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Thread: How do you depatinate a Bronze Watch

  1. #1
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    How do you depatinate a Bronze Watch

    Have worn my Tudor BBB pretty much 24/7 since I got it a fortnight ago and it has patinated nicely. How would I remove the patina should I decide to do so?

  2. #2
    Grand Master
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    Brasso?

  3. #3
    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
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    Angle Grinder?

    M

  4. #4
    HP sauce.


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  5. #5
    Master
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    Lemon juice!


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  6. #6
    Master Papa Hotel's Avatar
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    Brasso.

  7. #7
    Doesn’t Brasso include an abrasive polishing compound?


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    Master unclealec's Avatar
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    MY NAME IS BARRY SCOTT.
    NOW THAT YOU HAVE CLEANED UP YOUR OLD RUSTY TOOL BOX, SEE WHAT CILLIT BANG CAN DO TO YOUR PATINATED TUDOR BRONZE WATCH CASE!!!

  9. #9
    Grand Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by BillyCasper View Post
    Doesn’t Brasso include an abrasive polishing compound?


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    Yes, but you are not polishing chocolate, it's bronze.

  10. #10
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    Cape Cod polishing cloth.

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  11. #11
    Grand Master Foxy100's Avatar
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    Nitromors.
    "A man of little significance"

  12. #12
    Master mycroft's Avatar
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    Toothpaste?

    No, seriously, that's what someone told me.

    Anyway, what's wrong with patina, Ryan?



    Simon

  13. #13
    Master Tenko's Avatar
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    I cleaned my Oris bronze watch with a simple jewellery cloth. Worked a treat.

    Failing that, you could try dunking it in a glass of coke....

  14. #14
    Craftsman Oracle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    Have worn my Tudor BBB pretty much 24/7 since I got it a fortnight ago and it has patinated nicely. How would I remove the patina should I decide to do so?
    We were told Tomato Ketchup or Worcester sauce

  15. #15
    Grand Master
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    Lemon juice, vinegar, anything weakly acidic. I don’t recommend any abrasive polish unless the surface of the brass is smooth. If it’s a beadblasted or coarse finish a polish will alter it. Bathroom cleaner shoukd work too and provided it’s not an abrasive cream it should be OK.

    The patination is a light oxide layer that is better dissolved away. However, there’s a good chance this will activate the surface and it’ll patinate even faster.

    I think you’re best accepting the patination as part of the look. Personally I’m not a fan, but each to his own. Brass is one step up from base metal and is the wrong stuff for watch cases IMO.

    Paul

  16. #16
    Apprentice
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    Cape cod

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Oracle View Post
    We were told Tomato Ketchup or Worcester sauce
    He wants to polish it, not eat it.

    Cape Cod works a treat on my Bronze PRS-30.

  18. #18
    Master AM94's Avatar
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    A toothbrush and lemon juice mixed with baking soda is a mild and easy way to do it. I brought my Zenith bronze pilot back by using this method.

    I didn't use this guide when I did my watch but looking at the page, it does give a good description and is the route I took.

    https://pinionwatches.com/cleaning-a-bronze-watch/

  19. #19
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Coca cola


    Actually, scrub that. Just buy a new one. It's what you usually do.
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  20. #20

    How do you depatinate a Bronze Watch

    Mix lemon juice, HP sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and Coke and you can’t go wrong with oxide reduction. Add toothpaste if you want to polish, but I would avoid on brushed or blasted surfaces.

    Then lick it clean

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    Last edited by BillyCasper; 15th December 2017 at 18:19.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by AM94 View Post
    A toothbrush and lemon juice mixed with baking soda is a mild and easy way to do it. I brought my Zenith bronze pilot back by using this method.

    I didn't use this guide when I did my watch but looking at the page, it does give a good description and is the route I took.

    https://pinionwatches.com/cleaning-a-bronze-watch/
    If you add Flour you’d probably have a good pancake that would keep your teeth clean

  22. #22
    Grand Master number2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BillyCasper View Post
    Mix lemon juice, HP sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and Coke, finish off with eye of bat and skin of toad,,

    Then lick it clean

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  23. #23
    Master drhexagon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by seikopath View Post
    Coca cola


    Actually, scrub that. Just buy a new one. It's what you usually do.
    Haven't done it myself but have seen a video where they use coca cola. Just let the watch soak in it and then give it a clean with a cloth.

  24. #24
    Master ordo's Avatar
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    Why would you get a bronze if you're bothered by patina ? It's kind of common knowledge that it'll patinate as time goes by. That's the magic of a bronze watch.

  25. #25
    Master
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    Once shiny you could coat it in Incralac. that should stop it oxidizing again.

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  26. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by drhexagon View Post
    Haven't done it myself but have seen a video where they use coca cola. Just let the watch soak in it and then give it a clean with a cloth.
    It works, was going to suggest it.

  27. #27
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    Brasso

    Bicarb of soda mixed with lemon juice

  28. #28
    So basically anything on earth will depatinate a brass watch :)

  29. #29
    Grand Master ryanb741's Avatar
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    Thanks for the advice guys. To clarify it looks AWESOME with patina but given my pathological need to flip watches somewhere down the line I can polish it and it will look like a new watch and I won't feel the need to flip. Possibly.

