AK Style Iced Out Watch Case, Moissanite 925 Silver

This is a watch component, not a finished watch. It is an AK style case and bezel that you fit to your own movement, or hand to a custom watchmaker, so check that the case dimensions suit your movement before you buy. The case is fully iced out, meaning the surface is set with stones all the way round instead of just a ring of them at the bezel. The plated finish comes in all silver, all gold, silver and gold, or silver and rose gold.

The part comes with two kinds of stone and two kinds of metal, and the combination sets the price. The better builds are S925 sterling silver with moissanite, which has a refractive index near 2.65 and a hardness of 9.25 on the Mohs scale, so the stones stay sharp on a piece that lives on the wrist. The S925 CZ build uses cubic zirconia, which is softer and less fiery but costs less. Gold finishes are 18k gold plated.

Two options use a copper base instead of silver, one with moissanite and one with CZ. Copper is the lower cost route, and it is a plated base, so the finish will wear through sooner than it does on silver, especially on the underside that touches skin. If you want this to last, choose the S925 versions. Choose all silver for a cool, white look, all gold for a loud one, and the two tone options for contrast against a dial.

• Part: iced out watch case and bezel, AK style
• Stone: moissanite or CZ
• Base metal: S925 sterling silver or copper
• Finish: all silver, silver gold, silver rose gold or all gold, 18k gold plated
• Note: the moissanite and CZ options differ in stone grade, and the copper options are plated