Rolex Tudor 74033 Dial Specifications - How to tell sapphire from acrylic?

[lazypolarbears]

Hi,

This is a dumb question -yes i've tried google-, but I'm a noob when it comes to Rolexes (have owned TAG and Omega for years, too scared to buy a Rolex and only got my first AirKing last month - so far no hands chopped off!)...

Does the Tudor 74033 Oyster Prince 18K have a sapphire or acrylic crystal? I just bought one just yesterday (serial number dates to 1990), and the seller said it was acrylic but the web seems to think it's sapphire. Pretty sure it's genuine but will get the movement checked out. I understand that there's a huge difference b/w the two and disagreement on which one's better.

Tudor's website doesn't list the dial material. Is there an easy way of telling sapphire vs. acrylic, you know, besides taking a sharp knife and cutting it? - unless your watch is emo -


Speaking of which, when did Rolexes (and Tudors for that matter) switch from acrylic plastic to sapphire crystal? Can't seem to find a straightforward answer. Thanks in advance for the stupid question!