Choosing a protective film for a plastic windshield

Even if you're careful, scratches can still appear on plastic crystals. While polishing away small scratches with toothpaste or abrasives is one of the pleasures of connoisseurs, there are probably many people who would rather avoid scratches as much as possible. For those people, Chrono Agent sells a "crystal protection film."

The watch coating boom is here

　Recently, watch coating has become a secret trend among some watch enthusiasts. This involves spraying a mist of coating onto the watch, creating a thin, glassy film on the case or bracelet, making it less susceptible to scratches and dirt. Many people may find it easier to understand what it is if they imagine it as a coating for a car.

　Not only does it make the case less susceptible to scratches, but many people also report that it gives the case a glossy finish and makes it easier to remove any dirt that may have built up. The effect seems to be enormous. On the other hand, the coating, which can basically only be removed by polishing, can be considered an irreversible treatment. It's true that there are some enthusiasts around me who are concerned about this.

　I don't intend to comment here on the pros and cons of coating, but there's no doubt that both opinions come from people who want to take good care of their watches.

How to protect against scratches without coating

　So, I wondered if my watch enthusiast friends would be happy if there was a product that could protect their watches from scratches in a way other than coating. That's when I came across the "crystal protection film" sold by Chrono Agent. As the name suggests, this is a film that you stick on the crystal to prevent scratches.

　Two types of film are available: one for flat windshields and one for dome-shaped windshields. The diameter of the film is available in 1mm increments, so you need to measure the diameter of the windshield and then purchase the appropriate size. According to the person in charge, it is difficult to apply the film neatly if it is the same size as the windshield, so it is best to choose a size that is 1 to 2mm smaller.

　According to the official website, the features of the windshield protection film are as follows:
・Protect from scratches
・High visibility
- Fingerprints won't stick

These are the three points. I think this is a perfect product for owners who own watches with plastic or glass crystals but don't use them often because they don't want to scratch them. There are many antique watch enthusiasts among Chronos Japan's readers, soAs a trial, they are also being offered as a gift to readers of issue 90 of "Chronos Japan," which will be released on August 3rd..

　Of course, I don't think it's right to recommend it without using it myself, so I also tried it on the only watch I own with a plastic crystal, the Junghans Max Bill by Junghans Automatic. Below are photos of the before and after installation.

Try it out with the Junghans "Max Bill by Junghans Automatic"

Before installation

After installation

　I wasn't too impressed with the visibility, but it certainly made fingerprints less likely to appear on the windshield. As for scratches, having it on makes a big difference in the sense of security. Because the film isn't glass-like, scratches from a cutter knife or scissors will still appear on the surface. However, because it's thick, scratches don't seem to reach the windshield.

　By the way, the windshield has a diameter of 37mm, and I'm using a 35mm diameter film. If it's 2mm smaller than the windshield, the edges will be slightly visible when viewed from the side or at an angle. Personally, I think it's within the acceptable range.

　If you are concerned about the condition of this photo, you may be happy if you narrow it down by 1mm and paste it at the same size minus 1mm. However, it will be much more difficult to paste it.

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