Quick Photo-Comparison: Vintage Daytona Crystals

[lhooq]

Two packages arrived yesterday. One contained a genuine Tropic 21. The other package was from Otto Frei. Among other things, it contained a Sternkreuz XS 306.449 T21 replacement (as seen in Skeet & Urul's "Vintage Rolex Sports Models"!). I still have the Clark T21 that was previously installed in my DW 6263, so I figured this would be a good opportunity to compare the three.

Note that the Clark T21 is heavily scuffed around the base, since it had to be trimmed to fit in the DW bezel. It was also used for several weeks. The Rolex and Sternkreuz are straight out of their paper packets.

The Rolex Tropic 21 is the newer type, with a beveled edge. The Clark and Sternkreuz imitate the older T21 with a pronounced dome. Aftermarket versions of the new-style T21 exist, but I don't know where they can be ordered from.

Rolex, Clark, Sternkreuz:

Rolex and Clark:

Clark and Sternkreuz:

I wish I'd placed a white sheet of paper in the background for that last couple of shots. In case you can't see it, the Clark is slightly taller, but the Sternkreuz profile begins curving at a lower elevation.

[freddy333]

Nice comparison. My fav for vintage Daytonas remains the new/current (beveled) gen T21. Nothing makes a plain-Jane Daytona sparkle quite like them

[coolfire]

Absolutely. And I am with freddy on the beveled T21...

[lhooq]

UPDATE: 04/02/2013

 

 

I now have a genuine, domed Tropic 21.  My FAP 6239 is currently undergoing an extensive overhaul, and I've decided that I would rather see a period-correct, domed crystal on it.  After all, I've already got a beveled service crystal on my 6263, so the curved plastic will put some visual distance between the two generations of Daytonas. 

 

Unfortunately, I haven't got either a Clark or a Sternkreuz crystal with me, so I couldn't repeat the comparison as above.  I did take a couple of quick shots of the gen crystal.

 

 

This confirms my suspicion that the Sternkreuz T21 was more accurate to the gen.  Compare the profiles, and note the point on the circumference at which the dome begins.  The base of the Clark crystal's dome is at a higher level than both the gen and the SK.