Question on ceramic

[jem7v]

I just got my new ceramic the other day. First ever AP! When I got it I noticed there was some metallic mark on the bezel by the edge. Wasn't sure what it was, so I contacted AP service. They took it, said it was probably some transfer from some other material, and cleaned it off.

I got it back yesterday, but now I noticed this other thing near the same area, and I'm pretty sure wasn't there before. Though it could just be part of the finishing? Wanted you guys to take a look and see what it was. I asked AP service about it, but I'm waiting for a response back. But the lady told me the watchmaker said the bezel was perfect now after they cleaned it.

[Urooj]

Congrats! Beautiful piece...can't tell much from the pic but if it's even slightly rough or chipped then they should change the bezel... I'm sure AP service is top notch and they would consider any abnormality or defects on a brand new piece..

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by Urooj

Congrats! Beautiful piece...can't tell much from the pic but if it's even slightly rough or chipped then they should change the bezel... I'm sure AP service is top notch and they would consider any abnormality or defects on a brand new piece..

It's not rough or chipped. I wanted them to replace the bezel for the last thing, but they claimed to be able to remove the stuff without replacing it. But now I think they may have put something worse, if this is not part of the finishing just reflecting in a weird way.

[Urooj]

Originally Posted by jem7v

It's not rough or chipped. I wanted them to replace the bezel for the last thing, but they claimed to be able to remove the stuff without replacing it. But now I think they may have put something worse, if this is not part of the finishing just reflecting in a weird way.

I also agree you should send the watch back let them have a look all over again and they should be able to satisfy you to be honest.

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by AK797

Watch looks great by the way, congrats! Send it back in if you're still not happy.

Originally Posted by masterserg

x2

Originally Posted by Urooj

I also agree you should send the watch back let them have a look all over again and they should be able to satisfy you to be honest.

If they are willing to take it back again, I'll send it to them. I just wanted to see what people here thought about it, or if I am crazy. I may very well be crazy. You can only see it from that angle and when the light hits it just right. It's very difficult to see, but I have a good eye.

[masterserg]

Try rubbing it with a little tooth paste (not the gel kind) or a coarse pencil eraser. This should remove any residue.

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by masterserg

Try rubbing it with a little tooth paste (not the gel kind) or a coarse pencil eraser. This should remove any residue.

I don't think it's residue otherwise they would have seen it I imagine when they were removing the other stuff.

[AK797]

Watch looks great by the way, congrats! Send it back in if you're still not happy.

[masterserg]

Originally Posted by AK797

Watch looks great by the way, congrats! Send it back in if you're still not happy.

x2

[GB-man]

Originally Posted by AK797

Watch looks great by the way, congrats! Send it back in if you're still not happy.

Agreed. Looks like a reflection to me but for 30k you have to be happy 100 percent.

[masterserg]

Is it that white line on the polished side? If it is not a crack, are you sure it is not residue (they might not have noticed) .... try the eraser ... it takes 30 seconds and is risk free.

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by masterserg

Is it that white line on the polished side? If it is not a crack, are you sure it is not residue (they might not have noticed) .... try the eraser ... it takes 30 seconds and is risk free.

It's like at the angle. between polished and brushed side now. What kind of eraser? Like the eraser on a normal pencil?

[masterserg]

Originally Posted by jem7v

It's like at the angle. between polished and brushed side now. What kind of eraser? Like the eraser on a normal pencil?

Yeah ... if you have a coarse one (those used to erase ink), better. A small dab of toothpaste on a cloth should work as well. I once thought I scratched a ceramic PAM but it was residue. Toothpaste cleaned it up.

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by masterserg

Yeah ... if you have a coarse one (those used to erase ink), better. A small dab of toothpaste on a cloth should work as well. I once thought I scratched a ceramic PAM but it was residue. Toothpaste cleaned it up.

I don't have one of those. I could try toothpaste. But will that discolor the screws?

Still not sure it's residue, only because I can only see it if I turn the watch at that angle in the picture, and have light shining on it just right. The stuff I sent it in for, I could see it at any angle, under any light, even when it was dark in my car I could see it.

[masterserg]

Originally Posted by jem7v

I don't have one of those. I could try toothpaste. But will that discolor the screws?

Still not sure it's residue, only because I can only see it if I turn the watch at that angle in the picture, and have light shining on it just right. The stuff I sent it in for, I could see it at any angle, under any light, even when it was dark in my car I could see it.

I just mean a tiny dry dab on a cloth and buff the area with it (don't touch the screws). Maybe better if you just send it in again if it bothers you.

[gummy]

Looks like a reflection?

[robbonds]

where did you buy it? was it from a seller here online or an AD ?

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by robbonds

where did you buy it? was it from a seller here online or an AD ?

It was from an AD. It's brand new.

[Tomas Eriksson]

I would try wetting a cotton swab with some kitchen cleaner and try rubbing it off. No risk off damaging any thing and if it is something on the surface that will clean it off.

Btw, that is a stunning piece you have there!

[bod]

We get the same thing with Sanitary ware , and enamel baths, the ceramic is harder than metal, this means metal that comes into contact with the ceramic rubs off onto the ceramic. We use a special rubber to get it off, its like an ink eraser.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[improviz]

I'd rather try an eraser (it will NOT damage ceramic) than be without the watch for some weeks, but to each his own...AP will make it right, of course, but a pencil eraser certainly isn't going to damage ceramic.

