Acrylic Crystal
Acrylic crystal is a lightweight plastic watch crystal, also called hesalite, that protects the dial. It scratches easily but those scratches polish right out, and instead of shattering on impact it tends to flex. It is common on vintage and budget watches.
At a glance
- Also called
- Hesalite, plexiglass
- Scratches
- Easily, but polishes out
- Impact
- Cracks, rarely shatters
Acrylic is one of the oldest crystal materials in watchmaking, and it still holds a place today. It sits below mineral and sapphire on hardness, but it earns its spot through two distinct strengths: it is cheap, and it shrugs off impact.
The polish-out advantage
Acrylic is a soft plastic, so it picks up surface marks during everyday wear. The good news is that most of those marks are not permanent.
- Surface scratches: can be buffed out at home with a mild polishing compound
- Impact behavior: flexes or cracks rather than shattering on a hard knock
- Cost: inexpensive to produce, which is why it shows up on budget pieces
For harder options, see mineral crystal and sapphire crystal, or read the general crystal entry.
Where you will find it
Acrylic is the typical crystal on vintage watches and entry-level models. To compare the materials side by side, browse the materials category, or read our sapphire versus mineral crystal explainer.
Examples
Many budget watches, like the classic affordable Casio digitals, use an acrylic crystal for its light weight and low cost.
View this watchOn vintage-styled watches, the gently domed profile of acrylic gives the period-correct soft reflections collectors look for.
Comparison
Acrylic and sapphire crystal are near opposites.
| Option A | Option B | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Acrylic crystal | Sapphire crystal | Acrylic scratches easily but polishes out and cracks on impact; sapphire is nearly scratchproof but can shatter on a hard knock and costs far more. |
Related terms
Watches that show this
Frequently asked questions
Can acrylic crystal scratches be removed?
Yes. Because acrylic is a soft plastic, most surface scratches can be buffed out at home with a mild polishing compound. Deeper marks may need a fuller polish or a crystal replacement, but both are inexpensive jobs.
Is acrylic crystal worse than sapphire?
Not exactly, it is different. Sapphire resists scratches far better but is brittle, can shatter on impact, and costs more. Acrylic scratches easily, yet it is cheap, light, polishable, and tends to crack rather than shatter under a hard knock.
Are hesalite and acrylic the same thing?
In practice, yes. Hesalite is a common watch-industry name for acrylic crystal, and plexiglass refers to the same material. All three describe the clear plastic crystal that protects the dial, not a coating or treatment.