if it really bothers you, then send it out for a change. Crystals come in standardized diameters, and they are held in by pressure, jammed into a same-sized hole. You need a special tool to change a crystal without damaging the watch.
Dec 5, 2018
DougFLA123
1404
Dec 5, 2018
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CloacaWhat a beautiful watch! Citizen really makes some beautiful watches. Thanks for the link and the information!
Dec 5, 2018
Vincent.H
1698
Dec 5, 2018
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DougFLA123Sapphire is more scratch resistant, yes. Mineral, though cheaper, is ironically more shatter resistant, but if you hit the glass at a wrong angle anything is going to break.
Dec 5, 2018
DougFLA123
1404
Dec 5, 2018
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Vincent.HI see you’re a watch buyer! Can you buy one of the Citizen watches above and sell it to me for less than $300?? Thanks! I really appreciate it! 😀
Dec 5, 2018
DougFLA123
1404
Dec 5, 2018
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Vincent.HThis is my 18 year old Citizen Eco-Drive Skyhawk. It’s hurting! It’s hurting real bad! It still works but boy does it look plain next to the new ones!
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Dec 5, 2018
ckm5
210
Dec 6, 2018
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DougFLA123I had a Promaster Skyhawk - sold it. The dial busy-ness basically made the watch unusable for it's primary function - aka, telling time. As far as sapphire crystals, it depends on your usage and the watch construction. Sapphire is hella stronger and pretty much unscratchable (although I do have a sapphire crystal Rado with a scratch on it...) but it is also brittle. In a true diver that you are going to rely on for diving, you want a mineral crystal for this reason unless it is oil filled. Also, if the case is engineered in such a way that the crystal is protected (like most G-Shocks), then the material is less important. If it's a domed crystal with zero protection and you are rough/careless with your watches, the sapphire is preferred. I have a mineral crystal Citizen (see it here https://www.massdrop.com/talk/11339/wrist-check) that I have had for years and it's still perfect. That crystal is flat and slightly recessed - I've brushed it on walls enough to get paint/plaster on it, but it hasn't scratched. Keep in mind that back in the day, the new new thing for dive/sport watches was a polycarbonate crystal..... Modern glass is a vast improvement, poycarbonate scratches like mad.
(Edited)
Dec 6, 2018
DougFLA123
1404
Dec 7, 2018
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ckm5Thanks for all the information. That is some “beater” watch you have there!
Dec 7, 2018
ckm5
210
Dec 7, 2018
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DougFLA123Thanks! A couple of things I should point out that might be helpful.
  • You can polish out scratches with diamond paste - that's what I did on the Rado - just using your fingers & paste.
  • All smartphones have 'mineral glass' screens - those screens survive pretty well given the size and amount of abuse they see - glass is not nearly as fragile as most watch people think.
Dec 7, 2018
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