I was thinking about this post overnight and how a company like Rolex give no option but to have your watch polished if it goes in to service with them. Take a new cloth and a bit of mineral oil (e.g baby oil) and polish the watch. Completing the Cleaning Process Wipe your watch down with a soft, lint-free cloth. We hope that you had a good party, and that you have recovered well , We get a lot of requests for case polishing, and we know that most manufacturers and watchmakers polish the cases of the watches they service. while i don’t want dents and nicks in my steel watches, and never will, i must say i have become much healthier psychologically now appreciating the soft patina of wear and natural handling that even non-abused watches get over time. In a short few years, the guys at Copernicus Watch have managed to create some very nice chronographs. Polish the case and remove any scratches; Clean and polish the crystal (or replace, if necessary) What are some signs that you need a watch overhaul? How to Polish a Watch Band and Watch Case. This can easily be 1/10mm or more… Once that is done, you polish the case, and remove more material. I have no problem with it but will save up my scratches for as long as I can (years and years) before I consider it. If the watch crystal is made of acrylic, you can polish it to remove scratches, too. i used to think that polishing was fine if not done too often and by a professional schooled in the polishing method of that particular brand, as when you take in a rolex. Grüße aus Hamburg, Tom. The procedure: How to polish an old watch Take a "magic eraser sponge" (melamine foam sponge) make it a bit wet and clean the entire watch case (rub hard). Pop the crystal out of the case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmY5wJNsYO4. To get a satin finish, prepare the watch case with a high polish as described before. Watch cases and bracelets are brought back as close to factory finish as possible using state of the art buffering equipment and various mops depending on the material of your watch. I can see it’s gentler than sanding but some material must be removed to polish out a deep scratch. With all respect. Thanks, I'm gonna add the word "open" in the title and I will make more in-depth version in the future with another watch. Not getting rid of it entirely but make it look like years of handling had polished them almost out, still there but less unsightly. Just don’t brush too hard or you might scratch the face of your watch. All you need is a good-quality metal polish. If your watch’s band is very dirty all over and you’re in a pinch, you can soak it in an ammonia solution. It is also what I find to be one of the most satisfying parts of being a watchmaker. Copernicus. "With a soft, clean cloth, wipe the inside of the band and wipe gently around the case back—this will remove excess moisture and any lotion build-up … Mitka and I would love to visit your workshop in Exeter, and see what equipment you have, and how you do things. This is a difficult one for me. In any case, I do have a few more comment. Reply 5 years ago on Introduction. If you polish a watch case, you have to sand the case down to the deepest scratch first. Pixie dust I guess . I have an idea… This is for Tom and Ernest. When using the polishing cloth on the surface of your bracelet, keep the following tips in mind: Only use the cloth on the polished surface of your bracelet Don’t exert too much pressure – … Yes, it’s sometimes very tempting to want to polish a scratched case/case-back but I guess it’s better left alone or VERY carefully polished without trying to remove all scratches! As every watch is different, make a note as to which way the "grain", if you will, is supposed to go on your case and try to replicate that same pattern when buffing: Hi Christian. You will notice that the cloth becomes still slightly gray as tiny metal particles and dirty micro abrasives stick to the oil. heresy in the past, i now know there is no protecting these things, and have embraced the encroaching look of vintage-ness with the unique soft patina of natural wear that comes even over a year’s worth of use. Rub a small amount of your chosen polish over the case in a circular motion, using a soft polishing rag. Personally, that’s where I draw the line. The man in the video was talking about laser welding, how it works and the ethical aspects of it. Also as I can see from your customers comments on your blog you do polished the watches for your customers in the past and suddenly realized that polishing is a very bad thing to do :). If you can indeed magic the punch marks away without more than 1/100mm loss of material thickness, I will pay your flight, accommodation, and other travel expenses. he was very successful doing this, but i did notice almost all of his customers were the kind of guys who after the age of 50 would buy a shiny new corvette and