  30. #30
    Quote Originally Posted by steppy View Post
    Brasso

    Bicarb of soda mixed with lemon juice
    Do not use any kind of brass 'cleaner' like brasso as this will polish out the grain on the finish.

    We can completely restore bronze watches back to their original(ish) state by dipping them in a solution and then brushing to refinish, we had to do this with some bronze cases where they'd started to patina over a 2 year period. However if you did this the whole Watch would need to be stripped and rebuilt. So it's not worth it (cost) just enjoy the patina as it develops, or chop in for a steel watch :-)

    Piers

  31. #31
    Master
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    When I wanted to take the patina of my PRS30 I tried most of the methods listed - lemon juice, bicarb, toothpaste etc. While they all worked to an extent, none were of them removed everything.
    I finally gave up and tried Brasso - it leaned it all of in seconds. All I used since..

    I’m a bit weary of it on my new Evant bronze, as it has a sand blasted finish. Will wait and see how the patina develops first.

  32. #32
    That sounds like a rhyme we used to sing at school.


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  33. #33
    Master mycroft's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by henk View Post
    This is why bronze is a passing phase & most get flipped when the novelty wears off.

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    That's a sweeping statement if ever I've read one...

    Simon

  34. #34
    Master mycroft's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Montybaber View Post
    So basically anything on earth will depatinate a brass watch :)
    Well. not Weetabix.. that doesn't work at all well.














    I have no idea why Weetabix came into my head. What can I say, it's been a long week...

    Simon

  35. #35
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by drhexagon View Post
    Haven't done it myself but have seen a video where they use coca cola. Just let the watch soak in it and then give it a clean with a cloth.
    Often use it for oxidised copper. I just buy the cheapest nastiest budget stuff i can find at 17p/bottle or whatever it is and soak in overnight
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  36. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by drhexagon View Post
    Haven't done it myself but have seen a video where they use coca cola. Just let the watch soak in it and then give it a clean with a cloth.
    And that's why you should avoid drinking it if you want to keep your teeth

  37. #37
    Master drhexagon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by trident-7 View Post
    And that's why you should avoid drinking it if you want to keep your teeth
    Nobody holds it in their mouth overnight though? :D

  38. #38
    Master
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    Get it plated. Bronze is a really good base metal for plating. Gold, silver, nickel, chrome to name a few.

  39. #39
    Master
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    Here's the answer https://youtu.be/gV7cG31or6g

  40. #40
    Quote Originally Posted by mycroft View Post
    Well. not Weetabix.. that doesn't work at all well.














    I have no idea why Weetabix came into my head. What can I say, it's been a long week...

    Simon
    Have you tried it? I bet it works :)

  41. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by ordo View Post
    Why would you get a bronze if you're bothered by patina ? It's kind of common knowledge that it'll patinate as time goes by. That's the magic of a bronze watch.
    That's exactly what I was thinking.

  42. #42
    Grand Master sundial's Avatar
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    Any numismatists are aware of the fact that there is nothing worse than a cleaned and polished coin … especially a tarted up bronze coin. Patina is natural and attractive; polished patina looks bloody awful and can ruin valuable collectables.

    dunk
    "Well they would say that ... wouldn't they!"

  43. #43
    Grand Master seikopath's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sundial View Post
    Any numismatists
    What's henry the hoover got to do with this?
    Good luck everybody. Have a good one.

  44. #44
    Grand Master Onelasttime's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by seikopath View Post
    What's henry the hoover got to do with this?
    Ha! Literally just this minute collected my first Henry Hoover from Argos.

    Tonight Matthew, I'm going to be Freddie Mercury - "I want to break free"

  45. #45
    Quote Originally Posted by sundial View Post
    Any numismatists are aware of the fact that there is nothing worse than a cleaned and polished coin … especially a tarted up bronze coin. Patina is natural and attractive; polished patina looks bloody awful and can ruin valuable collectables.

    dunk
    What’s the view on medals?


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  46. #46
    Quote Originally Posted by mycroft View Post
    Toothpaste?

    Then you can advertise it for sale as "minty".

    I'm here all week. Try the chicken.

  47. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by ryanb741 View Post
    Have worn my Tudor BBB pretty much 24/7 since I got it a fortnight ago and it has patinated nicely. How would I remove the patina should I decide to do so?
    What is the attraction here? Why get bronze watch If you want to depatinate?

  48. #48
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ordo View Post
    Why would you get a bronze if you're bothered by patina ? It's kind of common knowledge that it'll patinate as time goes by. That's the magic of a bronze watch.
    Perhaps he likes the look of the bronze when new without the patina?

    Personally I do. I don't mind the dulling down and darkening a bit but don't like all the stains and spots that develop.
    Last edited by oldoakknives; 16th December 2017 at 14:44.

  49. #49
    Brasso has a cut to it so unless you want a polished rather than brushed Tudor i would not use it.

  50. #50
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    Lightbulb

    Quote Originally Posted by AM94 View Post
    A toothbrush and lemon juice mixed with baking soda is a mild and easy way to do it. I brought my Zenith bronze pilot back by using this method.

    I didn't use this guide when I did my watch but looking at the page, it does give a good description and is the route I took.

    https://pinionwatches.com/cleaning-a-bronze-watch/
    I agree withAM94: take a mix of water, micro white clay and lemon juice and brush gently with a toothbrush. Then take a piece of absorbing paper to dry the surface.

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