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Drifter
·Spoiler Alert: FOIS sapphire crystal can be exchanged with hesalite (plastic) crystal without any modifications at all to the watch. My FOIS proves it.
I purchased a FOIS Speedmaster with an original Omega 57 3594.50 dial exchanged. I loved the FOIS fit on my 7" wrist. I found the FOIS to be nearly perfect. Except for the milky ringed relatively flat sapphire crystal. Many articles suggest switching to a Speedy Professional for the more traditional hesalite crystal. I considered doing the same.
Then I found the Omega Forums. I've read several posts debating whether the FOIS' sapphire crystal can be replaced with a hesalite crystal. All the older posts insisted that this switch is impossible without watch modification, and that the resulting FOIS would not be waterproof or even water resistant. Thanks of Omega Forum, several members directed to watchmaker Lewis Watch Company of Australia, who described his vast experience swapping the sapphire Crystal for hesalite crystal. Lewis Watch Company website and Instagram displayed these modified FOIS, and seemed very convincing. The biggest problem is that Lewis Watch is in Australia; I was hoping for a watchmaker here in the United States that could also do the job.
After debating about sending my watch to Australia for the crystal swap, I searched to find a watchmaker in the US that could do the same job. I was lucky enough to find the watchmaker at Clock Doctor in Scottsdale, that had successfully completed this same hesalite for sapphire swap. Two before pics with sapphire crystal are below.
My hesalite crystal FOIS Speedmaster was successfully pressure tested to+6.0 bar without any problems. The improvement in my FOIS aesthetics and character once switched to hesalite crystal is simply unbelievable. Words cannot describe this enhancement. I love it!!!
The watchmaker said that the hesalite swap is completely reversible without any modifications required. He said it would take a day to swap it back to sapphire crystal if desired. I went with an original Omega Speedmaster crystal. The watchmaker insisted that the key to the swap was making sure the proper gasket was used. He said that a metal tension ring could be ordered but was not required to make the swap work; I opted to keep it simple.
t
All I know is that the final result is simply gorgeous and exactly what I was hoping for. The milky white ring is gone, and the original Omega domed crystal is a return to the normal character of a Speedmaster. In fact, this improved FOIS is more than I was hoping for and I can't stop wearing it. After photos with hesalite plastic crystal are below.
Thank you again Omega Forums for helping me find my way to my perfect Speedmaster.
I purchased a FOIS Speedmaster with an original Omega 57 3594.50 dial exchanged. I loved the FOIS fit on my 7" wrist. I found the FOIS to be nearly perfect. Except for the milky ringed relatively flat sapphire crystal. Many articles suggest switching to a Speedy Professional for the more traditional hesalite crystal. I considered doing the same.
Then I found the Omega Forums. I've read several posts debating whether the FOIS' sapphire crystal can be replaced with a hesalite crystal. All the older posts insisted that this switch is impossible without watch modification, and that the resulting FOIS would not be waterproof or even water resistant. Thanks of Omega Forum, several members directed to watchmaker Lewis Watch Company of Australia, who described his vast experience swapping the sapphire Crystal for hesalite crystal. Lewis Watch Company website and Instagram displayed these modified FOIS, and seemed very convincing. The biggest problem is that Lewis Watch is in Australia; I was hoping for a watchmaker here in the United States that could also do the job.
After debating about sending my watch to Australia for the crystal swap, I searched to find a watchmaker in the US that could do the same job. I was lucky enough to find the watchmaker at Clock Doctor in Scottsdale, that had successfully completed this same hesalite for sapphire swap. Two before pics with sapphire crystal are below.
My hesalite crystal FOIS Speedmaster was successfully pressure tested to+6.0 bar without any problems. The improvement in my FOIS aesthetics and character once switched to hesalite crystal is simply unbelievable. Words cannot describe this enhancement. I love it!!!
The watchmaker said that the hesalite swap is completely reversible without any modifications required. He said it would take a day to swap it back to sapphire crystal if desired. I went with an original Omega Speedmaster crystal. The watchmaker insisted that the key to the swap was making sure the proper gasket was used. He said that a metal tension ring could be ordered but was not required to make the swap work; I opted to keep it simple.
t
All I know is that the final result is simply gorgeous and exactly what I was hoping for. The milky white ring is gone, and the original Omega domed crystal is a return to the normal character of a Speedmaster. In fact, this improved FOIS is more than I was hoping for and I can't stop wearing it. After photos with hesalite plastic crystal are below.
Thank you again Omega Forums for helping me find my way to my perfect Speedmaster.
Edited:
the only thing i actually didnt dare to do was the crystal. As i believe that one has to slightly change the size od the hesalit crystal.
