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Watches, whether accessible or more luxurious, are accessories that we like to keep in perfect condition. Unfortunately, over time, they can become covered in scratches… Fortunately, it is now possible to reduce them or even completely make them disappear, directly at home, by following certain precise steps and using the right products.
Here are a few steps that will help restore the shine to your watch!
How to polish your watch glass?
The glass of a watch can be plexiglass/acrylic (plastic), mineral glass, or sapphire. Each of these materials requires a particular approach to removing scratches.
- Plexiglas or acrylic glass: this type of glass (found on the majority of vintage watches and Swatches) is rather flexible and is therefore susceptible to scratches. To erase them, apply a small amount of “Polywatch” type paste or, failing that, toothpaste. Gently rub in circular motions with a soft cloth or cotton makeup remover pad for a few minutes. The product acts as a light abrasive, which will polish the surface and greatly reduce scratches.
- Mineral glass: Mineral glass is more resistant than Plexiglas, but it remains less solid than sapphire glass. To polish this type of glass, use a special “Polywatch” mineral glass. Apply a small amount of product to the glass and follow the instructions.
Good to know: if your watch is equipped with a sapphire crystal, it is practically impossible to scratch it (unless you rub it against the point of a diamond). If the crystal on your watch is very scratched, there is almost no chance that it is sapphire crystal.
How to polish your watch case?
Before you start polishing the case, it is essential to check the type of material from which it has been made. Indeed, the method differs depending on whether your case is made of solid stainless steel or chrome-plated brass.
Check the case material: turn the watch over and observe the engravings on the case back. If you read “Steel back” or “Stainless steel back”, this means that only the back of your watch is made of steel and its case is probably chrome-plated, gold-plated or gold-plated brass. In this case, it is better to avoid polishing so as not to damage the chrome, gold or gilding layer. However, if you see mentions like “Acier”, “Acier stainless”, “All Stainless Steel”, “Stainless steel case” or “All steel”, the case is made entirely of stainless steel and can therefore be polished, provided although the color of its surface is gray.
Polishing a solid stainless steel case: use a “Connoisseurs” or “Cape Cod” type polishing wipe, this option is particularly effective for restoring shiny parts with a mirror polish finish. Gently rub scratched surfaces to polish them and reduce marks.
Precaution for brushed parts: brushed surfaces require a more delicate approach. To reduce scratches, you will need to use very fine sandpaper here which will restore the brushed appearance of the metal. This operation requires a lot of precision and attention to detail. If you are not comfortable with the idea of carrying out this operation at home, entrust your watch to a watchmaker, he will know how to give it a second lease of life!
How to restore your watch strap?
We often tend to forget it, but a watch strap also needs to be maintained. This is especially true if it is made of metal or leather.
- Restore a metal bracelet: Proceed in the same way as for the case, using “Connoisseurs” or “Cape Cod” type polishing wipes for the shiny parts, and fine sandpaper for the brushed areas. Be careful not to touch the gold-plated or black PVD parts!
- Restore a leather bracelet: you can apply a little special leather cleaning milk to nourish and clean your leather watch strap in depth. Be careful not to apply any product to the lining (the part in contact with the skin) which may not be smooth leather. Then add a thin layer of colorless shoe polish or a shade matching the color of the bracelet. However, do not use shoe polish paste! This product, often sold in flat metal boxes, is not designed to nourish leather. In fact, it is only made to add shine. Note that the greasy layer it deposits on the surface could stain your clothes, in addition to suffocating the leather.
Maintaining your watch therefore requires a little precision, but it is an excellent way to keep it in perfect condition by giving it a boost of shine. By following these few steps, you can easily and quickly reduce small scratches without calling a professional.
Sometimes a little elbow grease is enough!
