Yellow Gold Rolex- Removing Scratches?

[Chad_Hugo]

I have got a few minor/light scratches on the bottom of the bracelet (the actual clasp) of my yellow gold Yachtmaster II. 3-4, mostly on the polished gold inside part of the bracelet- they are very fine and I actually need to hold the watch up at a certain angle/distance to see them clearly.

The 18ct yellow gold is quite soft, so even though I look after it very well, it will I suppose always scratch more easily than ss.

As they are minor scratches, can a Rolex AD remove them? I know a bracelet valet is carried out as part of the service, but the watch isn't due a service for quite some time, and it's pointless paying for a service just to get a few marks out.

Has anyone had small scratches removed be an AD?

I assume they do this themselves, directly if it's a small enough job.

Thanks in advance for any advice...

[ecain63]

Or get a decent jeweller (such as myself) to polish them out. Most of my watch work is polishing these days. With folks flipping watches like used cars there is quite a demand for polishing services.

[donkamio]

watches of switzerland did my YG DD. it had many fine scratches and some discolouration on the bracelet but came back in excellent 'like new' condition with the two tone really accentuated. only took a few days too.

iirc it was £60 for the bracelet and £60 for the head.

[Chad_Hugo]

Thanks for the feedback, I think I will try with the AD first.

Is it usually a quick job if it's only small marks not discoloration? With the number of gold/bi-metal watches Rolex make it must be a very popular service.

I don't know of anywhere else locally other than AD to try, as it's my first gold Rolex and quite an expensive watch I would be a little worried about leaving it with a random place- without a recommendation or knowledge that they handled similar watches regularly.

[ecain63]

It's still only a watch. Jewellers see expensive items all day every day. We're not all out to rip you off.

[yeti]

An AD would be the very, very last place I'd take a watch to be polished.

Like Eddie said, an independent jeweller such as himself will do a better job; ADs are there to sell, not service.

[CardShark]

I had my Grand Seiko refurbished by an independent, it did take quite a while though it was done off site, despite both head and bracelet being covered in fine marks it all came back good as new.

I can understand why someone would want to use an AD for such a service, particularly if it's the first time or for a watch of value, though a decent indie should never be ruled out.

[ecain63]

CardShark said:

I had my Grand Seiko refurbished by an independent, it did take quite a while though it was done off site, despite both head and bracelet being covered in fine marks it all came back good as new.

I can understand why someone would want to use an AD for such a service, particularly if it's the first time or for a watch of value, though a decent indie should never be ruled out.

The trick there is finding an indy that does it on site. No point going to H Samuel or Goldsmiths as you know it'll be posted away to a contractor like me. Cut out the middle man and save some money by finding out where the outworker is. I do work for 17 retailers across the south so know how it works with regards to the back and forth estimate process.

[CardShark]

Completely agree and given the time it took for the turnaround I probably wouldn't use them again despite the quality of the work. I chose them at the time as they were local and I trusted them, quite reasonable £ as well. The trust part was the most important bit of the equation for me, in that I felt comfortable leaving the watch with them and I'll get the finish I wanted without making a pig's ear of it.

Edited by CardShark on Sunday 18th May 10:36

[Variomatic]

ecain63 said:

It's still only a watch. Jewellers see expensive items all day every day. We're not all out to rip you off.

This, very much so.

Case refinishing / polishing is far more a jeweller's task than a watchmakers. People tend to forget that they're different, and specialised, skills. The fact I can gold- and silver- solder doesn't make me a jeweller and have polishing kit doesn't make me a jeweller any more than the fact your garage has a compressor and a spray gun makes them a bodywork specialist! Similarly, the fact a jewellers can open a watch and fit a battery doesn't make them a watchmaker 9although, in Eddie's case he has one of those too )

An AD tends to be neither - most are simply resellers and battery fitters nowadays. Most will ship out work like this to a local working jeweller who they trust, then charge you at "Rolex" prices. So find that working jeweller yourself!

[yeti]

Or do it yourself with a. Cape Cod and some masking tape.

I'm an oaf and managed to get a really good finish on the polished centre links of my Yacht-Master with about 20mins work. I was thrilled with the results!

[counterofbeans]

yeti said:

Or do it yourself with a. Cape Cod and some masking tape.

I'm an oaf and managed to get a really good finish on the polished centre links of my Yacht-Master with about 20mins work. I was thrilled with the results!

Would a Cape Cod cloth get light scratches out of a 30 year old OysterDate crystal, or is there something better for that job?

CofB

[yeti]

counterofbeans said:

Would a Cape Cod cloth get light scratches out of a 30 year old OysterDate crystal, or is there something better for that job?

CofB

http://www.amazon.com/Polywatch-Plastic-Lens-Scratch-Remover/dp/B0014R9V9O is what you want.

Cape Cod cloths are impregnated with copper particles in a petroleum distillate solution as far as I can make out - they're a metal polish.

[counterofbeans]

yeti said:

http://www.amazon.com/Polywatch-Plastic-Lens-Scrat... is what you want.

Cape Cod cloths are impregnated with copper particles in a petroleum distillate solution as far as I can make out - they're a metal polish.

Smashing, ta

[counterofbeans]

Update: Polywatch = brilliant stuff

Highly recommended!

CofB

[yeti]

counterofbeans said:

Update: Polywatch = brilliant stuff

Highly recommended!

CofB

Huzzah!