We've had a recent topic on dial cleaning and Tref just started one on polishing crystals. How about a topic on cleaning and polishing cases.

What are the different methods that people use to clean and polish your cases? Is there a specific type of cloth that you find works well in getting finger prints off?

I have a few cases that I'd like to clean and I would like your opinions before I give it a go.

Thanks,
-Steve

Steven,

You took the words out of my mouth. Thanks for starting a great topic.

How is it that some cases just glow or "pop" more than others?

Barb

For just wiping off a case, the Selvyt cloth cannot be beat (most watch supplies have it). It costs about $8.00 and is a pure cotton coth with a particular weave that makes it very effective for polishing. In fact, when it gets dirty, it's washable... it has no solvents or abrasives.

Buffing a case is controversial. No doubt, at the molecular level, you are taking a portion of case material off when you polish. I've never used anything stronger than red jeweler's rouge and there are several critical rules to follow in buffing and then cleaning and DRYING the buffed case. And... even when the rules are strictly followed, there are those who believe that it is unnecessarily destructive to the watch case.

I have a jewelers cloth (rouge) that I use on cases that are pretty clean but have fingerprints. I have found that FLITZ works pretty good on cases with more stubborn stains. I never use a buffer, always good ole elbow grease. As for a cleaning cloth... I use a Harley-Davidson micro fiber cleaning cloth to make them sparkle.

I use a rouge cloth most of the time. Sometimes I use a polishing machine with rouge. In both cases I use a lot of caution so as not to rub off plating.

Again, I'm hesitant to discuss my techniques because they ARE destructive and can be very much so if done improperly.

I will say that I have used both Flitz and Semichrome for other things besides guns. Both polishes are NOT allowed in the watch-shop at all. They are deemed too abrasive for watches.

I think it only fair to caution that any of the abrasives can only be used on watch cases where the movement has been removed (and stored safely away). Regardless of how mild the abrasive seems, it must be thoroughly washed off (we use ultrasound) and the case must be completely dried. Water will work it's way into the pendant and rust the stem. Any abrasive on a case will find it's way into the movement with disasterous results.

Another caution. Buffing wheels. We use red-rouge for almost all our cases but we have separate buffing wheels for each kind.... which we keep and store separately to avoid contamination. You can't see it but those wheels become loaded with ultra-fine particles (buffing IS destructive). If you were to use a buffing wheel that had polished a coin-silver case on a 14K gold case (or god-forbid a stainless case) those fine particles would ruin the softer gold!

I would never polish an NOS case (regardless of how dirty or tarnished)or a case that didn't show some sign of previous wear. If you are unsure about whether to polish... don't polish.