How do you clean youre Rolex?

[madformac]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

I bet they come out as clean as you....every tiny little bit, uh?

Well thats why I got a Panerai JJ. I wanted a watch that would suit the bigger man you know?

I felt the Sub was a little too small.. I'm sure you understand..

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by C.J.

Really, I would think you'd tear through one the fastest But, you must use turtle wax on your head instead, huh?

Just once in SIX months....when I wax my car!!

[C.J.]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Just once in SIX months....when I wax my car!!

Riiiight

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by madformac

Well thats why I got a Panerai JJ. I wanted a watch that would suit the bigger man you know?

I felt the Sub was a little too small.. I'm sure you understand..

No, I don't, you tosser....and neither do the sheep!!!

[madformac]

I watched Billy Connolly's tour of NZ last night. What was it he said?

"I'm like a Super Trouper travelling New Zealand but I don't feel blue. I'll find myself a nice big ewe"..

[Launch Mini]

Clean my Rolex, by wiping off the dust about once a week with the cleaning cloth that came with my Panerai's
Now the Pannies, they get cleaned with the soft cloth as needed, and with the shirt tails about every 30 minutes.

[jaycee]

Windex, whatever that is as I don't think it's available in the UK, is often recommended for cleaning the optical surfaces on high-end amateur astronomy telescopes. The glass on these have quite delicate magnesium flouride (or similar) coatings to enhance light transmission and generally only get cleaned when absolutely necessary because of the risk of damaging the coating or scratching the glass.

If it's ok for these instruments I can't see it doing a Rolex any harm.

[TNRonin]

Originally Posted by padi56

Most of your Rolex today is made from 316L steel,and all I use is just plain soap and water.Might pinch a bit of Mrs Padi shower stuff and give it a birthday while having a shower.But plain old water and a bit of washing up liquid will be fine.This works on most precious stones and metals, and even works on dishes.Warning most accidents bumps etc happen on hard floors be extra careful in bathroom.

I really really really don't mean to nitpick, but isn't the steel for the Rolex now 904 something or other? Higher nickel content, which is what allowed me to get my first Rollie (gent was allergic).

I just want to know because I don't like to misunderstand stuff. TIA

Mitch

[steve-o]

Ever smell jewelry /watch cleaner?...it's just sudsing ammonia. I use just that to clean my watch with hot water and a toothbrush.

Been doing it on all my Rolex's for years.

[Gedanken]

Originally Posted by TNRonin

I really really really don't mean to nitpick, but isn't the steel for the Rolex now 904 something or other? Higher nickel content, which is what allowed me to get my first Rollie (gent was allergic).

I just want to know because I don't like to misunderstand stuff. TIA

Mitch

Nah, you're right there, Mitch. I believe the switch from 316 to 904 was made in the late seventies or early eighties.

You'll have to excuse Peter - he's just getting used to white gold surrounds on the dots.

[dman]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Clean my Rolex, by wiping off the dust about once a week with the cleaning cloth that came with my Panerai's
Now the Pannies, they get cleaned with the soft cloth as needed, and with the shirt tails about every 30 minutes.

ROTFLMAO!!

[RogerF]

I just use soap and water. Usually when I am washing my hands I give the watch a quick rinse. However, I heard that brillo pads and Ajax is good too

[dman]

Originally Posted by RogerF

I just use soap and water. Usually when I am washing my hands I give the watch a quick rinse. However, I heard that brillo pads and Ajax is good too

Only if you use sandpaper to dry it off.

[miner]

Just took the bracelet off the GMT. Whoa horrible, about 5 years worth of gunk. So I used warm water, washing up liquid and... my son's electric toothbrush. I tell you when Braun designed this thing it's second use was cleaning teeth because it cleaned up the GMT beautifully.
I just got to look the other way when my son complains about the strange tasting new toothpaste!!

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by miner

Just took the bracelet off the GMT. Whoa horrible, about 5 years worth of gunk. So I used warm water, washing up liquid and... my son's electric toothbrush. I tell you when Braun designed this thing it's second use was cleaning teeth because it cleaned up the GMT beautifully.
I just got to look the other way when my son complains about the strange tasting new toothpaste!!

What a tosser!!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by Gedanken

Nah, you're right there, Mitch. I believe the switch from 316 to 904 was made in the late seventies or early eighties.

You'll have to excuse Peter - he's just getting used to white gold surrounds on the dots.

Check below post James don't believe everything Rolex tells you, after all it take a year to make a Rolex.

