I faded my sub 16800 bezel

[Passionata]

Looks great!well done

[russellnyc]

Originally Posted by Elliot1957

Just did mine. Have had a meters first 5513 for a couple of years. Always bothered me that it had a new insert. I read your article last night. I put it in bleach for 10 minutes this morning. I love the results. It changed about half as much as yours did. The shiny finish is gone. Now looks vintage. I am going to wear it for a couple of weeks. If I want to go lighter I will give it another 5 minutes in the bleach. Thanks for the tip.

Awesome!!! Post before and after pics, pretty please. I hope anyone else who tries uses caution, does it at his/her own risk, etc...

[Elliot1957]

One before, then second is after. subtle dif. but I like it. I can always go more, a little at a time.

[Baselman]

Originally Posted by Elliot1957

One before, then second is after. subtle dif. but I like it. I can always go more, a little at a time.

Much much much much much better :)

[CrownMe]

Great results for 10 mins.

Mine Took 44 years to fade this color

[Elliot1957]

Had to hurry it up a little. I'll prob. be dead before full natural fade...

[CrownMe]

Originally Posted by Elliot1957

Had to hurry it up a little. I'll prob. be dead before full natural fade...

Nothing wrong with that at all. As long as your happy with it that's all that matters.

[Elliot1957]

Very nice red you've got. Here's my white with natural fade.

[Smartyjones18]

Well done, going to try it on mine...

[polarinda]

Looks fantastic

[Fenster]

@ rusell

How old was your insert?

My brand new insert that i bought from my ad this friday took 30min to bleach.
Im thinking as mine was brand new it took longer time!

It's kinda cool, after 25min the insert turned all tropic brown and i thought woow thats cool :) but thats just the coating over the black paint, it comes of as soon as you wash of the insert.

Here is mine. Keep in mind it was all brand new!

Im popping in later today ;)


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[Fenster]

It' on!


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[Fenster]

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[Robbyvm]

Damn what beach are all of you guy's using ??

[Fenster]

I used regular bleach. And with NO water, just pure beach ;)

[RC2]

Very cool. Did to my 1675 black insert. It's actually at my watch maker to be popped on among a polish. Will post when returns.


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[russellnyc]

Originally Posted by Elliot1957

Very nice red you've got. Here's my white with natural fade.

Wow, that looks great, and I'm surprised at how similar the wear looks between real and chemical.

[russellnyc]

Originally Posted by Fenster

@ rusell



How old was your insert?



My brand new insert that i bought from my ad this friday took 30min to bleach.

Im thinking as mine was brand new it took longer time!



It's kinda cool, after 25min the insert turned all tropic brown and i thought woow thats cool :) but thats just the coating over the black paint, it comes of as soon as you wash of the insert.



Here is mine. Keep in mind it was all brand new!

Looks nice! I don't literally know how old mine was, but I was told before I bought the watch ~5 years ago that the insert was replaced with a genuine part because the old one was scratched. Who knows at this point.

[SAAS]

Very nice

[CrownMe]

They look similar to natural ones in color. The natural faded ones still have the outer clear coat intact which gives the grey color a shiny metallic look. While the bleached ones have a matte finish because the bleach eats the clear coat. They all look good to me.

[V.lats97nsx]

Very cool.

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[MP5]

Awesome! There really isnt much need and very little security in buying those mega buck faded inserts unless the source is very reliable

[mluther]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I'm not convinced by the bleached insert. The difference between bleaching and natural is like light and day and therefore pretty obvious to me. As Kevin mentioned above, the naturally faded insert still retains its outer coat that gives it that gorgeous metallic finish - that will never happen with a bleached one. I have a few faded inserts and I love them. They really enhance the look of the watch they are on - I have to say that the bleached versions have the opposite effect.

[MP5]

You havent seen the one putting the light gloss coats on

[TurboWatch]

Buyers have to be careful when buying these "faded" and tropical inserts. While I see nothing wrong with chemically treating one's own insert to suite one's needs, it isn't right when one uses these methods and passes them off as "naturally faded" inserts to make quick bucks.

There are unscrupulous sellers out there who will do anything to take your hard-earned money.

You can easily tell a naturally faded insert from a chemically treated (bleached) one:

1. As Kevin pointed out, the chemically treated insert loses the clear coat, therefore it appears to be matte,
2. The inner ring and outer of naturally faded insert are darker, or of the same shade as the over all insert, whereas they are much lighter on the bleached insert,
3. The back of the insert.


Tropical brown insert:

Remember they all started life as black. No way in hell they can turn reddish brown with no trace of black. So run away when you see:

1. Reddish tone, (genuine tropical should be brown/chocolate with hints of black, and appears to be black at certain angles),
2. Brown reddish fonts (indication the insert was baked. High heat turns black to brown, silver/white font also turns brown. Fonts should be silver/white),
3. The back is red / brown. (It should be dark or black).

[Fenster]

This was just fun to see if it realy worked. Putting a coat over it, that could be doen very easy!

Like members said before, be carful out there, becuse its a very easy thing to do!

[steptoe]

Beware it doesn't start to crumble in the near future due to being immersed in bleach.

[harrjaso]

Double dog dare someone to try it with your dial

[Fenster]

Hahahhahahahaha

[Vincent65]

I'd like to add that not all naturally faded inserts have retained their top satin coat intact.
Just because a faded insert has acquired a matt patina, does not automatically make it an artificially/chemically faded insert.