Anti Reflective Coating, how is it applied?

 

Anti-reflective coating, also known as AR coating, is a thin layer of material applied to the surface of our sapphire crystals to reduce glare and improve visibility. This coating is especially useful for people who legibility of their watch in any lighting condition. In this blog post, we will discuss the process of how anti-reflective coating is applied to lenses.

The first step in applying anti-reflective coating is to clean the surface of the sapphire. Any dirt, dust or oil on the lens can affect the quality of the coating.

Once the crystal is clean, the coating is applied using a process called vacuum deposition. In this process, the crystal is placed in a vacuum chamber and a thin layer of material is deposited onto the surface of the lens using a process called sputtering. The material used in the coating is typically a metal or metal oxide, such as magnesium fluoride or silicon dioxide.

The coating process is done in a controlled environment to ensure that the coating is applied evenly and that the thickness of the coating is consistent across the lens. After the coating is applied, the crystal is removed from the vacuum chamber and inspected to ensure that there are no defects in the coating.

The final step in the process is to harden the coating. This is typically done by exposing the crystal to ultraviolet (UV) light. The UV light activates a chemical reaction in the coating which hardens it and makes it more durable.

Anti-reflective coating is an important feature for watches, there is a notable difference between those with an without AR coating. Additionally, it can also improve the aesthetics of the lens by making it look more clear and transparent.

It's important to note that, like any surface treatment, it may scratch and will require maintenance to be reapplied. For this reason we have applied a sapphire coating on top of the AR coating. Read more about our sapphire coating here.