Originally Posted by TNRonin

I really really really don't mean to nitpick, but isn't the steel for the Rolex now 904 something or other? Higher nickel content, which is what allowed me to get my first Rollie (gent was allergic).

I just want to know because I don't like to misunderstand stuff. TIA

Mitch

Only a small part of any Rolex is now made from 904L, bracelet case back is 316L,believe now just the case ring and lug pins is 904L,skin contact parts are 316L.Simply because of the problems with Higher nickel allergies



Quote from Rolex employee in 2002.

At the moment, we have several companies all over the world, serving our needs for stainless steel. The watch cases and bracelets are all made of X2CrNiMo17-12-2 which is the best compromise between the attributes of the variant materials. As usual, the steel is melted under vacuum, so we get an very pure base, which is easy to handle and allows an perfect polishing. And the same procedure as in every good (expensive <gold>) company

X2CrNiMo17-12-2 Is the technical specification for 316L S.S
One of those providers is http://www.boehler-thyssen.ch/
__________________

[miner]

Originally Posted by padi56

Check below post James don't believe everything Rolex tells you, after all it take a year to make a Rolex.






Only a small part of any Rolex is now made from 904L, bracelet case back is 316L,believe now just the case ring and lug pins is 904L,skin contact parts are 316L.Simply because of the problems with Higher nickel allergies



Quote from Rolex employee in 2002.

At the moment, we have several companies all over the world, serving our needs for stainless steel. The watch cases and bracelets are all made of X2CrNiMo17-12-2 which is the best compromise between the attributes of the variant materials. As usual, the steel is melted under vacuum, so we get an very pure base, which is easy to handle and allows an perfect polishing. And the same procedure as in every good (expensive <gold>) company

X2CrNiMo17-12-2 Is the technical specification for 316L S.S
One of those providers is http://www.boehler-thyssen.ch/
__________________

Jeez Padi where do you learn all this stuff?? I'm here with toothbrushes and washing up liquid and you're out there with the stars understanding the steel I'm trying to clean. Thanks

[Gedanken]

Damn, Peter, you got me gobstopped!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by miner

Jeez Padi where do you learn all this stuff?? I'm here with toothbrushes and washing up liquid and you're out there with the stars understanding the steel I'm trying to clean. Thanks

Well one I was in the steel industry for almost 30 years, last 10 in the production of special steels.

[miner]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well one I was in the steel industry for almost 30 years, last 10 in the production of special steels.

So did you ever make steel with the coal I dug from Taff Merthyr in 1980?
and
Regards, Miner

[padi56]

Originally Posted by miner

So did you ever make steel with the coal I dug from Taff Merthyr in 1980?
and
Regards, Miner

Well most proberly then yes,after the steel strike in 1982 not so sure.Last time I was Merthyr way was about 10 years ago.

[miner]

10 years after me when South Wales still had collieries.
Cheers But

[padi56]

Originally Posted by miner

10 years after me when South Wales still had collieries.
Cheers But

Agree my wife Carols Father was killed in the Six-bells pit disaster June 1966.And my Father was a miner as well almost 40 years,but alas he died at the age of almost 56 years.He suffered with his heart and chest after WW11 he lied about his age,although a collier, in then a reserved occupation.He joined the navy and was on aircraft carriers HMS Furious and HMS Glorious.Now the Glorious was attacked by the German battle-cruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and a direct hit,caused her to sink.Out of a compliment of of around 1500 men there were only 39 recorded survivors.My Father was reported missing,presumed killed in action.But was picked up by a Norwegian fishing boat, after being those icy seas for almost 32 hours.And with out a shadow of a doubt that experience, and 30 odd years in the mines helped shorten his life.My Dad was a very private man and did not complain about his illnesses.When he died, it was just like I lost my best friend,and now in my 60s myself, I still miss him.

[miner]

Originally Posted by padi56

Agree my wife Carols Father was killed in the Six-bells pit disaster June 1966.And my Father was a miner as well almost 40 years,but alas he died at the age of almost 56 years.He suffered with his heart and chest after WW11 he lied about his age,although a collier, in then a reserved occupation.He joined the navy and was on aircraft carriers HMS Furious and HMS Glorious.Now the Glorious was attacked by the German battle-cruisers, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and a direct hit,caused her to sink.Out of a compliment of of around 1500 men there were only 39 recorded survivors.My Father was reported missing,presumed killed in action.But was picked up by a Norwegian fishing boat, after being those icy seas for almost 32 hours.And with out a shadow of a doubt that experience, and 30 odd years in the mines helped shorten his life.My Dad was a very private man and did not complain about his illnesses.When he died, it was just like I lost my best friend,and now in my 60s myself, I still miss him.

