7

Restore your watch’s original look

TUTORIAL

used to achieve a high lustre in very little time. A

buffing wheel does have its drawbacks: using a high-

speed buffing wheel is very difficult to perfect, as

often an amateur polisher will remove more metal than

necessary and even change the shape of the watch!

If you are new to restoring watches, I recommend

polishing by hand. Hand polishing is a gentle process

and there is next to no chance of causing damage to

the watch.

There are dozens of metal polishes available that will

produce excellent results, and I prefer to use diamond

polishing paste. These can be purchased online for

around £10, and a little goes a long way. A 1-micron

grit diamond paste will usually be sufficient, although

you may want to experiment with other polishes.

To use the polishing paste, apply a small bead of

polish (about the size of a peppercorn) to a microfibre

or a Selvyt cloth, and work it into the weave of the

cloth. The cloth can then be wrapped around the tip of

your finger and used to buff the scratches out of the

watch. Depending on the condition of the watch, this

can be a time-consuming process, but the lustre that

this method produces is far greater than what can be

achieved using a buffing wheel.

Some areas can be difficult to polish with a cloth.

The technique most watchmakers use to finish these

areas is to shape the tip of a wooden dowel to fit the

area, and apply polish to the tip of the dowel.

It is important, when using any type of polish, not

to accidentally polish the glass. Many watches have

a thin transparent coating on the glass that reduces

reflections, and polishing will remove this coating.

You are looking to achieve a smooth, highly

polished surface. It is not always possible to remove

all of the scratches using this method, particularly

deeper imperfections. I usually stop polishing when

the majority of the scratches and imperfections are

removed and the surface is highly reflective.

SATIN FINISH

Abrasives are used to apply a satin ‘brushed’ finish to

the surfaces of a watch, and different abrasives will

give different results. Watches often have complex 3D

surfaces that can make it tricky to achieve a flawless

satin finish.

Scotch-Brite, like the kind used to clean pots and

pans, is perfect for the task, as its sponge-like texture

will conform to the shape of the watch, resulting in an

even finish.

You will find that there are three common types of

Scotch-Brite: white, that is non-abrasive; red, that has a

fine grit for a more matte finish; and green, which has

a coarse grit that produces a brighter finish.

Both red and green Scotch-Brite will produce an

attractive finish.

Start by securing a large piece of Scotch-Brite to the

workbench, or to a board, using carpet tape. You may

want to secure a few Scotch-Brite pads end-to-end to

make a long strip of Scotch-Brite.

Pass the parts over the pad at a brisk pace, in

the direction parallel to the original grain. You do not

need to use a lot of pressure, just enough to partially

compress the Scotch-Brite and ensure full contact

between the surfaces.

Check your progress after every five to ten

passes. You are looking to remove the majority of

Abrasives are used to apply a satin ‘brushed’

finish to the surfaces of a watch, and different

abrasives will give different results

”

”

Figure 3

A spring bar secures

the strap/bracelet on

most watches

Below

To get the right finish,

you need to start with

the right products