The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I've just bought the above watch and have noticed when in outside light only at certain angles I can notice what could be described as clouding in certain areas. Think it looks like it's on the outside of the crystal. It's not fogging but cannot be wiped off. Is it to do with the anti glare coating being old? That's if this watch comes with it. I was told it is the original sapphire crystal on the watch so it probably around 15 years old.

How much would it cost in the UK to have it replaced?

Very difficult to comment without seeing it. The AR coating does have a blue tint at shallow angles and can scratch but I have never heard of 'clouding'. Outer AR coating can be removed using PolyWatch or similar, it can't be replaced so that would require a new crystal, likely a couple of hundred bucks plus the cost of a service.

*** Edit - Roff beat me to it ***

Kind of difficult to visualise what it looks like without seeing it, but are you sure it's not something water marks? They usual need more than just a quick wipe to remove..

Alternatively I guess it could be wear to the AR coating, and if it is then as you say you will need a new crystal as Breitling don't recoat crystals, they just replace them. In terms of cost then I'd suggest giving BUK a call directly and they'll be able to quote you a figure over the phone, but I'd budget for a couple of hundred pounds. Incidentally they'll no doubt insist on a service at the same time, so that will put the price up as well.

If the cost turns out to be prohibitive for you, you can always just remove the external AR coating with something like Polywatch or Cape Cod cloths. Obviously the AR quality will be reduced as you will only have the internal coating left, but at least it will be uniform.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Thanks for the replys, I've added some photos. Click for full size.
The reason I think it's the AR coating is that it's perfectly worn off around the outer rim of the crystal were I suppose it would wear on clothes most of all with the odd marks in the middle along with patching.

Can you confirm from the pictures?

If it is the AR coating I will just remove the outer layer completely so at least there isn't the patchy clouding effect there is now, but doing so I don't want to scratch the crystal, this isn't possible is it?

If you use Polywatch or Cape Cod cloths you won't damage the underlying crystal at all. Synthetic sapphire (or corundum) is incredibly hard and scratch resistant so anything short of diamond (and a couple of other very hard specialist materials) won't mark it at all. Polywatch is most often used for polishing plexi/Hesalite cystals so they have to be gentle. Cape Cods are a little more abrasive than Polywatch but are still pretty gentle, and will certainly not mark a sapphire cystal.

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Driver8

Site Moderator

Thanks found some on ebay but it does come with this warning.

NB - This product only works on Plastic Acrylic Glasses only NOT hardened mineral crystal watch glasses.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181955558079?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Is this ok?
Also will it remove faint swirls and halos in the polished stainless steel strap?

The "warning" is basically only saying that it's not abrasive enough to remove scratches from mineral glass, not that it will damage it. And sapphire is much harder than mineral glass anyway.

It may be able to remove very faint swirls from polished SS, but I've never tried personally. I use Cape Cods for that, and they do an excellent job (with a bit of elbow grease).

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Driver8

Site Moderator

I had this on a SuperO many years ago. The cause was a previous watchmaker had polished the case with the glass in and caught the inner anti reflective coating with the buffer... Drove me mad till I worked out what it was.

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