Year of origin for saphhire crystal on Rolex?

[lcddrgs]

What year was the synthetic sapphire crystal introduced on Rolex watches? Did it become available on all models the same year? Thanks, in advance for all replies.

[mike]

Depends on the reference. It was spread out through the 80s.

The Submariner rather early, but the GMT MASTER not till the end. The MASTER II around 83. I want to say the EXP was later in the 80s with the EXP II in the middle.

It was all over the place.

[BarkMaster]

I think it appeared on the Day/Date before (at least some) others. Will be interesting to see the answers!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by mike

Depends on the reference. It was spread out through the 80s.

The Submariner rather early, but the GMT MASTER not till the end. The MASTER II around 83. I want to say the EXP was later in the 80s with the EXP II in the middle.

It was all over the place.

When Rolex was developing there own quartz movement first there was about 16 Swiss companies involved in the development of the first Beta 21 quartz movement.Now Bulova Accutron paid a high part in development of the step motor..And at this time Rolex could not alter the design of the beta 21 movement,to fit there Oyster case,so only stated the 5100 was water resist and not waterproof now this was the first Rolex watch ever with a sapphire crystal around 1970.Later they started around 1972 to develop there own movement,and the design was very still close to the beta movement,but now designed to fit a oyster type case.Later the sapphire evolved over the next 2 decades to most of the range, if I remember the SD was the first in the sports line up.

[BarkMaster]

Found this on the www:

Rolex started using sapphire crystals in 1970 when they introduced them on the Quartz Date Model 5100. The rest of the model lines were slowly converted to sapphire crystals during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Plastic crystals were completely discontinued on date models by around 1987 and by about 1991 on non-date models.

[mike]

Great info guys.

[watchfreak2003]

Hmm – I’ve always thought it began with the Submariner in 1974 …….. but I’ve been wrong before

[mike]

Originally Posted by watchfreak2003

Hmm – I’ve always thought it began with the Submariner in 1974 …….. but I’ve been wrong before

Jesper, the first Sub to get a sapphire was the 16800. 74 would still have been the 1680, 5512/13.

[Tools]

It dedpends on the reference to, within models..

In the early 80's the SS GMT was still plastic, but the TT and Gold GMT's were fitted with Sapphire..

[Colnago]

Originally Posted by 777

Found this on the www:

Rolex started using sapphire crystals in 1970 when they introduced them on the Quartz Date Model 5100. The rest of the model lines were slowly converted to sapphire crystals during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Plastic crystals were completely discontinued on date models by around 1987 and by about 1991 on non-date models.

That's weird....I have a 1988 Datejust 16030....it has a plexi crystal....maybe it was manufactured in 1987 (or even before) but it was November 1988 when I bought it........my 1984 DD has a sapphire

[watchfreak2003]

Originally Posted by mike

Jesper, the first Sub to get a sapphire was the 16800. 74 would still have been the 1680, 5512/13.

Thanks Mike

Would be perfect with some kind of overview over what year the different models were fitted with Sapphire

[BarkMaster]

Originally Posted by Colnago

That's weird....I have a 1988 Datejust 16030....it has a plexi crystal....maybe it was manufactured in 1987 (or even before) but it was November 1988 when I bought it........my 1984 DD has a sapphire

I really have no idea... just something I found on the web.

My 1980 DD has a sapphire crystal, I believe.

[lcddrgs]

Thanks to all. I was discussing this with a non-member that owns a ladies datejust 1985 claiming that it had a sapphire crystal. I had discussed this watch with a fellow member, and he felt the sapphires had not become available on this model until much later. 'Figured I'd ask the masses for their take on this.