have combovers. In this how-to, Dieter Bohn completely overthinks how to add a nice, dark patina to it. of course i’m aware of the loss in case material over time and multiple polishings, hence the ‘not too often’. Simichrome works in two different ways: it's both a mild abrasive and a chemical polish. Cutting, shaping and polishing out many a deep scratch in my time. plating is still good. but time (pun) has changed things in the watch world, as well as auction prices for high end watches being much higher (much) for comparable items that are original cases, not polished. I don’t need to travel from abroad to do this. this example of the watch above has nothing to do with the bad polishing this is just old bad construction case with the worn holes (from inside not outside) You don't have to live with the scratches, though. Or make sure to cover the bezel with the … For crystal watch faces, you may have to try three different grades of diamond paste, 6-, 3- and .25-micron pastes. It’s a myth that buffing works without any removal of material, but I accept that it’s a lot gentler than polishing. while it’s arguable whether the polishing was anything near the original, it did cosmetically look very newish. Then we will measure again, and see if there was any loss of material. A few scratches is never a problem at the end of the day. We are mainly dealing with vintage watches. We maintain a certain standard here. If you use the tool, rotate it in circular motions, never pressing too hard in any one spot. my own take is that polishing & refinishing is indeed an incredible art. So being able to polish a watch case and bracelet and restore the watch so that it has the finish, shape and function as when new is something that the customer can immediately appreciate. A little hint: look at the ingredient list of your buffing compound… Yes, it’s an abrasive. This is not without reason. Where else do we keep our memories? 99 You still can’t help being a bit offensive, though. I think this is all at the discretion and opinion of the owner. This means that the polisher must employ multiple refinishing techniques to different areas of a single watch. Over time, the polished look of a stainless-steel watch can begin to dull. Anyway, i’m a restorer of glass for the antiques trade for the past 20 years. Then very lightly polish the case again with a cloth and metal polish, including the brushed area. beautifully expressed, and an enjoyable thread to read. Wash the case with warm soapy water to remove polish residues, as before. Du Must es ausprobieren, es ist der Hammer, nie wieder anders Gehäuse bearbeiten! Finally move to the watch case and bezel itself, careful to avoid the glass. I wonder if there is any solution other than a whole new case…. with these pieces the very healthy idea of organic change has been introduced into appreciation of even not very vintage timepieces. Please pop in anytime you are in the area. Step 2 Hold the stainless steel watch firmly in one hand with the reverse side up. I’ve seem some bad polishing examples too. We show you what to do and things to avoid so you get the best result. Snap the watch case open. Metal and glass are worked in more or less the same way, in fact glass is referred to as the metal at times. Half the price of a Longines quote well happy watch looks good as new. all idea of the good polishing is to keep the original shape/lines of the case and bracelet. Platinum is the metal that this applicable to. Or, use a clean, soft cloth. Recently I watched a video on watchuseek in the forum that is for vintages watches. You have a few options here – you can clean with a polishing or lint-free cloth, a soft bristled toothbrush, or a chamois cloth. Steel would not be malleable enough although, I am sure as Christian said it would work to a small degree. I believe Christians point is that multiple polishings (as you are suggesting Ernest) can slowly degrade the original lines of a case and eventually remove sufficient material that the spring bar may pull through as is the case with the watch in the pictures. In most vintage collector circles the word “polished” is right up there with “re-dialed” on the list of big no-nos. Also I really would like to visit your new workshop. Sad what has happened to the one in your picture though. I was gutted. Copernicus Watch Sp was founded in 2009 by two passionate watch aficionados, Marcin Lewandowski and Marek Filipczyk. Take a clean white cloth and remove the black metal particles that remained after the polishing. Step 1 Read and follow the directions and the warnings on the polish container in order to achieve the best results. I think we should finish this conversation about polishing on a good note It’s not worth it, it’s a bad idea, and it destroys your watch. I found them listed on the British Horology Institute website as recommended repairers. Hi. Regards. ? By naming their company after