Replating Watch Hands

[StuartBaker104]

Hiya,

Has anyone here ever tried gilding with gold leaf as an alternative (cheaper) solution to getting hands replated?

I have an old Record watch and the plating on the hands was in a horrible state. I tried metallic paint but the results were ghastly. I've just ordered some gold leaf and size and was wondering if anyone has any tips?

Thx

S

[Geo]

I've never heard of this being done before, I await with interest to see how you get on.

[ro63rto]

Would have thought the Medallion Liquid Gold Plating System would be a lot less fiddly.

[Ishima]

My first thought is you might find they mark so easily that you damage the gold leaf when setting the hands back on, but I look forward to maybe being proven wrong?

[cdjswiss]

I have used gold leaf for gilding hands and even the name of a sea-going boat. But do not use gold size, better to use two-component epoxy varnish and apply the leaf when the varnish layer become tacky. This recipe gives a very hard wearing coat of gold - the boat's name was still shining after 13 years at sea!

[Geo]

Excellent info Colin!

[StuartBaker104]

Thanks Colin,

 

That's really helpful - good to know this wasn't a completely mad idea.  From what I read on the internet, the oil based sizes don't produce such a smooth finish, so I ordered some acrylic size.  I will try this first and it should be relatively easy to clean off and go again with epoxy if it doesn't look good.

 

I bought loose leaf gold rather than transfer sheets, so I'm thinking that I will be best off applying the size to the hand and then placing the hand onto the gold rather than the other way around.

 

ro63rto​ - thanks for the suggestion, but the hands are steel, so not sure if this is compatible, and 3 times the cost of what I'm going to try.  Not sure if this piece is a keeper yet!

 

Will let you all know how this goes (when I get the chance).

 

Thx

 

S

[syfre]

I have replated hands using gold plating pen kit that you can find online, it works well for very small parts like hands (but don't expect to replate cases with these kits) and pretty simple to used. The important point is to have a perfect polish and finish before plating.

[clockwatcher]

Hi Syfre!

Assuming that the hand has a smooth, polished surface to start with, using the gold leaf method seems like a good way to go as you can burnish the gold leaf to a shine when the varnish has dried.

[bobm12]

I'm just getting familiar (from this topic) with the gold leaf. Never really heard of it. If I were to use this method, what would I need to start from zero? Thanks.

[StuartBaker104]

Hi Bob,

You would need to get some Gold leaf and some size. This has cost me £12 including packaging and delivery.

I think I can improvise everything else, but won't have time to give it a whirl till after Xmas now.

I'll let you all know how it goes but having had a quick peek at the gold leaf I'm wishing I bought the paper backed variety... This stuff makes playing with hairsprings seem positively agricultural!

Wish me luck!

S

[clockwatcher]

I expect you'll have read up on gold leafing technique but if you're manipulating loose leaf use a brush to pick it up and apply it.

 

Good luck!

[bobm12]

Hi guys,

 

How about a little walkthrough for the uninitiated in this technique? ...mainly me! :) Please?

 

I'd really appreciate it and much more if you can post pictures?!

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[cdjswiss]

I expect you'll have read up on gold leafing technique but if you're manipulating loose leaf use a brush to pick it up and apply it.

 

Good luck!

 

Yes, using a wide, flat brush is the technique of the specialists (e.g. my late father in law). It maybe too late for you, Stuart, but an easier solution is to buy the gold leaf with a tissue paper backing. It is applied by transfer to the tacky size or varnish, and is a very economical solution since only the necessary amount of gold leaf is used each time.

 

Bob, the transfer technique is self explanatory - almost like kid's transfers except that it is transferred from the paper to a tacky varnished surface. Burnished afterwards with an Agate burnisher gives a superb gold coating.

[bobm12]

Thanks Colin, I'm looking into it as we speak and it seems like a good solution for all those old watch hands I wanted to refinish. I guess this will be a new project now! :)

 

Cheers,

 

Bob

[StuartBaker104]

Good news and bad news... But mostly bad so far.

The best news is that I finally found time to try this out. I've had a couple of goes and both times the initial outcome looked good. Sadly the acrylic size really doesn't stick well to the steel hands I have, and doesn't dry hard enough to burnish the surface at all.

I will be trying Colin's suggestion of 2 part epoxy varnish. I've found something called Diamond Sheen which is used on fishing rods and can be had for about £11, unless anyone has any better suggestions?

Thanks

S

[ramrod]

would a spray adhesive do the job? i've used one made by permatex - the same ones who make locktite.

[StuartBaker104]

Been meaning to update on this for a while. For anyone else thinking of trying this, thought you'd like to know that I gave up at the 5th attempt (or so). Acrylic size just didn't stick well enough and epoxy varnish just didn't give enough control to burnish the gold leaf.

Finally bought a pen plating kit with rose gold solution which worked really well. Pleased with result... still some evidence of rust pitting that was too deep to remove, and would have liked to have matched the colour a little better, but don't know enough about the chemistry to do that.

Watch is an interesting design and I've never seen another Record watch similar. Almost like the designer wanted to use every ingredient in the spice rack (like my cooking). Pear shaped hour markers, 2 tone dial, rose gold bezel on a polished and brushed stainless case, luminous dagger hands! All good fun for those days when you want to be firmly planted in the 1950s!