The glass surface that covers the dial of a watch is called a windshield.
The purpose of the windshield is to prevent dust, water, and other contaminants from entering the watch, and to soften the effects of shocks and water pressure.
The strength of the windshield depends on what material it is made from.
The stronger the material, the less likely it will get scratched.

However, even if you use a high-strength material, it is vulnerable to impact, so you need to be careful that it is easy to damage if you hit it hard on a hard place.

There are three types of materials used for watch crystals: mineral glass, acrylic glass, and sapphire glass.
We will introduce each feature.

Mineral glass is the only glass-based windshield material among the three materials.
It is widely used for windshields of watches priced around 50,000 yen.

The reason why it is used in many watches is that the raw material is relatively cheap and easy to process.
The drawback is that the hardness is not so high, so it is easily scratched.

Sapphire glass is a material made from an ore called alumina, so strictly speaking it is not glass.
Due to the high raw material cost and difficulty in processing, it is mainly used in luxury brand watches.

It is harder than the other two materials and is the most scratch-resistant material.

Acrylic glass is a windshield material made from plastic.
Like sapphire glass, it is not strictly glass.
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It was often used in wristwatches made between 940 and 1960.
Today, it is sometimes used in antique-style watches, etc., as it can produce a retro feel.

Since it has the lowest hardness among the three materials, it is difficult to use as a general windshield material.

Have you ever had the windshield of your watch cracked?
The windshield is not strong against impact, so it often breaks.
There are three main reasons for this.
Main reasons for windshield damage

• I hit a wall while wearing it on my arm
• I dropped it on the floor from a high position
• I'm stuck under something heavy

A watch is something that you wear on a regular basis, so the windshield may crack when you get distracted in your daily life.

I will introduce the symptoms that you should replace or repair the windshield.

As I introduced earlier, the windshield is a part that can be easily damaged.
If you find any cracks, take it to a repair shop immediately and have it replaced.

Condensation and cloudiness may occur on the windshield of the watch.
If condensation occurs temporarily due to a sudden temperature difference, you probably don't need to worry too much because it is a natural phenomenon.

However, if condensation does not disappear even after a long period of time, or if it is cloudy even though there is no temperature difference, repair is required.
This is because there is a possibility that the deterioration of parts over time or scratches on the windshield may be the cause.
【Related article】
Two causes of condensation and cloudiness on the watch surface

The surface of the draft shield may be scratched if, for example, it is rubbed against a wall made of hard material.
Some people may choose to polish and repair these scratches themselves.
However, it is not recommended to deal with it by yourself as it may cause further damage.
If you want to use your watch for a long time, it is safer to ask a repairer to repair it.
【Related article】
What to do if the watch glass is scratched

If you want to have the windshield replaced or repaired, you can take it to the manufacturer or a watch repair shop.
However, depending on the structure of the watch, it may not be possible to exchange it, so be careful.

Here, we will explain the characteristics of watches that may not be possible to replace the windshield.

Watches with a waterproof function may not be able to replace the windshield.
This is because a watch with a waterproof function maintains its function through a high degree of sealing.
This is because it is difficult to reproduce the original airtightness by replacing the windshield, and it may not be possible to maintain the waterproof function.

Especially for watches with a high waterproof function, such as those for divers, it may not be possible to replace the windshield, so be careful.

Some watches have a special ring-shaped part called a bezel that secures the windshield .

For example, chronograph type with stopwatch function.
This type uses a special packing for installation, but since this packing is not often sold in the market, basically it cannot be replaced.

Some people may be wondering whether to ask the manufacturer or a repair shop to replace the windshield.
The advantage of asking the manufacturer for replacement or repair is that they may handle rare parts that cannot be obtained at repair shops. Even if it is difficult to repair at a repair shop, they may be able to handle it.

The disadvantage of asking the manufacturer is that the manufacturer generally tends to cost more for replacement and repair than the repair specialty store.
In some cases, it may cost twice as much as the repair shop.
The advantage of a repair shop is that the cost of repairs is likely to be significantly reduced.
Also, if there is such a shop near your home, it will be convenient that you can easily handle it without having to go far.

However, please be aware that there is a possibility that you may not be able to receive repair services for watches that use rare parts or watches that are originally highly waterproof.

When requesting a repair shop to replace the windshield, the cost will vary depending on conditions such as the shop and the type of watch.
Here's how much it would cost to hire a repair shop.

Market price for windshield replacement at a repair shop

• Mineral glass: From 10,000 yen
• Sapphire glass: From 15,000 yen
• Acrylic glass: 6,000 yen ~

So far, we have introduced the types of watch windshields and the causes of damage.
Depending on the type of windshield, there are some that are not easily scratched, but they are basically weak against impacts, so be careful not to damage them when using them.
If it is damaged, we recommend that you have it repaired by a repair shop.

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