Refinishing Jubilee by hand ?

[CatAg12]

So I am super OCD and I love to clean my Batman and 2 tone subs. I will masking tape off the different finishes and polish the middle to bring back shine. Then file the outsides to bring back that brushed look. I just picked up a DJ with jubilee and I’m wondering how people go about doing this on a jubilee ?

[CatAg12]

Bump

[CarlOver]

No one will be able to tell you if your project is going to come out well. Using a “file” on the outside? Only you know your skill level.

[GGGMT]

Originally Posted by CatAg12

So I am super OCD and I love to clean my Batman and 2 tone subs. I will masking tape off the different finishes and polish the middle to bring back shine. Then file the outsides to bring back that brushed look. I just picked up a DJ with jubilee and I’m wondering how people go about doing this on a jubilee ?

A file? Invite pictures.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bxtek]

A file!!??

[996marty]

Unless this is a trick you’ve done before which I’m guessing it’s not then leave it to the professionals

[Lalo007]

They’re his watches, he can do whatever he wants with them.

[dnd2984]

Please don't use file. Please contact Rolliwork or a proper watch repair place.

[Mystro]

Dude, I am the king of minor Rolex touch-ups and I highly recommend you don’t try this. Without getting into it, there is a plethora of potential nightmare issues that can happen doing this on a jubilee bracelet. It’s a can of worms you don’t want to touch. Touching up the clasp is rather easy, but when you start messing with the radius of a Jubilee link, you will be left sick with the results.

[johnk]

A rasp will be quicker than a file


.

[Tbird]

Interesting topic, and maybe Searchart knows this... how does an RSC repolish a jubilee bracelet at service time? Do they take it all apart and so polish and brush all the round links? Or leave it as one bracelet and try to brush and polish as much as possible? Also depends on how badly worn it is I think...

Curious!

[SubDate]

Originally Posted by johnk

A rasp will be quicker than a file


.

I think, belt sander, rasp, file would be an even more accurate order.

[Calatrava r]

I think the brushed surface finish is done with a wire brush of some type attached to an electric
Device to move it quickly over the surface. It would be hard to do by hand to maintain the correct pressure to have a consistent surface.

[Fahoo Forays]

Originally Posted by CatAg12

I’m wondering how people go about doing this on a jubilee ?

They don't. They send it in.
If I were you I'd address the OCD if possible.

[simon101]

If you’re OCD surely you’d want to keep your watch original, not messed up by amateur refinishing?

[EEpro]

Originally Posted by CatAg12

So I am super OCD

You'll hate your refinish job.

[CatAg12]

Originally Posted by GGGMT

A file? Invite pictures.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vesnyder]

Send pics! Would love to see how it turns out.

[rohada]

Years ago at the end of one trade show the exhibition vendors were trading our wares and I scored a wide range of abrasives from 200 grit to 4500 grit. Later, I got into high polish SS firearms where I was able to purchase guns in need of restoration. Used those abrasives to remove scratches, polish back to a luster, and made money to pay for my hobby. Then I got into watches and was able to apply many learnings from my firearms restoration to cleaning up SS (brushed and polished), as well as gold, watches. The watches I resell look new. The watches I have now look new.

For very (very) superficial issues on polished areas I use Sunshine cloths. I found Cape Cod to be more messy in generating similar results. In my experience, I think Cape Cod provided basically similar results, but the smell and clean up relegated it to the back of the tool box. For brushed areas, moistened Scotchbrite pads work well on brushed surfaces. This, too, is a skill and you need to pay attention regarding pressure, stroke, and direction. YMMV.

Having said the above, this is not for the faint of heart. Depending on the severity, you have to go to places that may make your stomach tight and then buff your way out using increasing grits until back to a polish and even do it again. It can be tedious work. I've never used a power tool on watches, as these are small areas of need. If you don't have the skill set, temperament, or (most importantly) proper abrasives and tools for such endeavors, I would not do anything on your own. There are videos to help you get familiar with the materials you need and various techniques. If you have mechanical aptitude and solid hand eye coordination, these things can be done. But, it's a skill that has to be developed. What I do is for small areas, not complete refurbishment. While I've addressed a full jubilee on a formerly owned DJ36, I'd say that the only areas I had to address were the small contact patches from where the curvature would come in contact with a surface (like on a desk where a full clasp would otherwise be located). Those can be easier to navigate. As said above that is a curved surface, so you'd want to be careful not to flatten out that area. I would also say that anyone who is close enough to see any irregularities in a given jubilee curved surface is too close to you. But, you need to comes to terms with that.

Most people would dare not to do anything along these lines and that's fine. For me, it's a part of my enjoyment of watches. I'm merely scratching the surface with what I posted, I didn't even get into the final polishing compounds and such. You could just as easily send it to Rolliworks. Everyone is different. I wish you well in any direction you go.