Padi
I'm 47 in two days time and luckily for me, my best friend who's 81, is still here, a Mumbles boy, but I'm in Aus and He's in Portsmouth. I hope he'll live forever but one day, he'll go and like you, I'll miss him.
In the mean time that Man beats me at any sport I'd care to play

[padi56]

Spent many a happy day when I was a lad around the Mumbles and many a fine holiday around that very beautiful coast.And in later years quite a bit of diving and fishing.I live now near Llanwddyn and have a huge lake on my doorstep,a peaceful beautiful part of Wales.

Originally Posted by padi56

Check below post James don't believe everything Rolex tells you, after all it take a year to make a Rolex.

Only a small part of any Rolex is now made from 904L, bracelet case back is 316L,believe now just the case ring and lug pins is 904L,skin contact parts are 316L.Simply because of the problems with Higher nickel allergies

Quote from Rolex employee in 2002.

At the moment, we have several companies all over the world, serving our needs for stainless steel. The watch cases and bracelets are all made of X2CrNiMo17-12-2 which is the best compromise between the attributes of the variant materials. As usual, the steel is melted under vacuum, so we get an very pure base, which is easy to handle and allows an perfect polishing. And the same procedure as in every good (expensive <gold>) company

X2CrNiMo17-12-2 Is the technical specification for 316L S.S
One of those providers is http://www.boehler-thyssen.ch/
__________________

I can't comment on what parts of a Rolex may or may not be 904. I'll leave that to Padi to answer.

I guess one of the issues rarely discussed when it comes to 904L and the nickel allergy is the rate at which nickel is released from the steel. This is not always a direct correlation to the nickel content, since various things like resistance to corrosion, hardness, and surface finish can have a huge influence on the nickel release rate.

What most people don't realize is that there is a standard for nickel release in the industry (SOCIÉTÉ SUISSE DE CHRONOMÉTRIE NEUCHÂTEL Relargage du nickel et corrosion par piqûres des aciers inoxydables. Influence de la direction de laminage P.-Y. Eschler, L. Reclaru, A. Blatter PX TECH S.A., Groupe PX, CH-2304 La Chaux-de-Fonds).

Based on what I've read on this item it references the amount of nickel released on a 1cm square patch if skin in one week. This should not exceed 0.5 micrograms for items that are in prolonged contact with the skin. I've read that in some countries this is actually a law.

Much is made of the apparent additional corrosion resistance of 904L when compared to 316. Let's just say that under "normal" watch wearing conditions this difference is basically non-existant. What people sometimes don't understand is that the methods used for processing steel can have a large effect on how the steel performs with regards to corrosion resistance and nickel release rate. I don't know what hardness level is acheived by Rolex in the finished product, but in fact raw 904L is softer than 316.

Also one thing to keep in mind, and I'm sure Padi knows this having been in the industry, that when you say "316" it does not really tell you a great deal. This is not a terribly specific designation, and there are many alloys out there that fall under "316" stainless. The same goes for 904. Unless you have data from the steel supplier that shows the composition of their steel (and if possible right down to the heat level) you really don't have an 100% accurate picture of what that steel is composed of.

Another factor is that people have slightly different sweat composition and tolerance to nickel, so in some cases no matter what the watch is or the steel used, some will have a reaction.

One thing I've learned in my research on this issue (because it seems to be a holy grail for some people) is that a little knowlegde is dangerous. I think I have more than a little knowledge, but certainly not enough to come to any definite conclusion regarding "what steel is best."

Disclaimer - I am not a metallurgist (thank god!), but the company I work for makes precision steel components and also is a specialty steel maker. I do work with a lot of metallurgists, but so far they have not shown me the secret handshake, so I have to rely on the limited exposure I had on this subject in college.

I hope this helps.

Al

[Russel]

Originally Posted by dman
Soft soap like hand soap, an old toothbrush or the wife's and luke warm water will do the trick.

Originally Posted by maverick

Hi Dman, that's the best way there is. Make sure no watch, just the bracelet go into an ultra sound cleaning machine. =) maverick

My thoughts exactly!

[TNRonin]

Guys, thanks for the info. I didn't know they used a combination of steels.

[astcell]

How do I clean my Rolex? I just lay it by the bed at night, anything still attached to it by morning must be worthy. :>