polish or re-plate

[little]

Hi, I am very interested in purchasing from ebay a used Maurice Lacroix stainless steel rectangular watch. The phots look good save for some scratches from the winder to the end of the lug. These do not look terrible under magnification but the watch is about £200.00 so not a cheapy. Although the watch is stainless steel I assume it is plated in chromium as it has a very high gloss. My question is can scratches be polished out of chrome; in which case what product should I use or alternatively is it fairly easy to get the watch case re-plated in chromium. thanks very much.

[ed335d]

Pictures would help

I don't think plating SS is too common on watch cases (could be wrong).

[walkerwek1958]

Pictures would help

I don't think plating SS is too common on watch cases (could be wrong).

+1.......it's likely to be highly polished steel and it can be refinished. Can't see it being chrome plate, if it was it would be applied over base metal.

Paul

[little]

Hi Guys, Many thanks for your replies. Unfortunately I cant post pics simply because I have no idea how to do it; I do well to turn my laptop on. Assuming the watch is highly polished S/S is there a product you could recommend to remove light scratches. thanks jack

[.olli.]

Cape cod cloths work very well to restore a mirror finish on Stainless Steel. They will only remove very light scratches / marks though, but unlike other methods of polishing (e.g polishing machine, dremel...) you can't really go wrong with them and take out too much metal, so it could be worth a go.

[little]

Hi olli, Many thanks I shall give that a go.

[walkerwek1958]

Scratches can be removed using fine wet and dry paper wrapped around a small hard wood or hard rubber block. Metal polish on a buff stick followed by Cape Cod for final finishing is the way I do it.

Paul

[MADDOG]

Scratches can be removed using fine wet and dry paper wrapped around a small hard wood or hard rubber block. Metal polish on a buff stick followed by Cape Cod for final finishing is the way I do it.

Paul

Or to save the hard work, use a dremmel polishing tool. I would not be without mine.

[walkerwek1958]

Or to save the hard work, use a dremmel polishing tool. I would not be without mine.

I've refinished lots of watches and I'd never recommend using a dremel tool.

[Tomaitch]

I've refinished lots of watches and I'd never recommend using a dremel tool.

LOL ! Why?

[j111dja]

Or to save the hard work, use a dremmel polishing tool. I would not be without mine.

I love my Dremmel.

[Estoril-5]

I love my Dremmel.

What attachments do you use for this type of polishing?

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

[little]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2223441405...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Hi guys, I don't know whether I have cracked it but hope the above is a link to the scratched watch I am proposing to purchase. I am sure you guys will know whether it is stainless steel or chromium plated. thanks again for all your help.

[ed335d]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2223441405...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Hi guys, I don't know whether I have cracked it but hope the above is a link to the scratched watch I am proposing to purchase. I am sure you guys will know whether it is stainless steel or chromium plated. thanks again for all your help.

Well, it has SS on the caseback and they list it as SS. I'd say with a degree of confidence it's SS

[little]

Well, it has SS on the caseback and they list it as SS. I'd say with a degree of confidence it's SS

Hi ed335d;love it. Thanks guys for spotting that, I doubt I would have noticed it until I had it in my hands which is the wrong time to notice a flaw. This does make me think twice about purchasing the watch. The seller says she obtains watches from a collector. This may well be one to walk away from. If the dial is wonky what else is wrong. Thanks again to you all

[me32dc]

Hi ed335d;love it. Thanks guys for spotting that, I doubt I would have noticed it until I had it in my hands which is the wrong time to notice a flaw. This does make me think twice about purchasing the watch. The seller says she obtains watches from a collector. This may well be one to walk away from. If the dial is wonky what else is wrong. Thanks again to you all

The dial can't really be wonky unless the dial feet have snapped off. Walk away.

[Der Amf]

The dial can't really be wonky unless the dial feet have snapped off. Walk away.

Or unless its fake. No amendation proposed for the advice given!

[Der Amf]

The dial is fitted very wonky, isn't it?

[ed335d]

The dial is fitted very wonky, isn't it?

Are you sure?

[Der Amf]

Are you sure?

They've even got the rows of dimples to help them line it up and still

[little]

Hi guys, again I am showing my ignorance but if a new battery has been installed is it possible that the movement has moved slightly and has not been centred properly before the back plate was re-fitted. So far as being a fake I wouldn't think these watches command a high enough retail price to warrant fakes being produced.

[me32dc]

Hi guys, again I am showing my ignorance but if a new battery has been installed is it possible that the movement has moved slightly and has not been centred properly before the back plate was re-fitted. So far as being a fake I wouldn't think these watches command a high enough retail price to warrant fakes being produced.

The dial is connected directly to the movement with the dial feet so not possible unless the stem has a massive bend in it, but then you couldn't set it to set the time.

[Der Amf]

Just as a general rule: fakers will fake anything - if you're already producing cheap tat watches, why not put a little more effort in, bung on a brand name and charge 20× as much? Like most crime, it's opportunistic, rather than the product of a grand design.

[little]

Hi, The seller of the watch has squared the dial in the case which has also been polished so no scratches. All looks good so just got to agree a price. do any of you chaps know much about Maurice Lacroix watches; i.e mid price range and also when would you date the watch.Thanks

[me32dc]

Hi, The seller of the watch has squared the dial in the case which has also been polished so no scratches. All looks good so just got to agree a price. do any of you chaps know much about Maurice Lacroix watches; i.e mid price range and also when would you date the watch.Thanks

Don't buy it, buy one that hasn't had the dial glued on after someone pointed out the really obvious flaw that the seller obviously didn't notice

[little]

Don't buy it, buy one that hasn't had the dial glued on after someone pointed out the really obvious flaw that the seller obviously didn't notice

Hi guys, You are of course right; but its very difficult for me to pass up a watch that I have been trying to find for many months. If it was going for £50 quid I would take a chance but I shall walk away and keep looking. Thank you all so much for your help and expertise. jack

[Der Amf]

Some other items available from this seller:



Do you have an especial reason for thinking that they will have done a proper job of sorting the watch out, or that they would be able to spot a fake?