You may not realize it, but the watch crystal is the first line of defense for your watch’s movement and dial. Unlike the case, caseback, and band, the crystal is most exposed to the elements and rigors of daily use. That’s why serious watch brands will always choose a crystal that reflects the quality and value of what the crystal is protecting.

KRYSTERNA: THE CRYSTAL-CLEAR, SMARTER SAPPHIRE

Case in point: our Krysterna crystal, created using the centuries-old Verneuil Process that successfully produces gemstone-grade synthetic sapphires, including the rare blue sapphire. The process takes ultra pure (99.9995% and above) aloxite and bombards it with oxygen and hydrogen, then heats the aloxite to 3630 degrees Fahrenheit to liquefy it into droplets. When those droplets harden, they transform into a crystal clear material that’s more durable than mineral glass and the countless acrylics used by other manufacturers.

THE KRYSTERNA DIFFERENCE – SCIENCE YOU CAN SEE

Just like with our tourbillons, we didn’t introduce Krysterna to the world so much as introduce the world to Krysterna. As a matter of fact, it was being used by the eyewear industry with a minor tweak in recipe to deliver better shatter- and scratch-resistance in glasses, not to mention a spread surface strength that exceeds sapphire. More than just superior strength and durability, Krysterna also made its mark in the eyewear industry by being clearer than most other crystal options.

But how does an obsession with optics translate to a watch brand? Simple: while all of our collections have followings, it’s the skeletons, automatics, and dual time zone timepieces of our award-winning Legacy Collection that best define our brand’s DNA. Or, put another way, “If you’ve never gotten lost gazing into the working parts of a Stührling watch, you haven’t lived.” That observation came courtesy of GearHungry’s 2019 best skeleton watch roundup, where three of our watches shared the spotlight with Hublot, Breguet, Tag, Audemars Piguet, and other pricier “old line” brands. A watch crystal has to preserve (the “getting lost gazing” experience) as much as it has to protect the inner-workings of a watch. When it came to crystals that delivered maximum preservation and protection, nothing came close to Krysterna.

HARD TO BEAT AND IMPOSSIBLE TO IGNORE

There are plenty of impressive examples we have to give when someone asks “Why Krysterna?” But instead, we tend to let the Vickers rating doing the talking. If you’re not familiar, the Vickers hardness test was established in 1921 to rate the hardness and resistance to plastic deformation of everything from metals to minerals. Here’s where Krysterna rates compared to other watch crystals:

Acrylic: >20 Vickers

Mineral Crystal: >350 Vickers

Hardlex (Man-Made): >650 Vickers

Sapphire Crystal: >2000 Vickers

Krysterna: ~2000 Vickers

Synthetic Diamond: >10,000 Vickers

Between its clarity, scratch-resistance, and Vickers hardness rating, it’s easy to understand why people who know their crystals never ask “Why use Krysterna?” They’re too busy waiting for someone to answer, “Why use anything BUT Krystera?”

Treehut inspires you to always create new and everlasting memories with the ones that mean the most to you. The most simple adventures can lead to the most memorable moments.

Traveling, hiking, exploring outdoors. Treehut wooden watches are the best accessory to wear every time you go for an adventure. They perfectly blend with nature with its natural materials that are sustainably and responsibly sourced. With hundreds of different styles and variations, it will definitely suit every style. Ideal for men and women who loves adventures.

This shoot was taken during a cold winter morning around St Paul's in London, styled and photographed by the incredible Ella H - with thanks to singer Seljan Nasibli for putting up with me during this shoot!

Today I started browsing online to spend my Christmas present money as I just couldn't face the crowds of Oxford Street or any of the major shopping centres like Bluewater or Westfield. If like me, you are looking to purchase a new watch, take a look at Kartel watches. The watch faces are very classic, simple and uncluttered in design yet with incredible style and very trend focused.

In the first look, shown above, I'm wearing the Kartel KT-HUME 40MM-CVSB-R, but that sounds more like a Starwars robot, so here are a few more friendly details about the watch. As with all Kartel watches, they are totally affordable with this watch retailing at £75.00. The watch strap is black woven nylon which matches nicely with the black watch face, whilst the watch trim is in silver which gives a nice clean contrast to the style. I would wear this watch with anything monochrome, black ripped jeans, leather jackets and white t-shirts.