VCO AR Coating

[bertieng]

Tried the VCO at the AD today, and inspected specially on the AR coating on the crystal at various angles but found a very subtle bluish purple coat only, nothing like the strong purple colour we have for the mod. Perhaps we are all wrong on the VCO AR issue?

[Watchmeister]

Well, I actually went to the AD with my VCO with double AR coat from chieftang the minute I got mine back. The AD had the gen model in the window and I thought the resultant dial "tinting" from the AR matched spot on. It didn't before the AR coat. At the time I thought the hue looked very similar albeit it was under typical AD indoor low voltage lighting so who knows what it would look like in natural lighting. I am doing double AR on my next one as well. I am sure single AR would be fine too.

[archibald]

Anyone who's tried to capture AR in a pic knoes that lighting is key--I don't see how you can judge the color of AR between watches unless they are side by side in the smae lighting. I used to be obsessed w/ AR until I actually compared a rep w/ AR side by side w/ a gen--I now believe that as long as there is AR, and someone is looking at my watch on the wrist in normal day to day surroundings even a WIS would have a hard time discerninig it is the perfect color or how many sides are coated.

I can tell an watch has aaaar, and sometimes notice that AR changes the dial color slightly, but I'd love to meet somone who can tell the diff between subtler variations from a few three or four second glances at a watch on someones wrist, which is all I care about since I never remove a rep even if someone asks to see it.

The new VC supposedly has AR--if it is noticeable enough to make the silver dial look reasonably like a gen on the wrist I won't bother popping the crystal on it, because a VC collector is going to notice fit and finish and the date long before they see which sides of the crystal are AR coated.

[HauteHippie]

A few comments:

1. I wouldn't call my AR a "strong purple" by a long shot.

2. AR "color" will vary. It will vary from run to run based on tolerances and chamber variations. It will vary based on the refractive index of the substrate it is applied to. It will also vary based on the spectrum of the ambient lighting in which you're evaluating it. It will look bluer under florescent than incandescent light, for example. And all of this is true of my coating, as well as the coatings used on genuine watches.

3. The VCO has double AR. Whether or not it is the same type of coating I use, I do not know. But I strongly suspect it is.

4. People really need to look past the color and look at the performance of the coating itself. When you look at a watch in a shop, reflections off the crystal make it obvious as to whether or not there is single or double AR. The many variables I've described above dictate how blue or purple the coating might appear, regardless of it being single or double AR.

[Jumbie]

4. People really need to look past the color and look at the performance of the coating itself. When you look at a watch in a shop, reflections off the crystal make it obvious as to whether or not there is single or double AR. The many variables I've described above dictate how blue or purple the coating might appear, regardless of it being single or double AR.

Couldn't agree more. It seems to me that people get caught up with how blue or purple their crystal is and totally forget that the whole point of AR is to actually reduce reflections and make your dial more viewable rather than add colour to the glass.

[archibald]

Couldn't agree more. It seems to me that people get caught up with how blue or purple their crystal is and totally forget that the whole point of AR is to actually reduce reflections and make your dial more viewable rather than add colour to the glass.

Before I started comparing in person side by side, I would have gone so far as to remove AR to change the color and/or to do 2 sided but now I just don't worry. In a business meeting, bar, on the subway, or elevator, etc. in the already rare instance that you run into someone who recognizes the watch you're wearing you might get called out not having AR on a watch that's supposed to have it, but you will never ever get called out if you have double instead of the gen's singe AR or vice versa--I'm purely talking on-the-wrist in real world situations not close inspection. And, as brian points out, the color varies so much in different lighht that it's even less likely you will get called out on all but the most stark color differences. That being said, if you are going to add AR to a watch, you might as well add the kind the gen has.

[HauteHippie]

Before I started comparing in person side by side, I would have gone so far as to remove AR to change the color and/or to do 2 sided but now I just don't worry. In a business meeting, bar, on the subway, or elevator, etc. in the already rare instance that you run into someone who recognizes the watch you're wearing you might get called out not having AR on a watch that's supposed to have it, but you will never ever get called out if you have double instead of the gen's singe AR or vice versa--I'm purely talking on-the-wrist in real world situations not close inspection. And, as brian points out, the color varies so much in different lighht that it's even less likely you will get called out on all but the most stark color differences. That being said, if you are going to add AR to a watch, you might as well add the kind the gen has.

Funny thing... I was wearing my rep Breitling Seawolf today (with double AR), and was out with a couple friends after work putting down a few cold ones. Seeing as how I just got home, this will likely not be my most coherent post... But anyhow, one of the guys I hadn't seen for a while and noticed he was sporting a new (to me) Breitling chronograph of some sort (not being a Breitling fanatic, I'm not sure which model it was). But I noticed the watch and immediately noticed how crisp and clear the dial was... Immediately recognizable as a genuine, without question. The double AR leaves little to question. So anyhow, at one point he comments on my watch, saying "We have almost the same watch." I said "Oh, I hadn't noticed." Really hoping to play it down. But he persisted, and asked which model it was. I said "I think it's a Seawolf something or other." Then he commented on how nice it was and wanted to see it up close. So I showed it to him off the wrist and I said, "You know, the crystal has some sort of coating on it, and it seems to smudge easily." And he said "Oh yea, they do that, but as long as you keep them clean they just look amazing!" And he showed me how he usually just licked his crystal and wiped it off with his shirt. I mentioned that I do the same. Now, I haven't even gotten around to installing the gen dial on this Seawolf Avenger yet. But the double AR is so believable. Not because of the color, but because of how it inhibits reflections and makes the dial pop. I'm not trying to dupe anyone, and would have revealed it as a rep instantly if asked. My other friend who knows about my watch sickness even asked "Is that one of your franken watches?" And I simply said, "This one is original." Perhaps that was a fib as I've stripped the rep AR and added my own... But, hey, close enough, right?

[sssurfer]

You (and your friend) do lick the crystal, chief?!?

[cornerstone]

Note to self: must not let wife catch me licking my watches

More seriously - and it has been said before - chieftang's double AR has raised the bar for so many reps out there. It's outstanding.

[HauteHippie]

You (and your friend) do lick the crystal, chief?!?

Sure. It's the ole "spit and a T-shirt" cleaning method. As long as you know where your watch has been, sssurfer, then you may lick your crystal.