Oxydized movement in an old pocket watch

[Stian]

Hello gurus, 

I have this fabulous old pocket watch in my posession but am curious about the oxydation on the movement. Has anyone encountered this type of oxydation in what would normally be a brass movement? The movement is unmarked but is likely a Patek or AP ebauche. 

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Best regards,
Stian

[oldhippy]

If you are referring to the staining on the balance cock and other plates try a rubber the sort for rubbing out pencil marks just make sure it is clean. Watch cleaning fluid should do the trick.   

[nickelsilver]

Not Patek, could be AP or LeCoultre (which if AP would still be LeCoultre haha).

 

Sometimes this kind of oxidation flees in a normal cleaning. The parts are likely german silver, or nickel plated brass. If they don't come clean in normal watch cleaning solutions the best thing I know of is blanc de meudon or calcium carbonate. It's a white powder, related to chalk, you wet it and rub on the parts with your fingers. It removes the oxidation without introducing scratches or removing plating. When it works it's like magic, when it doesn't, no harm done.

 

It's very easily obtained in this part of the world, as it's commonly mixed with water and swept over shop windows during renovation or whatever. It's not some special thing. From what I've gathered it's essentially French chalk, which comes up in numerous horological texts. It's also the base for gesso. I have 500g I bought for a few bucks 20 years ago and still have probably 450g and I use it once every 3 or 4 months.

[VWatchie]

2 hours ago, nickelsilver said:

the best thing I know of is blanc de meudon or calcium carbonate

Don't think this can be bought freely in Sweden, but I found this on eBay shipped from Portugal so it should be OK as Portugal is within the European union. It is listed as: "Calcium Carbonate Powder • Chalk Powder • Limestone Flour • CaCO3 - 99%". I'm pretty sure this is what you recommend but if you could confirm, I'd appreciate it!

Great tip BTW! 

[Stian]

3 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

Don't think this can be bought freely in Sweden, but I found this on eBay shipped from Portugal so it should be OK as Portugal is within the European union. It is listed as: "Calcium Carbonate Powder • Chalk Powder • Limestone Flour • CaCO3 - 99%". I'm pretty sure this is what you recommend but if you could confirm, I'd appreciate it!

Great tip BTW! 

Thanks a lot, purchased!

[nickelsilver]

7 minutes ago, VWatchie said:

Don't think this can be bought freely in Sweden, but I found this on eBay shipped from Portugal so it should be OK as Portugal is within the European union. It is listed as: "Calcium Carbonate Powder • Chalk Powder • Limestone Flour • CaCO3 - 99%". I'm pretty sure this is what you recommend but if you could confirm, I'd appreciate it!

Great tip BTW! 

That should be fine, calcium carbonate is CaCO3.

 

Like I said it's a miracle worker when it works, but when it doesn't no harm is done.

 

This is oldschool stuff. Now don't get me started on "warm boxwood sawdust" (I love the stuff)