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Do I need to worry about the crystal when cleaning a watch case in an ultrasonic cleaner?

ManSkirtBrew

By ManSkirtBrew
in Watch Repairs Help & Advice

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ManSkirtBrew WRT Addict

ManSkirtBrew

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I know this sounds like a silly question, but I haven't been able to locate much information on it.

Are acrylic crystals susceptible to damage from naptha or common watch cleaning solutions? Is there anything I should be especially careful about in general?

I've seen videos of crystals going into the ultrasonic, but no word on what chemicals they're using, so I figured I'd ask before I ruin something nice.

 

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JohnR725 Distinguished Member

JohnR725

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4 hours ago, ManSkirtBrew said:

Are acrylic crystals susceptible to damage from naptha or common watch cleaning solutions?

Are you planning on cleaning the watch in the case?

Normally in watch repair  two separate kinds of cleaning fluids used. The water-based fluids for cleaning the case the band the crystal etc. Then a separate solution for cleaning the watch movement which could even be a water-based cleaner but I don't ever recall anyone cleaning the case in the same solution?

Okay I'll take it back I was thinking I do know an example of that? I remember now there was a shop that I worked at that for some reason he ended up with water-based watch cleaning solution which the owner refused to use. So we just mixed it up used to clean the bands the case etc. But the water-based solutions are definitely different than naptha I don't actually know what it would do to a crystal but it's not what we normally use.

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ManSkirtBrew WRT Addict

ManSkirtBrew

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10 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

Are you planning on cleaning the watch in the case?

No, separately from the movement. I don't have any tools to remove/replace crystals yet, so I was going to leave the crystal in.

10 hours ago, JohnR725 said:

Normally in watch repair  two separate kinds of cleaning fluids used. The water-based fluids for cleaning the case the band the crystal etc. Then a separate solution for cleaning the watch movement which could even be a water-based cleaner but I don't ever recall anyone cleaning the case in the same solution?

This is exactly why I asked--I didn't know cases were usually done in a different cleaner. I thought something like L&R 111 watch cleaning solution would be used for all the watch parts including case and bracelet.

Thank you!

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