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Watch Crystal Polishing


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Is it possible to get scratches out of a Seiko Hardlex Crystal. I tried with a drumel tool and various types of polish but was unsuccessful. Polishing the body of the watch works well, but the darn crystal scratches stay. You would think that making a scratch is less violent than 5000 rpm drumel with #2 polish.

From Canada

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I think Hardlex clouds with the heat of the dremmel...too fast, too hot! By the time you "eliminate" the scratch the crystal will be unusable. A slower "way/machine" with gradually decreasing grids and, using a coolant, might work though.

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It can be done as I did one for my 6139B for which new Seiko crystals are hard to come by a very expensive.  Just needs plenty of patience and work through the wet&dry papers, then diamond pastes to get the final polish.  Mine took about 4 hours in total so maybe not cost effective for a pro.  

I got about halfway through and decided that as it was a nice sunny day (1 one we had last year) I would continue on the patio.  You guessed it, just about to give it a final polish when I dropped it, and yes it broke into 3 pieces.  I nearly cried !!  

Just had to cough up for a new one but settled for a Sternkraus which was a perfect fit.

Edited by canthus
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I have polished one yesterday, no big dial. Speed can be 6 - 10K, doesn't matter much, paper quality do matter. I've found that most effective is 3M 600 grit, wet of course. Finish with 2000 and if you have it diamantine paste.

 

25563826375_5a6457681b_c.jpg

 

One or two darn specs of dust have dodged my attention and I'll remove them tomorrow.

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I have polished one yesterday, no big dial. Speed can be 6 - 10K, doesn't matter much, paper quality do matter. I've found that most effective is 3M 600 grit, wet of course. Finish with 2000 and if you have it diamantine paste.

25563826375_5a6457681b_c.jpg

One or two darn specs of dust have dodged my attention and I'll remove them tomorrow.

Did you use a Drumel tool and some sort of bit?

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Did you use a Drumel tool and some sort of bit?

 

Rotation speeds implies a rotary tool of your liking and wet paper about 6cm diameter. People saying it can be done manually just love to see their life being ground slowly.

Edited by jdm
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If you had kept going with the 2000 grit before the final polish you would have removed all the marks from the 240.

I did finish with the 2000 grit but did a final buff with Peek. I think a piece of leather would work as the final final buff

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I did see some very fine scratches if I looked at a light through the Crystal. I'm pretty picky so I did do a rebuff with the drumel and some fine Green #7 polish. Looks pretty good now. Like new. Now I don't have to disassemble the Crystal assemble including Gaskets etc.

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Awesome video dude!! Exactly what I was looking for in terms of polishing info!

Thank You

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Hey thanks. The video I did is what I was looking for all along. I have a ton on YouTube music and some magic videos but now am adding Watch Repair instruction where I can and only if it works. Mark is the man when it comes to the watch repair game. I am one step below amateur. You can find me on Facebook as well under JDWatchboy. I put up the site to track progress on some watches I am fixing for friends and for part costs only. Just enjoying the hobby, but who knows?

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Ok, revised advice. I took the Crystal once again as there were two small hairline scratches that were just bugging me, and tried to remove them using pumice. That made it worse. Then I used my drumel again and tried to buff out the new scratches; that didn't work. Then I got out the 1200 grit and worked a full sheet of rubbing followed by the 2000 grit and a half sheet of rubbing; THAT WORKED! So new technique should be Drumel with 240 grit drum for the first shooting and major scratches followed by a quick drumel buff with number 6 High Gloss, followed by 1200 grit, Two Sheets of hand rubbing and 2000 Grit 1 sheet of hand rubbing (sanding). DO NOT GO IN CIRCLES while rubbing; back and forth is best. Thanks.c57d3bc465bd728e67c60a8688664877.jpgc80a5f8af13ad56d65617b4a571299ad.jpg

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i gotta tell you that is an excellent job. it looks like a new crystal. i just purchased a seiko diver that needs a lot of help with the crystal. i am actually gonna buy a new one, but i'd be interested in trying this method on this crystal. the diver i got has quite a few deep scratches that i think might not polish out.

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