Reply With QuoteI would say it's too much of a hassle to repair the worn off coating. Not even sure if anyone does this. Easiest thing is to just live with it (sometimes we have to do that in life) or get the crystal replaced.
Just a quick question - well two actually....
I look after my watches - a tad obsessively - but as a result any tiny blemishes tend to quickly get promoted to the "once seen - can't be unseen" category. I have a couple of watches which under certain light seem to show what looks like smearing of bits of the AR coating.
So. (1) what caused this? Is it wiping it with a contaminated cloth - if so what contaminants should be avoided as the main culprits.
(2) what can be done to rectify a smear? Is it a case of live with it or can it be repaired, or is replacement crystal only option?
Rusty
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I would say it's too much of a hassle to repair the worn off coating. Not even sure if anyone does this. Easiest thing is to just live with it (sometimes we have to do that in life) or get the crystal replaced.
Just remove it all with Polywatch or similar.
Smears are just that and can be removed. Marks unfortunately cannot.
The trick to removing smears is water, immediately followed by a dry wipe - but you must apply pressure, or the smear stays. The bezel on certainnwatches retains a little water and when you think the crystal is dry, out sneaks moisture and the streak is still there. You'll crack the method, or go mad trying.
That was always my choice once a decent oil slick appeared I would remove the lotOriginally Posted by Onelasttime
RIAC
I don't like external AR coating , I would remove it .
Ugh. I like having AR!
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It's on both sides so removing the scratch prone external layer still leaves some functional AR on the inside, where it belongs.
I used a cape cod on my Sinn 903 recently and got good results.
External AR coatings are a bit daft in my opinion, placing a 'soft' coating on a super hard surface is bound to result in the AR coating getting marked / scratched at some point. It's a good job it's easy to remove.
If it is a smear rather than a scratch, then I use a standard liquid soap or dish stuff like fairy liquid neat, gently smear that on the crystal with my finger then wash with copius amounts of warm water. Dry with a lint free cloth or eye glass cloth. As said make sure the bezel gaps are dried off too else water can go back on the Crystal.
For light smears breath on the crystal to form a light layer of condensation. Then clean off with a lens cloth. That's what us photogtaphers do to clean lenses with nano-coatings.
Exhibit 1:
This raises another question (sorry!) - how do you deep clean an old watch case and bezel when you have zero confidence in its water resistance. I'm thinking specifically of vintage chrono around the pushers. They are gunk magnets and am always paranoid when trying to clean that areaIf it is a smear rather than a scratch, then I use a standard liquid soap or dish stuff like fairy liquid neat, gently smear that on the crystal with my finger then wash with copius amounts of warm water. Dry with a lint free cloth or eye glass cloth. As said make sure the bezel gaps are dried off too else water can go back on the Crystal.
For light smears breath on the crystal to form a light layer of condensation. Then clean off with a lens cloth. That's what us photogtaphers do to clean lenses with nano-coatings.
Exhibit 1:
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Cape Cod wipes AR off.
Stupid idea to have it on the outside, anyway.
yes remove it if it starts to offend, then try not to stress over it and enjoy the watch
I would be wary of using surfactants on a watch. They lower the surface tension of the water and could have an affect on the penetrative capabilities past gaskets and seals. I'd not be confident in guaranteed water resistance with the introduction of a high concentration of detergents.
Small stiff paint brush and a small vacuum if you're worried dust will get in through the seals.This raises another question (sorry!) - how do you deep clean an old watch case and bezel when you have zero confidence in its water resistance.
Otherwise bite the bullet and get it sonic cleaned and resealed.
I don't have a concern about using detergent solutions unless the seals and gaskets are already in poor condition. It's always sensible to wash all traces away with plain water as a safeguard.
As for AR coating on the outside of the glass , I'm not a fan. I've had to polish damaged AR off a few times because it's become nsightly owing to scratches and scuffs. Metal polish gets it off nicely.
Paul
Oh come on.
Next thing - you'll be saying it's unsafe to shower in a dive watch (please take this in the spirit of the forum).
All I'm saying is that watches are designed for water resistance. Adding a surfactant changes the way water behaves and I'd be wary of rubbing fairy liquid over the sealed case of my watch.
Having spent a number of years dealinging specifically with the surface tension of liquids and surfactants as an analytical chemist the thought of high concentration surfactants being rubbed into my precious watches would concern me. But all feel free to continue as you are
Or an optiacal lens wipe wrapped around the end of a cocktail stick. The brief dampness will lift grime and cheese but it will evaporate quickly and leave the case dry.
I`m from a similar technical background and I can understand the concerns regarding surfactants; once the surface tension of the water has been reduced it'll creep into any nook or cranny and expose any shortcomings in the seals etc. Plain water against a greasy surface would behave far differently, the water would be repelled and the seal would be less likely to allow water to pass.All I'm saying is that watches are designed for water resistance. Adding a surfactant changes the way water behaves and I'd be wary of rubbing fairy liquid over the sealed case of my watch.
Having spent a number of years dealinging specifically with the surface tension of liquids and surfactants as an analytical chemist the thought of high concentration surfactants being rubbed into my precious watches would concern me. But all feel free to continue as you are
However, I don`t see a problem provided the seals are in good condition. If not, the presence of a strong detergent could just tip the balance and allow leakage.
I think the clear message is to be sure a watch is still waterproof before subjecting it to a rigorous wet cleaning regime. Other than trial and error the only way to do this is to have the watch pressure tested. Seals in modern watches are generally very robust and last a long time, although they will start deteriorating eventually. When I took my 2003 Datejust apart I was surprised to see the surface of the caseback seal had started to crack; I can`t be certain it was a genuine Rolex seal but it surprised me all the same. The light smear of silicone grease that seals should get will help the longevity of the rubber and it'll also ensure the seal's hydrophobic, which helps.
Perhaps the safest way to clean watches is using a moist cloth and a cocktail stick to get into the nooks and crannys, as you would for a watch that's not waterproof by design.
Paul
This one wins for me..
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My thread was to smear the surficant over the crystal where the smudge was - anyway generally i would suggest having the wrt tested every couple years according to manufacturers recommendations, just to be safe if exposing watch to water.All I'm saying is that watches are designed for water resistance. Adding a surfactant changes the way water behaves and I'd be wary of rubbing fairy liquid over the sealed case of my watch.
Having spent a number of years dealinging specifically with the surface tension of liquids and surfactants as an analytical chemist the thought of high concentration surfactants being rubbed into my precious watches would concern me. But all feel free to continue as you are
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