Nanuq Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Not enough heat, says I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 OK B, I'll give it 200c or 300C in the oven for 20 mins! And straight into cold, will that do it you reckon? (Sounds like we are baking a cake here) O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipSlap Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Alternately, one could do it in salty water to raise the boiling point. Or perhaps in a pressure cooker. Anytime one has two different materials fused like this, it's just asking for trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thogaa Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 In the furnace and straight into liquid nitrogen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 In the furnace and straight into liquid nitrogen? Yeh.. right, this is glass we are taking about....liquid sand. Methinks this thing is going to die. O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Oh, GAWD this is getting good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gran Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Fire and Ice..this is Nanug territory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Tough little mothers , these are! After 5 hours in the freezer @ below freezing, there is no change to the crystal. So as I was making my morning cup of coffee, I poured a bit of the extra hot water from the kettle into a soup bowl. In went the crystal, straight from the freezer. I was sort of half expecting a mini explosion, or at least a crack, but Nada, nothing. Left it for 5 minutes to thoroughly heat up, and reefed it out with a teaspoon. And it had certainly gotten hot (burned my fingers when I picked it up!) A close inspection, mag lamp and microscope reveals no change from what was seen last night. The original delam is still vaguely discernable under the microscope, but can't be seen under 3X mag, and certainly not with the naked eye. I do think the only reason it can even be seen under the microscope at 40X is when I switch on the backlit ability (which I normally don't use) which would be used for inspecting laboratory slides. Its unfortunately an overcast day today, so the UV level is low. I have been threatening to buy a UV lamp for curing crystal installs, so I think a shopping trip may be in order later today; this experiment is justification for the expense, and I can save myself having to put watches outside every time I do an install with UV glue. I'm not expecting UV to have any effect on it, but its worth a shot. I do however think we need to increase the range of temperature change if we are going to get it to delam or break, but is there much point? That becomes just plain destruction testing (which I'm sure Nanug awaits with glee) but hell, we are just trying to accelerate conditions which these are exposed to, and I don't think a temperature range greater than zero to 100C would ever be experienced by one of these. I'm now at a loss as to where to take this experiment, so once again I seek input from brains more astute than the one inside this old head. Offshore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 So given the pics from offshore the beast needs a 28.90mm x 5.25mm (4mm at the edge) domed solid sapphire crystal with double AR. I wonder how much this would cost to manufacture. With all the future issues plus color plus AR distortion you get with those sandwich xtals I wonder if it would be better just to manufacture the right xtal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Is the gen domed? O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Is the gen domed? O/S Moot point! Red card! All lovely watches have domed crystals. 'Nuff said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 I would suspect it is (can't confirm) as those thick deep dive watches usually have a domed top and a flat bottom PO, DSSD, etc.). It helps to deflect the pressure from the crystal to the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 A domed like that would be a magnifier...I don't think these things have a dome! And we are seeking 1:1 aren't we? O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastrmindalliance Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 Is the gen domed? O/S I'm absolutely, 97% ,sure it's not... Will see what I can do to double check this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted June 30, 2010 Report Share Posted June 30, 2010 A domed like that would be a magnifier...I don't think these things have a dome! And we are seeking 1:1 aren't we? O/S we are talking about a 20% slope on top of an Omega double AR crystal. You won't see any magnifier effect. But based on the review the crystal is 4.9mm at the center. Here you can find pics/review of the 1200m Ploprof and you can see the center of the crystal is raised just like the Planet Ocean. The light effects you see on the crystal are very similar to my PO. http://www.rruegger.ch/omega_seamaster_1200_ploprof_images_large.htm This is just a suggestion. I really don't like the idea of using a sandwich design with mineral + sapphire. Seems too messy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 Alright, I clearly see the dome, and it doesn't protrude above the bezel, like this current iteration. It would be bloody easy to fit a 2mm double dome, and they are easy to find in sapph or MG. Do we know for sure that the gen is flat bottom? I could easily fit a double dome if this is a way forward. O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 now this is getting more interesting. Check out how intricate the design of the xtal for the original ploprof is. http://www.ploprof.com/Site/Pimp%20your%20PP.html There's also a glimpse of how the bezel locking mechanism should be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 Interesting indeed. Unfortunately, their instructions for the bezel removal don't work or apply to the rep. (Bugger) Must be a different system. Also the locking ring pictured doesn't exist on the rep. So there is nothing holding the rep crystal in, except that dinky plastic retaining ring the Chinese use, and the 4.5mm crystal contact with it. And the fact that the crystal is BLOODY tightly fitted into the case. Are those pics pertinent to the new release gens, or are they only talking about the original watches here? O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
txcollector Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 I haven't found any info on how to pull apart the new version but based on the review the case design is different with the original being a monocoque (a lot more useful for deep dives) and the new with a removable caseback. That means the original was front loaded which may explain the intricate crystal. I'd assume the new Ploprof crystal design follows the Planet Ocean (also painfully tight) since you rarely have to remove the crystal with a removable caseback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MADRED7 Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 Oh boy....will I ever get my PloProf wet? Reading this I fear to wear it outside while humidity is high...will keep it down in the cellar in my box Theo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 The crystal has now had a day in the sun, soaking up what little UV was around. It appears as before, and the delam is not noticeable to the naked eye, nor under 3X mag. I am now becoming more persuaded, that Nanug's theory, of excessive loadings on a 2 part crystal, during temperature changes , may have some validity. The extremely tight fit of the MG portion of the crystal and the variation in diameters is what leads me back to this idea.. This could be relatively easily cured, by removing the crystal retaining ring, and gluing in the crystal using UV glue, EXCEPT for 1 small issue. At this time, no one has succeeded in removing the bezel, (including yours truly), and as anyone who has glued crystals in will know, there is always a little excess glue which needs to be cleaned off....and the way the seat is located in this case, I fear some excess glue may find its way into the bezel mechanism, with subsequent disastrous results! One would normally never install a crystal by glueing, without 1st removing the bezel, and I am loathe to try with this one! The other option is to try to marginally reduce the diameter of the existing 2 part crystal by sanding, and repressing it into the retaining ring. I confess to be running out of ideas on this little challenge, so any further ideas are most welcomed. Offshore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marsupilami Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 this seems interesting: http://www.aisglass.com/laminated-glass/AIS-82.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanuq Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 ...there is always a little excess glue which needs to be cleaned off....and the way the seat is located in this case, I fear some excess glue may find its way into the bezel mechanism, with subsequent disastrous results! Now wait just a minute. Are you saying you have also found a solution to the non-functional bezel lock on this watch?! Offshore Rules! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 Now wait just a minute. Are you saying you have also found a solution to the non-functional bezel lock on this watch?! Offshore Rules! Yep....Permanent! O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mastrmindalliance Posted July 1, 2010 Report Share Posted July 1, 2010 How about submersing in something oil based - like "baby oil"? Just throwing a different suggestion out there... Edit: actually perhaps an oil that is more viscous - to mimic the oils present during production or skin oil. A lighter oil (like cooking oil say...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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