Why should you choose a Hardlex crystal?

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Why should you choose a Hardlex crystal?

Asher Brown

Asher follows the latest trends and fashions. He is fond of luxury clothing and accessories, especially watches. Asher’s interests include tennis and travel.

26 Mar 2021

Which crystal is the best? Which one will serve us for years and won’t fail? Which one is flexible and durable? Which crystal will be transparent for longer? We are usually asked such questions, and rightly so. If we buy a watch, we expect that it will serve us for years and won’t fail. Although the sapphire crystal has enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for years, we shouldn’t forget about another, equally durable type of crystal. Hardlex, which is a type of hardened mineral crystal, has had a lot of devoted fans for years. Will you become one of them?

What is a Hardlex crystal?

The hardened mineral crystal is distinguished by its high resistance to scratches and cracks. Its hardness corresponds to 7 points on the Mohs scale (sapphire crystal is harder by 2 points). You can learn more about sapphire crystal here. The hardened mineral crystal isn’t only flexible, but also more resistant to damage. It is not easy to break it, which is why this type of crystal is so often used in the production of sports watches and models for special tasks.

Hardlex crystal

What differentiates the sapphire crystal from the Hardlex one?

The sapphire crystal is harder and therefore more scratch-resistant. It’s a very transparent material (its glass-like clearness will be preserved for long). However, because of its hardness, it is not resistant to impacts. This type of crystal is easier to shatter than a Hardlex crystal. The hardened mineral crystals are equally transparent as sapphire crystals but more flexible. That’s why they are so eagerly used to produce models that can be exposed to impacts and those in which the crystal is convex, such as the Seiko Cocktail Presage models. For example, when wearing these elegant watches at work, we don’t have to worry that the timepiece will be damaged when we accidentally hit the watch against the desk.

Seiko Cocktail Presage

Why is the sapphire crystal used in more expensive models?

In more expensive models a sapphire crystal is usually used, on which an additional coating protecting sapphire from crushing has been applied. Lines such as Seiko Prospex Diver eagerly use this type of crystal due to the high transparency and visibility of the dial when diving at great depths. However, these are not all types of crystals. Learn more about them in the article about different types of watch crystals.

Should we buy a watch with the sapphire crystal if we want it to work for a long time? Is the sapphire crystal considered a mark of prestige? It all depends on what our needs are. Do we need a crystal that is more flexible or more scratch-resistant? Certainly, both the sapphire and Hardlex crystal are made with the utmost care and attention. So how about mineral crystals? Give them a chance! You won’t regret your decision.

types of watch crystals


Asher Brown

Asher follows the latest trends and fashions. He is fond of luxury clothing and accessories, especially watches. Asher’s interests include tennis and travel.