Sapphire Glass vs. Mineral Glass: The Real Difference Explained
When it comes to watches, we often talk about movement, brand, and style, but the glass that protects your watch face plays an equally important role in how long your watch stays beautiful. Sapphire crystal and mineral crystal are the two most commonly used types of glass in the watch world, and while they may seem similar at first glance, the difference in quality, durability, and price is significant.
Mineral glass: the robust all-rounder
Mineral glass is a tempered glass specially treated to be more resistant to cracks and impacts. It's sturdy, affordable, and therefore popular for our budget watches .
The biggest advantage of mineral glass is that it can withstand a significant impact without cracking. The downside: scratches. No matter how careful you are, keys in your pocket or an unexpected scrape against a wall can leave permanent marks.
Sapphire crystal: the luxurious bodyguard of your dial
Sapphire crystal is synthetically produced, but is chemically identical to natural sapphire. This makes it extremely hard and scratch-resistant. On the Mohs scale of hardness, sapphire crystal scores an impressive 9, while diamond, arguably the hardest material, scores a 10. This makes sapphire crystal virtually impossible to scratch in everyday use.
You often find sapphire crystal in luxury watches and brands like Seiko , Rodania , and Swiss Military Hanowa . Many of our dress watches are also equipped with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.
While sapphire glass is often seen as a luxury, the affordable watch brand Garonne considers it a standard, which is why watches under €100 are increasingly featuring sapphire glass.
How do you recognize sapphire glass?
There are a few features that help you recognize sapphire crystal. First, the crystal is extremely clear. Watches with an anti-reflective coating sometimes appear as if there's no crystal at all. Second, the crystal feels slightly colder to the touch than mineral glass. Sapphire crystal is often labeled "sapphire" on the dial or watch caseback. For our models, you can always find out which crystal type is used in the description.
The pros and cons in a row
Sapphire glass is nearly scratch-resistant, but that comes at a price. Moreover, it's so hard that it can shatter more quickly with a significant impact than mineral glass, which has a bit more give. Mineral glass is cheaper and more resistant to hard impacts, but it does scratch more easily. So, it's a matter of priorities: do you primarily want glass that looks perfect for years, or one that can withstand a few knocks without breaking?
Is sapphire glass worth the price?
Yes, especially if you wear your watch often. You often pay a bit more, but you get durable, scratch-free protection for years to come.
Be sure to take a look at our collection of watches with sapphire crystal .