the great Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, they wanted to celebrate their Polish history and origin.. Rolex.uk for example doing amazing work on polishing, Omega.uk not too bad as well. Then specify to the plating shop to do satin nickel plate, instead of the normal bright nickel which forms the base layer of the other plated finishes. Sad. dirt and oxidation and make the areas shine where the surface level gold Is every gold-colored case watch case made of gold? Also maybe you would like some time to visit my new worksop in Exeter too? too much of each will end with the death of the patient. Take now a soft microfiber cloth and buff the entire watch. Our experienced watch polishing and watch refurbishment department can totally revitalise and rejuvenate your timepiece. ? Cheers Tom. Sanding a case is worst thing you can do…never, ever sand a case! Hold the stainless steel watch firmly in one hand with the reverse side up. Clean a white Casio G-Shock watch to make it look as good as the day it came out of the box. Clean the Galaxy Watch with freshwater, wipe it with a little rubbing alcohol and dry your Galaxy Watch thoroughly. Even with water-resistant designs, stainless steel watches can be vulnerable to rust due to frequent swimming, saltwater exposure or even just frequent sweating. Signs of wear to me are a good thing and show exactly that… that it’s been worn and used for the purpose it was intended. Just buffing the case will bring back it's old beauty again. On the reverse you could see all the circular swirls from the buffing. Your watch stops running; The watch is losing time; Watch is difficult to set; Signs of moisture/condensation inside of the watch; Visit one of our 18 or send in your watch for a free estimate! I agree. When you remove sun block, lotion, or oil, use a soap-free detergent, then rinse and dry your Galaxy Watch thoroughly. It’s a glass crystal that has been treated with heat or chemicals to withstand scratches, and might appear hazy. I am truly grateful that it’s Christian and Mitka, and not some of the others who are servicing my watches… If someone ever tells me that he or she has attended “Master Watchmaking School” in Germany I’ll just walk away. It will alter the watch's character irreversibly (then again, so do scratches, so there's a tradeoff either way). Additionally, many Rolex watches are made from multiple types of metals, which can further complicate the refinishing process. In this case, it is best to take the watch to a professional for an expert opinion or acrylic replacement. Remove Any polishing must remove material. Protection. It does work to a certain degree… You do of course deform the case, and there are limits to enticing the material to change its position… If you choice is not to polish the customers watches please don’t tell that polishing is a bad thing to do. I totally admire polisseurs, and I know that it takes years to get that right. wet and clean the entire watch case (rub hard). Then specify to the plating shop to do satin nickel plate, instead of the normal bright nickel which forms the base layer of the other plated finishes. Buff the areas where the gold plating is damaged. Proper case-marks are usually a good indication of gold-content, but gold-testing is advised if you want to be sure. A bit like culling the population? Natürlich wird ein ganz geringer Materialabtrag auch beim ‘buffing’ messbar sein, aber sicher nicht mehr als im Zehntel Promille Bereich, also fast nicht messbar am Gehäuse, daher aber die schwarzfärbung des buffingwheel. Although there is a difference between mechanical and manual watch movements, they are cleaned quite similarly. Everyone seems to have the “correct” way of doing it, when, in reality, it’s hard to go wrong as long as you follow directions. Is it ok to have it re-brushed? Also, thoroughly cleaning the movement is essential in order to preserve the movement’s lifespan. He then went on to do the same on deep scratches on the case. If the Galaxy Watch gets stained or contains any materials, wipe it with a moistened soft bristle toothbrush. I know dealers well enough to say, if there’s a dirty great big unsightly scratch on something that would stop a sale they’d want it gone. The once crisp lines were gone forever. WOSTEP Switzerland best watchmaking school in the world providing very intensive trainig of different polishing techniques as all hi-end watch manufacturys as well. Includes free vocabulary trainer, verb tables and pronunciation function. Start with the 6-micron paste, spread it around the face and use a soft cloth, or use a hand-held Dremel tool with the felt tip. Take the case to the sink and with a little dish soap, hot water, and a toothbrush, brush all of the gunk off of the case. If you polish a watch case, you have to sand the case down to the deepest scratch first. 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