How to Remove Scratches from a Crystal Watch

That is a pretty nice looking watch. Have you thought of the auto parts store? There is this great stuff for repairing windshields,it may work. If not,well you will likely be headed to the jewelers for a replacement. Unless you try to contact the manufacturer for a replacement crystal and change it yourself. Either way best of luck and maybe walk closer to the opposite wall or move to a house with wider hallways.

I've heard car wax is good for this sort of problem.

Stupid answer !

Try the buffing soap / fluid found in a CD or DVD repair kit. It worked on my plastic watch face.

If the scratches are not too bad try some Brasso. Jeweler rouge if they are.

Brasso works like a charm! Had a VERY deep, 1 cm long scratch on my 1959 Rolex oyster, original crystal, and with some light polishing using a soft cloth and Brasso, the scratch (as well as several other light ones,) is completely gone.

Thanks for the advice!

Cerium Oxide

Had an expensive Rado longtime back. Walking downtown there was a guy with small drill fitted with buffing type material and sign " Remove scratches from watches".

Well he did remove the scratch first with 'zero' sand paper and then buffed the glass. The watch became new. When I came home I noticed that the watch glass would slide off. All the scratch removal technics had actually reduced the thickness of the glass. By evening the glass slided off from its 4-corner-catcher and the watch was without glass. Lost the glass. Went and had a new glass put in but it was no longer water-proof like the original and within a week the new watch stopped working.

Never wore an expensive watch since then.

My experience

I used to polish mine (and other peoples ) at work on the metallurgical polishers using diamond paste.

http://www.struers.com/default.asp?top_id=4&main_id=30&sub_id=81&doc_id=380

milo

First polish then get a scratch guard stick on or some spray or such

A company called Novus makes a three-stage plastic polishing kit.

It used to be (60's) inexpensive to have crystals replaced at a jeweler, usually a walk in procedure. ask!

I have remarkable success polishing light scratches out of plastic using toothpaste!

Use a standard toothpaste to start (abrasive type) then finish with a "clear" or gel toothpaste or just use the gel from the start. I recently used this technique to remove scratches from a dashboard facia (clear part in front of speedo).

Yes, sanding the glass and then repolishing it could make it thinner as even the finest sandpaper will be impossible to control.

Alternatively, I am almost positive that a decent jeweler can polish your watch crystal INCLUDING any metal surfaces and that it will look like new and be as good as new. The only reason I even hesitate is because no one has pointed this out yet.

Here is what I know for sure. I've owned a Swiss Army watch since 1994 and it has been polished out and made to look like new many times. This was done for free by a jeweler once a year, essentially each time I had the battery replaced. The Jeweler is one of the more prestigious jewelers in Rochester, New York. Yes, they are sort of a big fish in a small pond, but the point is that they were authorized to work on Swiss Army watches ONLY if the customer was willing to waive the lifetime waterproof warranty. Initially I wasn't so they would send it out and then, when they called to tell me it was back from the factory, they would say to give them a day so they could get it polished up for me. So I know they did that part on the premises. After I stopped paying extra for the "Factory Re-seal" I still got the free polishing along with my battery and on one of those occassions they did it all the same day (at my urging).

Now, I don't know if you can get this done for free even if you need and are paying for a new battery. Though they didn't sell me the watch they may have thought they did since I bought quite a bit of "Get of the Dog-house Jewelry" there for my wife. We were on their mailing list and all that. But still, it can't cost that much if they throw it in for free with a new battery, can it?

One Caveate. Once I had a crack or a very deep scratch and they did talk me into buying a new crystal. Still, this is 15 years of annual polishing with only one replacement. I don't think they remove much material but rather rebuff it and maybe make the deeper scratches less apparent.

If you call this same Jeweler, Mann's, I am sure they will give you the scoop. It's an old, family-owned business that was doing great the last I heard. It's Mann's Jewelers, Monroe Avenue, Pittsford, New York. I don't have the phone number but it is area code 585.

I hope this helps. The watch does look great, but what really matters is that you like it so much. Wear it often and wear it hard.

Alternatively take it to the people who make the lens for opticians see if you can get a special job done.

Dear Guest

Did you buy this watch in Bangkok or Singapore.? You know these kind of tourist traps were they sell a Rolex for 50 bucks?

The reason I am asking is that if it were Cristal, as you state, you could only scratch it with a harder substance not plaster or the like. Maybe your Girlfriend/Wife has a diamond ring and they came a bit close. Even with a diamond you'd have to give it a good go.

To get the scratch out, you would be best advised to go to a Jeweler who knows what he is doing. He will get a replacement in no time at all. He could also advise you on the authenticity of your watch.

Hope all goes well, Ky.

I had the crystal face of my watch broken through clumsiness. I was surprised to learn that the faces of alot of watches are actually standard parts which can be replaced very simply. No waterproof problems. Find a good jeweller. Mine was 55 years old, white hair and very knowledgeable.

