Enamel loss on used 116519

[gamingdoctor]

Hi everyone,

I was hoping to get some opinions on a new to me 2022 116519ln. I noticed the "75" on the bezel seemed faded away when I first inspected the watch. On closer inspection, it looked like some of the enamel had been eroded away within the numbers. On the second pic you can see the 75 has a "washed out" look, on the first you can see the discoloration even on the 80 and 70.

Thoughts?

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=402252

^ This thread seems to say it's normal, but for a watch that's only a few years old?

[inadeje]

It isn’t enameled inside the numbers, instead it is a platinum based paint. “Paint” over simplifies the terminology of the covering used but it’s a close descriptor.

It is very rare indeed for that to happen. It looks like the bezel was either incorrectly cleaned with an aggressive solvent or a potent solvent came in contact with the bezel at some point.

Do you know the provenance of the watch? There is no way, for instance, that it have an aftermarket bezel?

[gamingdoctor]

It's from a trusted seller. That was his thought as well - maybe the cleaning agent used was too intense on the bezel.

[BraveBold]

I gotta say, that looks really rough…2022??

[gamingdoctor]

The rest of the watch looks great! The other numerals on the bezel are very crisp. Those few though stand out like a sore thumb.

[Old Geezer]

Have you tried cleaning it with dish washing soap and a soft bristle brush ? My BLRO had what looked like discoloration in a few numbers. I thought the same thing that the paint or whatever pigment is used in the numbers was gone or peeling. I cleaned it with dishwashing soap and a toothbrush and it turned out to be stubborn gunk that washed away. Good luck getting it sorted.

[Solo118]

Originally Posted by Old Geezer

Have you tried cleaning it with dish washing soap and a soft bristle brush ? My BLRO had what looked like discoloration in a few numbers. I thought the same thing that the paint or whatever pigment is used in the numbers was gone or peeling. I cleaned it with dishwashing soap and a toothbrush and it turned out to be stubborn gunk that washed away. Good luck getting it sorted.

This is usually the culprit. Give it a good cleaning, nothing more than regular dish soap and very fine toothbrush should do the trick. I found a toothbrush called butter gums that was perfect

If that does not work OP, and it is truly faded, it could be from polishing the watch. If that platinum has faded, I am not sure how to repair other than replacing the bezel

[77T]

Hopefully the quick soft cleaning with dish soap and brush will work.

[padi56]

The precious metal coating on the insert numbers in real world is just a very thin coating much like PVD and yes it can wear.

[inadeje]

I personally never use a brush of any kind on my Rolex ceramic bezels, and I wouldn’t recommend it either. Instead, I use two - Polident Smokers - tablets in a small glass jar with water and let the watch soak for several hours. Polident is designed to lift dirt and grime from hard-to-reach crevices in dentures without being aggressive nor damaging/degrading the denture material, making it perfect for cleaning the silver coated indents in bezels without causing any damage. You’ll be surprised at how bright the silver in the numbers looks after this method—it’s easy to forget how much skin oil and other buildup accumulates over time. As a bonus, this method cleans the rest of the watch as well, without drying out the seals like dish soap can.

Incidentally, the paint damage looks like someone spilled acetone (nail polish remover) on that area of the bezel. That would definitely degrade the paint very very quickly and result in the outcome your bezel displays.

[gamingdoctor]

Originally Posted by Old Geezer

Have you tried cleaning it with dish washing soap and a soft bristle brush ? My BLRO had what looked like discoloration in a few numbers. I thought the same thing that the paint or whatever pigment is used in the numbers was gone or peeling. I cleaned it with dishwashing soap and a toothbrush and it turned out to be stubborn gunk that washed away. Good luck getting it sorted.

I tried cleaning with a toothbrush and it worked great! All the numerals look super crisp. I avoided the soap as I didn't want to rub in any chemicals.

Thanks for the help!

[BraveBold]

Originally Posted by gamingdoctor

I tried cleaning with a toothbrush and it worked great! All the numerals look super crisp. I avoided the soap as I didn't want to rub in any chemicals.

Thanks for the help!

Great news because that really looked pretty bad.

Post some new pics of it all cleaned up?

Btw, if you’re using regular dawn or similar dish soap, you should be fine!

[Old Geezer]

Originally Posted by gamingdoctor

I tried cleaning with a toothbrush and it worked great! All the numerals look super crisp. I avoided the soap as I didn't want to rub in any chemicals.

Thanks for the help!

That's great. I'm glad it all worked out and you can enjoy your watch without worry

[joli160]

I use a tooth brush dipped in acetone on the GMT bezel.
Works perfect and never had a marking fade or wash out.

[drrd]

There’ve been few of these posts and the answer has always been a toothbrush!

OP, let’s have a pic of the result.

[wgdaytona]

These posts always crack me up. Seems I recall also making one many years ago, worried for nothing type post. Maybe mine was one of the silly "is it safe" type posts. lol. I started reading your post thinking the same as everyone else, ie: replaced bezel or chemical damage, then I got to "wash it" and giggled to myself. So, glad for you it was simple!!! Oh, and if your phone or computer starts acting up, try powering it off and back on. Laughing WITH you, not AT you. Cheers!