Yep, agree 100%.......imagine if you’d had to teach yourself and work with makeshift equipment to get those results!
I’ll never understand the aversion to refinishing, watches and bracelets should look as the manufacturer intended, the sharper the better.
They look amazing Barry!
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Those look absolutely amazing.
As Paul says, some level of work involved in bringing those back to how they are now, and I am always in awe of those who possess the skills, confidence, and equipment to achieve this.
Thanks for sharing.
As a side note, did you have to re-tighten any of the bracelets/ links.
Beautiful finishing.
How would it work on something like an Omega double eagle where the brushing is the other way around vs Rolex? Harder to manipulate the bracelet, or just a different masking technique?
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Easy, but tedious. That’s why I won’t take these jobs on, very time- consuming to get right.
When I refinish bracelets ( or cases) I get the damage out by hand before going near a wheel, that ensures the minimal metal is removed, but it takes too long. I’m not suited to tedious work and that’s why I virtually stopped doing refinishing.
That is how I’d assumed, it can be done but a ball ache. I’ve done some cheaper ones that are the length of the bracelet and can get on with that, the Omega just annoys me trying
Alas we have 2 in the household & my perpetual seems the worst of them (excluding a 25yr old one that omega seemed to round the edges on the bracelet and before I knew better detail wise)
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V impressive. How long did it take you to master this process, Bazza?
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Laser welding is amazing having seen previous examples.
So are you pro or amateur, but access to the right tools through similar but different work that allows you to have these finishes? The polishing / brushing wheel doesn’t look like a garage toy!
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I'm still studying at University but for the last 8 month I've been working non stop at https://ajwsl.co.uk on both servicing and polishing.
Your right about the polisher its a few thousand pounds bit of kit plus then the 8 bar streamer and all the ultrasonic cleaner and dyer
As for the finishing its all down to speed and compounds, the brushing finishing depends if you working on vintage or not.
Last edited by bazza.; 21st January 2024 at 22:15.
Looks very professional I must say, nothing worse than a beat up bracelet.
Impressive work, very well done
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They look great
Well, those look absolutely brilliant!
Now I really want my Seamaster bracelet redone.
It was given a mop polish at its last indy service that flattened the polished portions of the bracelet.
It didn't really bother me until I saw the quality of work in the OP 😮
Fantastic work! There's something so satisfying about a well-worn bracelet being restored to its former charm. Thanks for sharing!
Always nice to hear a good news story- it wasn’t too long ago that members were desperate to find a top notch refinisher who didn’t have a 12+ month waiting list
The previous bodge was acknowledged and restitution was offered.
There was also mention of an over enthusiastic junior who has since been reprimanded.
On that basis, I wouldn't feel comfortable naming them.
It's taken a while, but I'd rather leave it at all's well, that ends well.
It was a roundabout journey for my watch. The dratted Brexit has nixed sending pieces between Ireland and GB without a CN23 at a minimum and for something being sent over for work, and then returned?
I shudder to think of the admin.
To avoid the complications, I sent from an Northern Ireland address and received the return to the same.
Then had my uncle bring it down south as he was visiting.
The glory days of smuggling and VAT dodging on the rise again LOL.
Last edited by banie01; 28th April 2024 at 15:32.
I have a Breguet type 20 which is about 65 years old and was badly polished in the late 1990's losing some of its angles. Are there modern techniques to have some of the angles back?