On occasion I hear someone ask why Rolex doesn’t use anti-reflective coating on their watch crystals. This Ladies Constellation is a good example why not. Click on the image to enlarge it and take a look. The haziness and scratches in the crystal are a result of ordinary wear to the anti-reflective coating on the crystal.

Rolex is a watch designed by individuals who have spent considerable time at the repair bench. Anti-reflective coating is annoying if you repair watches. You cannot touch anti-reflective coating. A crystal with AR coating on it needs to be handled with extreme care; and what do you do if a speck of dust lands on it? You can’t touch it, that’s for sure. When applied to the outside of the crystal normal wear results in considerable scratches. On the inside of the crystal the blame would fall to the watchmaker.

I have one watch with AR coating on it and many without. I personally have not noticed that one is easier to read than another, for me it is all the same. If your watch is reflecting too much light, rotate your wrist slightly.

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