Gold lettering on Rolex 3135 movement and L+R Ammoniated cleaning fluid

[steve1811uk]

Hi All, After 5 years in this wonderful hobby I am about to service my first Rolex. It's a 3135 movement (36mm Datejust approx. 1990) belonging to a friend, a very trusting friend.

I am slightly concerned that my cleaning fluid might eat the gold lettering on the movement bridges. Fluid is L + R Ammoniated and does a great job of cleaning. I usually do 5 minutes at 50 degrees in the ultrasonic followed by 2 x 5 minute rinse in the L + R rinse fluid.

Does anyone have experience here and know if it is safe to go ahead?

Thanks,

Steve

[tomh207]

I very much doubt that if it is really gold that it would be affected, you need some really nasty stuff for that. As many watches have a type of gold inlay to engraving I trust that any watch cleaning fluid is not going to do any harm to anything during a reasonable exposure, 4-5 minutes in cleaning fluid is unlikely to do any harm to anything but old oil and dirt.

 

Tom

[rehajm]

I use L&R #111 cleaning and #3 rinse. No problems but I don’t use ultrasonic for movement parts…