FORGEthe scratches. Deeper scratches will be difficult to
remove, and attempting to remove them can result in
a significant amount of metal being removed from the
watch. Stop when you have achieved a finish that you
are happy with.
Be extra careful when removing scratches from
areas such as the buckle, where there are engraved or
raised logos or text, as Scotch-Brite is an abrasive and
can remove these markings. Usually, I will make no
more than 10 to 20 passes on areas with engravings,
to prevent accidentally removing them, although it is to
be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Some areas of the watch can be difficult to reach
with a Scotch-Brite pad. These can be addressed using
a small piece of Scotch-Brite secured to the end of a
dowel, with a drop of superglue.
THE SECONDARY FINISH
If your watch has a secondary finish, you will need to
follow these next steps.
Clean your watch again, using the method
previously outlined; this is to remove any abrasive or
polish residue.
The next stage is to apply masking tape to all of
the areas that feature the primary finish, leaving the
surfaces that require the secondary finish exposed.
Most types of tape will work as a suitable masking
tape. A high quality, clear tape will work perfectly well,
but an even better option is to use polyimide ‘Kapton’
tape. This is a special type of abrasion and heat-
resistant tape, designed specifically for watchmakers.
It is yellow in colour so that you can clearly see what
is covered by the tape and what areas are exposed.
Simply put, it is Sellotape (known as Scotch tape on
the other side of the Atlantic) on steroids and will make
the job a little easier.
Masking a watch can be a fiddly process, but it is
worth spending the time doing this stage properly.
Like many things, preparation is key. Apply the tape
carefully so that it closely follows the transitions
between the primary and secondary finish. A razor
blade can be used to cut the tape to shape.
After the watch has been carefully masked up,
it’s just a case of applying the secondary finish using
the methods previously described. You must also
periodically check that the masking tape is doing its
job, and has not peeled off or worn through, applying
more tape as necessary.
After you are satisfied that the secondary finish has
removed all of the scratches from the surfaces, the
watch is almost complete!
Now it is just the simple task of removing the
masking tape, cleaning the watch again, and refitting
the bracelet.
Refitting the bracelet/strap is done by positioning
one end of the bracelet in between the lugs (the part
of the bracelet with the clasp is the side that goes
to the set of lugs at 12 o’clock) and compressing
the spring bars in a similar way to how the bracelet
was removed, then slotting the end link into position
between the lugs.
These finishing techniques can be adapted and
applied to just about any watch and to other metal
items to produce a unique aesthetic.Above
Use tape to protect
part of the surface,
while you work on
another areaLeft
Ordinary household
Scotch-Brite can give
a satin finish