When to use a crystal with tension ring?

[Levine98]

Can someone explain when you should use a crystal with a tension ring or just a plain acrylic crystal with a lip for fitting with a crystal lift? I work on mostly 1950/1960s Swiss stuff and there doesn’t seem to be any obvious difference between the watches I work on that come with crystals with tension rings vs the other type and I’m wondering if it matters (non-tension ring acrylic are certainly easier to install).

 

thanks

[tomh207]

3 hours ago, Levine98 said:

Can someone explain when you should use a crystal with a tension ring or just a plain acrylic crystal with a lip for fitting with a crystal lift? I work on mostly 1950/1960s Swiss stuff and there doesn’t seem to be any obvious difference between the watches I work on that come with crystals with tension rings vs the other type and I’m wondering if it matters (non-tension ring acrylic are certainly easier to install).

 

thanks

Tension rings tend to be associated with watches with improved water resistance. The extra tension keeps the crystal tighter to the case.  So it does matter from an original watch specification, replacing with whatever it comes with is usually the best route.

 

Tom

[Neverenoughwatches]

4 hours ago, Levine98 said:

Can someone explain when you should use a crystal with a tension ring or just a plain acrylic crystal with a lip for fitting with a crystal lift? I work on mostly 1950/1960s Swiss stuff and there doesn’t seem to be any obvious difference between the watches I work on that come with crystals with tension rings vs the other type and I’m wondering if it matters (non-tension ring acrylic are certainly easier to install).

 

thanks

Armoured crystals tend to be fitted to watches that have a water resistance requirement, often diving watches but not always.  Meant to resist the depth compression of the crystal's sidewalls.

[Levine98]

2 hours ago, tomh207 said:

Tension rings tend to be associated with watches with improved water resistance. The extra tension keeps the crystal tighter to the case.  So it does matter from an original watch specification, replacing with whatever it comes with is usually the best route.

 

Tom

 

18 minutes ago, Neverenoughwatches said:

Armoured crystals tend to be fitted to watches that have a water resistance requirement, often diving watches but not always.  Meant to resist the depth compression of the crystal's sidewalls.

Thanks. While most of the watches I work on claim to be waterproof, I’m pretty sure that this was just 1950s marketing hype (even if fitted with tension ring crystals). I seem to recall the US cracked down on these claims sometime in the 1960s…

[RichardHarris123]

37 minutes ago, Levine98 said:

Thanks. While most of the watches I work on claim to be waterproof, I’m pretty sure that this was just 1950s marketing hype (even if fitted with tension ring crystals). I seem to recall the US cracked down on these

Haha, most of the watches I have worked on have the waterproof characteristics of a paper bag. 

[Waggy]

I have had one or two watches where the dial (and in turn the movement) rests on the tension ring, if the ring is removed then the watch dial/movement can move forward and clash with the crystal. In these cases the tension ring is acting kind of like a movement ring or clamps you would find in normal watches. Only come across it a few times, but thought I would mention it.

[CYCLOPS]

the tension ring is also decorative to some degree as the rings can come in different widths and colors, the recess cut in the case is different for each particular crystal, straight wall vs. a slight bevel, that should explain why you press a tension crystal in and squeeze/reduce the diameter of the plain crystal on those cases, and don't forget some crystals fit over a lip and have a press bezel, not in this case though. You can normally find all these types of crystals in generic form.  Happy New Year