b16a2 Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I have just been on the phone to a company here in the UK that provide AR coating services. They actually coat Rolex crystals (which I didn't realise had AR coating) and they also provide a service to other brands. I sent them a picture of a genuine Breitling showing clearly the type of AR coating we would need. They will offer this, and I can send a minimum of one crystal upto however many we need doing. The coating itself is very tough. Durability is on a ratio out of 100 scratch test 99.8, and they also come with a 2 year guarantee. Price will be around what we have seen from previous AR coating runs. If anyone has a crystal that they would like coating please let me know and I will send it off as a tester. I will contribute payment towards the cost of the process, and pay all shipping fee's (from me to the company, and from me back to the member) as I really want to see how this comes out, but unfortunately I don't have any sapphire crystals needing this treatment as I am on an AR run already. They have said that blue, purple, and violet are available, (violet is apprently the closest to the Breitling hue) and this is a double coating, inside and out, and very resistant to marking (see above for the scrtach test ratio) If anyone would like to step forward with a crystal for this, please PM me. The price for this tester crystal will be cheap as I will put some towards it and include shipping to the company, and back to the member. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornerstone Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Wow - great research on the AR front - sounds exciting!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docblackrock Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Hmmm, may be able to help although I too am in on k222's run PM me incl. some details of the firm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b16a2 Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Il keep you posted. The company do all sorts of coating. Green, purple, blue, bloom free etc... They can do single and double ar projects. The good thing is because they have the program set up to do the rolex crystals, there is no set up costs in that respect so if successful, the costs should be similar to what we have seen from other AR runs. I don't want to jump the gun as it is early days yet, but I will keep you all posted on progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWG Technical Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I am no Rolex expert, but as far as I know, Rolex does not use, or have any watches with AR on them... As for a test run, why not just pick up a blank crystal from Cousins, and send it along...no watch is needed as a doner, just a test piece... RG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FxrAndy Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Execept the new milgause which has green on the limited one and i doupt that is done in UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watcher Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I agree, Rolex does not use AR so I have my doubts about this comapny. I have used a comapny in the UK for AR in the past but there double coating finish is more purple than blue unfortunately. They are very good on single ar though. The company is Siltint in Manchester. They normally coat optical lenses. I have asked about blue tinits but they never give me a straight answer so I no longer bother with them. Do you not have any reps of your own to test them with??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docblackrock Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I trust b16a2 to have done his homework, although it would be useful to get them to provide the exact spec given their vague and spurious Rolex claim (coating perhaps but definitely not AR), and then share here for the likes of Chief to weigh in on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chronus Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Only coating I can think they'd do for rolex is owners wanting to get their crystals coated aftermarket. I don't know how it would work as I don't know whether the genuines use similar adhesives for the cyclops attachment to the crystal. In that case, the 300 celsius coating would not be possible, unless it is 1 piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b16a2 Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Ok, thank you all for your interest in this. I have a crystal to send off, I will keep everyone posted on this. I will enquire about the Rolex coating, as I too am curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magagne Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I ask to my optician here in Montr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watcher Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I used the interent to find the eye lens coating company to do my Ar but I know longer use them or have the time to chase them to do these jobs but there must surely be companies in most countries that can undertake this work. It just needs some legwork. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docblackrock Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I ask to my optician here in Montr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2222 Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Company need to have "know how" method of doing coating on saphire crystals ,this is not the same as on a glass, so if they never work on saphire, they will not do it right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryaku Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I'll give my omega aqua terra sapphire for the test I just hope they won't wreck it. As for their experience on rolexes, sounds like [censored] to me. Let's see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b16a2 Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Company need to have "know how" method of doing coating on saphire crystals ,this is not the same as on a glass, so if they never work on saphire, they will not do it right. Yes they double checked the material and said it was fine. As far as the Rolex statement goes I will clear this up with them. Please let's not get to hasty and debate this point too much until I get a further explanation from them about it They have experience in coating watch crystals as the machine is already set up to do such a procedure. I want the community to know that this really is testing the water. If the crystal comes back with a coating that is not to the high specifications we have seen on Chieftangs run, and also from the pics we have seen of K222's preliminary run, I will not offer a group run, and I will refund the contribution made by Ryaku in sending the crystal, so it can be put towards being re coated by one of the other two runs. However going on what they have told me; the durability, the tint, the reduction of reflections, I am very hopeful that we will get a good result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magagne Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 I recall a Canadian member here getting his crystal coated via Carl Zeiss CA Hey! thanks for the hint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arminvanbuuren Posted September 20, 2007 Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 so how did the run go? succesful or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b16a2 Posted September 20, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2007 Only sent the crystal off on friday. They said they would try and put it in a batch over the weekend. Still waiting to hear from them. Il keep you posted in good time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arminvanbuuren Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 thanks man.. just let us know .. well i'm in australia but my crystal should be with The Zigmeister very soon.. maybe i can get in your next run? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millemiglia Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 (edited) I'm certainly interested in AR coating in Europe, are there any updates on this topic? Edited September 28, 2007 by millemiglia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b16a2 Posted September 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 I received the crystal back a week ago. The AR coat was vey good, however, it was slightly to pinkish in colour. I called them, and they have taken it back and are going to try it in a different colour, to see if it meets our requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millemiglia Posted September 28, 2007 Report Share Posted September 28, 2007 Thanks for the update! Judging by the number of people that visited this thread I'm sure there are a lot of EU dwellers extremely interested, Let us know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryaku Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 I'm updating you....it's a total disaster. This company is absolutely unreliable (my bad, i should have known after they said they coated Rolex crystals)...after two months i'm still waiting for my crystal back. Most likely it's lost and they will try to replace it...in some way. In september Ar company coated crystal in the wrong way (despite instructions were clear) and shipped the crystal so b16a2, once received, sent it back again to take a new shot. Since then they haven't delivered it and they always repeat there're problems with courier. After 2 months it looks like it's lost. Company offered to replace the crystal but honestly i'm not very confident they can do it properly (they also offered to coat the crystal correctly but it's a fact weren't able to do it) moreover i don't wanna waste more time, two months it's long enough to say time's up. They haven't been able to coat it rightly and they can't even deliver in the same country (it's not an international shipment)....how can i be confident they can clonate a crystal well (size, shape, material...)? I suggest b16a2 to ask a refund and get rid of em asap but apparently he doesn't agree with my solution. Now....what do you think we should do? Do you reckon they can easily create a new crystal identical to my previous one? Frankly i strongly doubt but i'd like to have your opinions on it now. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k2222 Posted November 15, 2007 Report Share Posted November 15, 2007 flat or domed crystal? They can do that but it is expensive, specially if that crystal was a saphire, if it's flat will be easier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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