Sapphire Crystal vs Sapphire Glass for Smartwatches

Sapphire crystal and Sapphire Glass, are usually, used to denote the same glass material. The origin of both types of glass is based on the Sapphire mineral.

But, the Sapphire crystal glass is considered a more premium form of the Sapphire glass. It is more commonly used in luxury watches to lend a vastly improved optical experience for the end user.

We look at some important points of reference for the Sapphire crystal and Sapphire glass material below.

It may be pertinent to mention that the Sapphire crystal and Sapphire glass are lab manufactured. The process of making the Sapphire crystal and Sapphire glass is called the Verneuil process. This process creates a crystalline structure in the synthetic glass, much like the naturally available natural sapphire material.

The process of manufacturing the Sapphire glass involve melting aluminum oxide at extremely high temperatures (over 2,000°C). The molten material is then cooled and crystallized into large sapphire “boules” or cylinders.

The Sapphire glass is used in smartphones and camera lenses because of higher durability and higher scratch resistance. You would not see the sapphire glass being so commonly used in making screen of smartwatches.

For smartwatches, you require a thin layer of Sapphire crystal glass. This is to ensure better optical experience. The Sapphire crystal glass is a thin coating of Sapphire on the watch display screen.

The high transparency of sapphire crystal glass allows for clear viewing. A good display experience is especially important in smartwatches and high-precision optics.

The Sapphire crystal glass could be of multiple different types. Some of the main types of the Sapphire crystal glass include:

Flat Sapphire Crystal: This is the simplest form of Sapphire crystal glass. It provides a clear, flat surface over the watch face or lens.

Domed Sapphire Crystal: This Sapphire crystal glass has a slight curvature. It has an elegant appearance and reduced glare from certain angles. You would find a domed sapphire crystal glass often used in higher-end watches.

Double-Domed Sapphire Crystal: The Sapphire crystal glass that is curved on both the top and bottom sides is a double-domed sapphire crystal. This type of Sapphire crystal glass offers improved resistance to reflections and distortion. It is, therefore, used in manufacturing watches for better readability in various lighting conditions.

If you are looking for a smartwatch, we would prefer getting a watch with Sapphire crystal glass for a better optical experience.