Diamond-testing Apple Watch sapphire screen

Apple Watch sapphire diamond testing 001

After quite literally subjecting the Apple Watch Sport’s Ion-X glass to the knife in a  recent scratch test video, YouTuber ‘Unbox Therapy’ is back with another cool test.

This time around, he’s evaluating the Apple Watch’s sapphire-coated screen with a diamond tester and comparing it to the Apple Watch Sport, LG’s G Watch R, the iPhone 6 and a high-end analog watch by Tissot, which uses sapphire for protection.

He came away fairly impressed with Apple’s sapphire, concluding it does match those of classic sapphire watches. Sapphire, for those wondering, is the second-hardest transparent substance after diamond. Have a look at the video and tell us what you think in the comment section.

By the way, he used a $12 diamond tester purchased on Amazon.

The gadget basically determines the conductivity of various materials and is used mostly for evaluating jewelry and precious gemstones like diamonds.

While standard glass doesn’t give a reading with the diamond tester, sapphire is a very conductive material and typically gives a readout of about 7 or 8 on the scale. So how did Apple’s sapphire fare in this test? Is Apple’s a legitimate sapphire crystal?

Have a look yourself below.

Again, the Apple Watch Sport, LG G Watch R and iPhone 6 didn’t show a reading because these devices feature ion-strengthened glass screens.

The key takeaway here is that Apple’s standards for sapphire crystal used in the Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition match up with traditional watchmakers.

Quality matters so this serves as a testament to the craftsmanship of the Apple Watch and the great lengths Apple’s gone to get its sapphire right and bring it to market.

“Our sapphire crystal comes from the highest-quality boules. Only the purest, clearest, and strongest sapphire crystal is harvested,” reads ‘s Watch Craftsmanship webpage.

Apple Watch (Retina display 001)

“To ensure a precise fit for the case, the crystal is cut using a diamond-encrusted wire. To make room for an integrated antenna, a tiny groove is laser-ablated around its perimeter. And to create the smoothest possible finish, the crystal is polished with diamond-covered pellets.”

Unbox Therapy gained worldwide fame — or notoriety, depending on your point of view — with a widely circulated and reblogged stress-test video showing the iPhone 6’s bend-ability, which then sparked the whole Bendgate nonsense.

What’s your take on this non-scientific sapphire test?