Dr. Ito's thorough analysis of mechanical watches!! Vol.40 - About the exterior finish of luxury watches

Good evening everyone!

This column talks about mechanical watches from an engineer's perspective. This is the 40th installment.

"About the exterior finishing of luxury watches"

I will be talking about this topic here.

Even if you treat your watch with care, scratches can accumulate without you even realizing it.

Since you wear it on your wrist every day, some scratches are inevitable. Also, a watch that has some wear and tear and shows signs of age can look cooler than one that is shiny and undamaged.

However, if it's covered in scratches, it can be a bit of a concern.

So this time, we will explain how to "finish" a luxury watch when it gets scratched.

What is exterior polishing?

Scratches on luxury watches are usually removed by "polishing." Deep scratches and dents cannot be completely removed, but they can be made less noticeable by polishing the surface. This is sometimes called "polishing," and is done with a special tool called a buff motor.

Scratches can be removed by polishing metal materials such as stainless steel and gold. However, composite materials such as carbon and ceramic, resin materials, and metals that have been treated with PVD or other processes cannot be polished.

By the way, we sometimes receive inquiries about whether it is possible to do this polishing by oneself.

In this regard, we do not recommend polishing anything other than a plastic crystal, especially if it is a high-end watch.

The reason for this is that it is extremely difficult to recreate the finish of a brand new item. We have seen many cases where the appearance is damaged rather than improved.

The exterior of a luxury watch is carefully finished by the manufacturer, with the most common combination being a "mirror finish" and "hairline finish." This is done using specialized machines, but each manufacturer has their own unique methods. If someone inexperienced polishes the watch, the grain of the finish may change or distortion may occur.

Also, sometimes when you try too hard to remove scratches from a mirror finish, you end up polishing the adjacent hairline finish as well, making it shiny.

For these reasons, we recommend that you do not attempt to polish scratches on your watch yourself, but rather have it professionally repaired.

Is non-polished best?

Have you ever heard of the term "case weight loss"?

Case thinning literally refers to the reduction in the case area caused by excessive polishing.

As mentioned at the beginning, exterior polishing is merely an act of "scraping." Of course, it does not literally mean scraping away, but rather is merely a fine polishing.

However, repeated polishing can result in the loss of metal and rounded edges, which is called case thinning.

Case thinning not only affects the appearance, but also reduces durability. If you ask the manufacturer for maintenance, it may be necessary to replace the case. While scratches are certainly noticeable when compared to a new product, it's important to know that polishing the exterior too frequently can lead to case thinning.

In recent years, many people have become aware of the trend of "non-polished pieces being highly rated," and believe that polished pieces are not attractive. However, to be honest, I personally find pieces that have been polished to a beautiful finish by a skilled technician more appealing than pieces that are unpolished and full of scratches.

This is a matter of personal preference, but be careful not to be too hung up on non-polished finishes as this may limit your options when purchasing luxury watches.

What is Refurbishment?

As mentioned above, repeated polishing can cause the case to thin, reducing the appeal and asset value of a luxury watch. Therefore, one finishing method to keep in mind is " refurbishment ."

This word means "repair or repair," and in the case of luxury watch finishing, it refers to a method of repairing deep scratches with welding or other methods, and then finishing the entire watch to make it as close to new as possible.

This method eliminates the need to scrape the surrounding area to remove deep scratches, minimizing case thinning. Because it requires advanced technical skill, it is only performed by certain manufacturers and repair workshops, and the cost is high. If you have deep scratches on your precious watch, consider this "refurbishment" option.

summary

What did you think?

It's best to leave exterior polishing to a trusted professional, not just to remove scratches but also to maintain the watch's original shape and finish. There are a variety of places to ask, including the manufacturer and private repair shops, so be sure to decide based on your budget and the model you own. If you purchased your watch from a trusted retailer, it may be best to consult with them about polishing and other maintenance.

We hope that this article has been useful to you and has sparked even a little interest in luxury watches! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us directly and we will be happy to answer them. We look forward to your visit and inquiries.

Please look forward to the next one!