[Mystic Kitten]

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Has anyone scratched their flame fusion crystal?
Bought my hubby the invicta II extreme in March and he already scratched the infamous Flame fusion crystal and it was not a light scratch either. I thought the flame fusion was extremely durable. Hubby works in a shop where he is rough on watches but I thought the flame fusion crystal was highly scratch resistant? That's why I bought him that watch because of the scratch resistance. Any thoughts anyone?
Meow, kitten

 

[UKWolfeman]

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I can't wait to hear some of these responses. My opinion on FF is still out but I have heard of lots of chipping and scratching.

 

[RipitRon]

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I have not scratched one, but I have beat it on the corner of our Granite Island so hard, I was sure it at least cracked. I can tell you this I did take a drywall screw to my FF crystal on my excursion and Gouged the HLS out of it and I couldnt scratch it!

 

[TVDinner]

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The Verneuil process, also called flame fusion, was the first commercially successful method of manufacturing synthetic gemstones, developed in 1902 by the French chemist Auguste Verneuil. It is primarily used to produce the ruby and sapphire varieties of corundum, as well as the diamond simulants rutile and strontium titanate. The principle of the process involves melting a finely powdered substance using an oxyhydrogen flame, and crystallising the melted droplets into a boule. The process is considered to be the founding step of modern industrial crystal growth technology, and remains in wide use to this day.

Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verneuil_process

 

[UKWolfeman]

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What do you think of it though?

TVDinner wrote:

The Verneuil process, also called flame fusion, was the first commercially successful method of manufacturing synthetic gemstones, developed in 1902 by the French chemist Auguste Verneuil. It is primarily used to produce the ruby and sapphire varieties of corundum, as well as the diamond simulants rutile and strontium titanate. The principle of the process involves melting a finely powdered substance using an oxyhydrogen flame, and crystallising the melted droplets into a boule. The process is considered to be the founding step of modern industrial crystal growth technology, and remains in wide use to this day.

Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verneuil_process

 

[jimmythebull]

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does anyone know where ff is rated on the hardness scale!

 

[TVDinner]

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I think I have had absolutely no issues with them yet. I have banged many of my watches at events and not one scratch, nick, or break. So my personal experience is that it has been very good to date.

 

[UKWolfeman]

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I have several with FF and no problems to date either but with everything nothing is perfect.

 

[TUNAKLLR]

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It begs the question, did they get some mineral crystals mixes in with the FF's, a la the Reserve Lupah incident? Maybe that's why some have scratched their crystals.

 

[RipitRon]

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TUNAKLLR wrote:

It begs the question, did they get some mineral crystals mixes in with the FF's, a la the Reserve Lupah incident? Maybe that's why some have scratched their crystals.

Very well could have happened, because I have tried to scratch it. I am not a huge believer in using a Knife to test the scratch resistance. That particular test IMHO is not a good one, but using friction of a dull piece of metal that has a jagged edge like a screw held up well!

 

[WatchSnobJack]

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I know i have banged my SANIII on the crystal many times and nothing has happened to it as of yet...So we will see if it can hold up to the test of time...So far so good...

 

[Watchguru58]

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I only own 1 watch with the FF Crystal and so far it is flawless however I'm not very hard on my watches. I prefer Saphire crystals as most of my collection are saphire and I've never had a problem yet.

 

[TVDinner]

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Watchguru58 wrote:

I only own 1 watch with the FF Crystal ....I prefer Saphire crystals

why do you "prefer" Sapphire?
Do you see an actual difference.
I don't.

just curious.

 

[TUNAKLLR]

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RipitRon wrote:

TUNAKLLR wrote:

It begs the question, did they get some mineral crystals mixes in with the FF's, a la the Reserve Lupah incident? Maybe that's why some have scratched their crystals.

Very well could have happened, because I have tried to scratch it. I am not a huge believer in using a Knife to test the scratch resistance. That particular test IMHO is not a good one, but using friction of a dull piece of metal that has a jagged edge like a screw held up well!

I would say you ended up with an FF crystal Rip. Some of these other folks could've ended up with a mineral, considering how they described they scratched them. I find it difficult to believe that there is such a disparity in the composition of the FF.

 

[lowcal1]

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I have 5 watches with the FF crystal's so far not a problem..and I've banged a couple pretty hard.. scared the life out of me HARD.. and their still in tacked..

 

[Seattle]

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I am a bit skeptical only because the majority of "changes' that occur in any market are not designed to give you a better product but to lower the manufacturing cost and increase profit margins(at the risk of the overall products integrity). No, I do not know this to be a fact and this is just my opinion. I am a firm believer that the bottom line dictates virtually everything in life and this to me is potentially no exception.
I like sapphire only becasue I have history of it being tried and true. Jury is still out for me (and no I did not just call someone's wife or girlfriend fat)just answering the OP's question as honestly as I can.

 

[watchcollector1968]

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You can do a Google search and find plenty of scratched sapphire incidents. I think it is a common misconception that sapphire is scratch "proof". It is very difficult to scratch it, but not impossible. That being said, I have an old TAG that has obviously seen a lot of wear but the crystal is perfect.

On the other hand, my mom once dropped her Rolex...hard to tell of there was a scratch on the crystal since it was in about a thousand pieces...OUCH!!

I dont know how many FF crystals I have in my Invicta collection (too lazy to go check) but so far they have held up just fine. Only time will tell if they hold up to the years of wear that my TAG got.

 

[toecutter]

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This is going to sound simplistic but, anything can and will happen. That's why they say "scratch resistant" not "scratch proof". I suppose anything can be scratched.

Just like "water resistant vs water proof".

That's why you never call something idiot proof. Because the idiots are always more than willing to take up the challenge. LOL



T.

 

[Watchguru58]

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TVDinner wrote:

Watchguru58 wrote:

I only own 1 watch with the FF Crystal ....I prefer Saphire crystals

why do you "prefer" Sapphire?
Do you see an actual difference.
I don't.

just curious.

You know I have collected watches for years and I've never had one scratch on any of my Saphire crystals. I'm not saying that the FF won't hold up to the test of time, but I guess I'm like an old dog that can't be taught new tricks. I have not seen any problems yet with my 1 FF crystal watch so for now I can't say anything negative about the FF. I do find it kind of hazy trying to read the time on my FF as opposed to my Saphire crystals, but maybe it will just take some getting use too.

 

[liquid]

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Seattle wrote:

I am a bit skeptical only because the majority of "changes' that occur in any market are not designed to give you a better product but to lower the manufacturing cost and increase profit margins(at the risk of the overall products integrity). No, I do not know this to be a fact and this is just my opinion. I am a firm believer that the bottom line dictates virtually everything in life and this to me is potentially no exception.
I like sapphire only becasue I have history of it being tried and true. Jury is still out for me (and no I did not just call someone's wife or girlfriend fat)just answering the OP's question as honestly as I can.

i agree 100%. of course this is correct and you are right. it might be a good process, but ultimately it is price that drives development.