[jem7v]

So Betsy got back to me from the manager and the watchmaker. She says they both very thoroughly looked at the watch and the bezel, and it passed their inspection. She says they say that it is the light reflecting off the ceramic. I guess it's just part of the finishing.

In my opinion if it was the light, it was reflect all up the side of bezel, not stop half way. But it could be just the light hitting in a weird way from the ceramic finishing. But the watchmaker and manager says the bezel is perfectly fine.

[jem7v]

So they tell me the reason it doesn't reflect all the way up because it isn't a straight line. Though from the picture you can see it is curved slightly the line I circled.

I don't know. What do you guys think? Does everyone agree with what AP says and I should just drop it?

[benlee]

Are you able to take a macro shot and post it here for a closer look?

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by benlee

Are you able to take a macro shot and post it here for a closer look?

What do you mean by macro? You want me to zoom in and post a picture of only that? Because the original post has a picture of the whole watch. You literally can only see it at the angle I gave. Otherwise it's hidden. I mean I can see that line follow the certicalceramic lines all the way up. I am just wondering why half of it reflects so vividly, while the other half doesn't, if this in fact normal reflections off the finish and not a scratch they put when cleaning my watch.

[benlee]

Originally Posted by jem7v

What do you mean by macro? You want me to zoom in and post a picture of only that? Because the original post has a picture of the whole watch. You literally can only see it at the angle I gave. Otherwise it's hidden. I mean I can see that line follow the certicalceramic lines all the way up. I am just wondering why half of it reflects so vividly, while the other half doesn't, if this in fact normal reflections off the finish and not a scratch they put when cleaning my watch.

No, not zoom in on the photo you posted of course ( I can do that myself ). But take a macro shot on the affected area, ie you need a camera with a micro-lens or a handphone with a micro-lens snap-on. If you have one. For example. like this :



Otherwise, it is kind of hard to visualize what is the problem.

Anyway, if just based on your description, my opinion is that it should not happen. The light should reflect evenly and consistently across any surface of the bezel as the bezel is polished and furnished to a high accuracy, not like what you described as "stop half way". I have 5 AP watches including two with ceramic bezels and none of the bezels have the problem you described. So suggest you ask APSC to check it again if the problem is bothering you. Ask them to put the watch on a watchmaker's magnifier to let you see for yourself it there are really any defects / inconsistencies. It should be a perfect octagon and consistent and even on all it's surfaces.

Hope this helps.

[jem7v]

Originally Posted by benlee

No, not zoom in on the photo you posted of course ( I can do that myself ). But take a macro shot on the affected area, ie you need a camera with a micro-lens or a handphone with a micro-lens snap-on. If you have one. For example. like this :



Otherwise, it is kind of hard to visualize what is the problem.

Anyway, if just based on your description, my opinion is that it should not happen. The light should reflect evenly and consistently across any surface of the bezel as the bezel is polished and furnished to a high accuracy, not like what you described as "stop half way". I have 5 AP watches including two with ceramic bezels and none of the bezels have the problem you described. So suggest you ask APSC to check it again if the problem is bothering you. Ask them to put the watch on a watchmaker's magnifier to let you see for yourself it there are really any defects / inconsistencies. It should be a perfect octagon and consistent and even on all it's surfaces.

Hope this helps.

I just have my iPhone 7. Don't have a micro-lens. I can ask Betsy to take it back, I'm not sure they will though. She was very adamant on the whole it being passed by her manager, the watchmaker, the QC team etc etc...... But when they reopen on the 9th I can ask if they will take it back to look one more time. Or at least at a minimum let me speak to this watchmaker who worked on my watch.

But pretty much the way I captured it on my picture is how it appears in person. It doesn't really make a difference whether you look at it far away or closer. I mean look at my picture. You see how the line goes up and then disappears. It's not even half way it disappears actually it's probably a quarter of the way up, and then it stops. And I don't think it was a scratch by the dealer. I definitely do not recall seeing this when I noticed the actual transfer of material that was on the bezel that the service center cleaned. I feel this is something they marked when cleaning the bezel. Or maybe it's an imperfection in the finishing? It seems way too perfect of a line to be a scratch or anything else that wasn't done by a machine or some kind of device. I mean it follows the hexagon perfectly.

[m j b]

Originally Posted by jem7v

I mean look at my picture. You see how the line goes up and then disappears. It's not even half way it disappears actually it's probably a quarter of the way up, and then it stops.

I see exactly what you mean and I understand your concern. It appears to me that the bezel edge is actually curved - it's not a straight line and so that explains why the "line" that you see disappears halfway up. It's just a reflection. You should be able to turn the watch so that other edges catch that same light and do the same thing.

Now, that said, for what you paid for this thing, you should be 100% satisfied and if you have any lingering doubt then by all means, send it back!

Best of luck, keep us posted.

[Tomas Eriksson]

The picture you taken seem good, could you upload the original picture that you have instead of the scaled down on? The one in your post is to pixelated when we try to zoom

[aleeboy]

The AP ceramic bezel cleans off metals from other surfaces when brushed up against it. I would put a dab of brasso on it and it WILL come out.

You would be able to tell if it's a chip as it would feel rough.