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Old 15 April 2023, 04:05 AM   #39
texasmade
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Join Date: Feb 2017
Real Name: Robert
Location: Lone Star State
Watch: AP RO 15400, FOIS
Posts: 2,337
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gebbeth View Post
I do not like Hesalite. It's another word for plastic, and I never thought plastic on a watch that costs thousands of dollar swould have even been acceptable (geez, people harp on Seiko for putting mineral glass on hundred dollar watches....cmon....seems like a double standard).

Yes, there is some nostalgic aura to Hesalite as that was the original iteration of the design that NASA approved for use. It doesn't shatter like sapphire could...point taken.

But absent that one small requirement, there is really no advantage of Hesalite, and lots of disadvantages for a luxury sports watch. Everything people seem to harp on about Hesalite being "warmer" and stuff like that is just nostalgia talking. These were actual limitations on clear plastic at the time that were essentially fixed when sapphire was made more readily available for use in watches.

I wonder how many of the people who "like" Hesalite for its warmth and nostalgic feel equally "hate" fauxtina.

I mean people clamor for Ed White's because it's faithful to the design that Ed White wore on his space walk. But even THAT has a sapphire crystal and case back to boot (and really quite necessary to show off that beautiful movement).

I just don't get Hesalite. But that's just me.
Main argument for Hesalite vs sapphire on the Speedy is the milky ring effect. My brother has an 1861 Hesalite while I have a FOIS with sapphire and there's a noticeable visual difference with the milky ring.

On the EW 321, Omega reshaped the sapphire to reduce/eliminate this effect.
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