In 1959 Omega made a piece-unique with a faceted crystal from a 9ct-diamond -- see the Neiman-Marcus- / Omega-magazine advertisement -- and in the same year they started to make similar faceted crystals from sapphire: The 1959-introduced Omega Damier "Star-Watch", ref14741. And it was not only a special and horological important watch but also one of their most exclusive and most expensive back-then.

Rolex started to use sapphire-crystals in 1961 in their Rolex Midas-line -- in the 1960s and early '70s a standalone-line in their offering consisting of the King Midas (ref9630), the Queen Midas (ref9904) and Princess Midas (ref9903) -- and they were for sure not less exclusive and expensive.

Both of these firsts are now exceedingly rare icons and the use of sapphire as a crystal became something usual in the 80s -- but as always in horology and life in general: its a question of time & chronology and being first makes the difference; see here: *klikk.