Did you buy this watch in Bangkok or Singapore.?

Yep I used to buy "velly exclusive watch" in Singapore, (Change Alley)...........after a couple of weeks the cockroach would die........or the special bamboo spring would break..........then........heave ho.........the deep six.

Mind you I did get an expensive watch in Singapore at a reputable jewellers and I had that for many years..........and I never wore it in the engine room.........I think the heat in the machinery space on the ships of The Grey Funnel Line used to kill the cockies.

Clever things those cockroaches..........when they became a problem they used yo fumigate the ship..........that was alright.........but they used to print it on "daily orders".........the cockies would read it.......march off the ship before fumigation and..........on the Monday morning they would march back on again..........anyhow that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I would like to know how the first 4 answers on here changed from;

Re: How to Remove Scratches from a Crystal Watch

to;

Re: ow can I remove the scratches from my crystal watch??

Did you read through this thread?:-

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/10441/Can-a-scratched-watch-crystal-or-lens-be-polished-out-If-so-what-will-do-it

I have been in the jewelry business for 15 years, the price of replacing the crystal is not that large, and is the best way to go as others have suggested, changing the exisitng crystal by polishing or sanding will potentialy do more harm than good. Dont wast time and energy chasing the wrong way, take it to a jeweler or better a watch guy, and just have it replaced. Mabey contact the maker and order the crystal yourself so your down time is lowered and you know your paying the correct price for the part.

try some toothpaste and a soft rag. Then it would be jewlers rough

Long ago, as a watchmakers apprentice, we used to use toothpaste for such scratches. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not

Brasso.

It contains the proper solvent as well as the appropriate miniscule abrasive particulate for this application. Highly recommended and product retains history for this precise application.

A jeweler can do it. Be sure to ask if the jeweler employs a "watch maker" ( one who is trained to repair watches). they can polish or order a new crystal from the factory reps. If the jeweler does not have a Watchmaker on staff, keep looking. I have a Pulsar analog which is waterproof to 100 meters. I have had the watch for 15 to 20 years. I had the crystal replaced by a department store jeweler. The watch was no longer waterproof and the crystal fell out on the golf course. I then found out about a watchmaker and they ordered the correct (thicker) crystal. The watch was like new. I have had at least one maybe two new crystals since and watch is perfect. good luck.e

For a nice watch, try Cerium Oxide. This is the stuff used in the glasss industry to take scratches from windows. CR LAURENCE, INC. sells it

When it comes to watch crystal scratches you're pretty much out of luck these days. The best remedy is prevention...and the reason for premature watch crystal wear is usually related to miss-sizing of the band, bracelet, or strap. Many people tend to wear their wrist watches to tight. Properly sized, the watch and band/bracelet/strap should rest loosely on the hand and turn freely about the wrist whenever the watch brushes against any object. As long is the watch crystal is free to move, it will move; if held fast to the wrist, it will not move and consequently will be scratched.

I have had great success with Simichrome metal polish, by Happich (a German product but Harley-Davidson dealers carry it in the States fyi).

Clean the crystal first using a damp tissue and then apply a small amount of Simichrome to a cotton ball and polish with a light, circular motion. Don't apply too much pressure and DO NOT use paper towels for polishing. They can scratch soft plastics. As you polish the Simichrome will dry on the ball somewhat. Apply a little more and repeat. Do this several times as applicable.

When the scratches are largely gone, for the last step don't apply more polish the ball but do continue to buff the surface lightly even though the Simichrome has for the most part dried. This step ensures a very shiny surface. A bit of car wax on the crystal helps to protect it somewhat from haze but, first, wipe any excess polish from the watch and crystal using a cotton ball lightly dampened with a very weak solution of soapy water, as Simichrome is a bit hydrophobic (repels water).

It is probably worthwhile to mention that Simichrome also works to remove scratches from CDs/DVDs and suchlike in the case where they're scratched badly enough to keep them from playing.

With these you should polish the disk radially. This is important. Thoroughly clean the disk first with tepid (not hot) water and a bit of dish soap first before polishing. Best to wash hands firstmost to remove any grit which can scratch, then lightly clean the disk radially with bare fingers. Rinse under cold water. Do not use a paper towel as a polishing cloth as these often contain fibres and other materials that can scratch the plastic surface.

For the final step treat the disk with Rain-X windshield water-repellent. Rain-X leaves behind a thin, transparent polymer coating which fills-in microscopic scratches and renders the larger ones more transparent.

Note: Do NOT use Rain-X on plastic watch 'crystals' as it can, in some cases, haze the plastic (not the case with CDs/DVDs as they're made from a different kind of plastic which is unaffected by the alcohol-based solvent). As a general rule, don't use Rain-X on any plastic that reacts with alcohol (taillight/headlight covers, car-window seals, etc.)

Hi, watch the watch polishing video on ipdglasspolishing channel on YouTube