Jump to content

Any tips/advice on cleaning gold plate?


Recommended Posts

Good evening,

Does anyone have any tips/tricks or experiences on cleaning gold plate (by hand) on watch cases without wearing through the gold plate? Perhaps with some common household products?

Thanks in advance for your help

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have an ultrasonic cleaner, even a cheap one commonly sold for small jewelry items, you can use it for gold plated items. Jeweler's polishing cloths and red rouge on a microfiber cloth work well.

In general, any method that avoids heavy pressure, high heat, and abrasives will be fine.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just use a metal polish called "Silvo"  (the silver/gold equivalent of Brasso) by hand - with a rag and cotton buds.

It works so well I only use the ultrasonic to clear off residue. I also clean hands with it.

 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites



  • Recently Browsing

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Topics

  • Posts

    • Sure! Some very accomplished repairers never use epilame! I have often wondered if it is worth the trouble. Not using epilame will shorten the service intervals though, but that could be better perhaps both for the owner and the repairer!? Speaking of oiling, I just read this: After WWII in the 1950s the first Synthetic Oils came on the market. Most watchmakers did not rush to use these oils since they were bad for business now that the watch serviced with Synthetic oil would not come back to him for service for another 5-7 years he would lose a lot of income. ~Ofrei.com  
    • I read that same article last night  H.  I think epilame is too much headache for me, sources aren't always accurate, some conflicting. Such is the GRAVITY of this situation, Is it ok if i just STICK  to a thixotropic oil 🤣
    • Not sure I follow along. As I stated in one of my previous posts, the epilame will remain intact between rubbing parts as long as the surface is lubricated by oil or grease. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but note how the epilame-treated surface is illustrated in @Waggy's post. It looks like the oil is exposed to a binder (epilame!) so that it can't move sideways.
    • The epilame under the oil will also be removed  Unless the oil makes a barrier between the epilame and the escape teeth 😅 I think i need two strong coffees now 🤣
    • If we use the rub-off epilame method of pallet stones (run dry for a few minutes before applying the epilame) where will the oil go/be transported when it is pushed away from the impulse surface by the escape wheel teeth? Onto the epilame-treated sections of the pallet! Once the oil has been applied/transported to the epilame-treated sections of the pallet where will it then go? Nowhere as the oil will remain on the epilame. So, perhaps the run-dry method defeats its intended purpose leaving the pallet impulse surfaces dry!? If, on the other hand, we do not remove the epilame from the pallet stones where the escape wheel teeth come in contact with them I'd expect more oil to remain where we want it and need it. Yes, I agree, that is the question, and my gut feeling tells me that is exactly the case. Epilame was created to have an adhesive trait and the oleophobic property is just a side effect.  
×
×
  • Create New...