Lets make our bracelets "Scratch Resistant"

[rajurama]

Hello folks,
was just staring at my just a few months old GMT and hate the scratches!
Its been discussed and torn a zillion times! Polishing is not an idea I support for gold watches just a few months old as i would be better off with scratches than skinning it! Cant we just find a solution something like a transparent lacquer or a 3M coating so when it does scratch its the coating which we can remove and re coat it without actually polishing the watch and losing metal.. I am willing to experiment my watch with logical advises! I am sure the expert watchmakers must have experimented... Anyone???

[walds11]

No thanks. I like the wear and tear on my watches. It's all about character

[charliec]

Leave it in the box my man if you don't want wear and tear. Sorry but that's the only thing you can do bar cover it in transparent gaffer tape.

[Jimbits76]

Just a scratch!

Just a watch!

Chill and enjoy each telltale mark!!!!!!!!!!!!

J

[Alcan]

Jocke has already patented a Rolex scratchproofing system:

[rajurama]

Guys I know and i can live with a scratch!! But lets admit it we would all prefer a scratch free watch over a dull and beaten up watch. Specially the polished gold looks very worn! Looking for 'Serious' inputs!

[WatchSmith]

I know of nothing that could scratch-proof a watch. Anything you paint on the metal would eventually start to wear through, flake, or chip and look terrible. Of course you would also get a painted appearance which would look awful.

There's nothing at all wrong with polishing gold if it's done correctly, but I don't find a watch with normal wear offensive at all. They are meant to be worn and enjoyed. It's a watch. It's going to get bumped and scratched. Freshening up the finish can bring back the sparkle, but it's temporary.

[Quicksilver]

It's those PCL's - damned scratch magnets.

[jhowton]

The only watch I have that is scratchproof is not a Rolex, but a Sinn that has been "Tegimented", which is Sinn's marketing speak for case hardening. It is truly scratchproof, I have smashed the heck out of it while working on my car, hit it on door frames and it looks as good as the day I took it out of the box.

Here is some info on case hardening:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_hardening

It would require complete disassembly of your watch because the temperatures required for case hardening are pretty severe and would certainly invalidate your warranty. I just live with the scratches on most of my watches, they remind me of all my little screwups.

[rajurama]

Originally Posted by jhowton

The only watch I have that is scratchproof is not a Rolex, but a Sinn that has been "Tegimented", which is Sinn's marketing speak for case hardening. It is truly scratchproof, I have smashed the heck out of it while working on my car, hit it on door frames and it looks as good as the day I took it out of the box.

Here is some info on case hardening:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_hardening

It would require complete disassembly of your watch because the temperatures required for case hardening are pretty severe and would certainly invalidate your warranty. I just live with the scratches on most of my watches, they remind me of all my little screwups.

Hey thanks for the info Jamie! well guess i cant really 'tegiment' my rolex at home! but very interesting.

[2th Dr]

If you want a scratch-proof watch, get a Rado. You can give me your GMT!

[rajurama]

Well my Rado is definitely 'scratch- proof' I have it since almost 8 years now and its like a beater! and looks just like the day i bought it! Stunning!

[2th Dr]

I had a Rado for 13 years. When I sold it, it looked as good as the day I bought it!

[Parachrom]

Well now you get some galvilite, and paint the watch with it. Galvilite wears like nails, makes it truly rust proof even in salt water. It will give the watch a nice USN finish and is the only paint (95% zinc) that is equivalent to hot dip galvanizing. I use it on my steel scuba tanks, they look mahvelous dahling simply mahvelous

[WatchSmith]

Case hardening is done on firearms, but I've never seen or heard of it done on stainless steel. If Rolex steels had the characteristics of case hardening they would be very close to being scratch proof. They would also be very difficult to refinish.

[Alan111]

Originally Posted by rajurama

Lets make our bracelets "Scratch Resistant"

I would love to!! Damn scratches appear so fast. I don't even know where the come from. I feel like everytime I cough, I have to be careful not to jerk my whole body as the wind force might put a scratch on one of the polished links.

[rajurama]

Originally Posted by Parachrom

Well now you get some galvilite, and paint the watch with it. Galvilite wears like nails, makes it truly rust proof even in salt water. It will give the watch a nice USN finish and is the only paint (95% zinc) that is equivalent to hot dip galvanizing. I use it on my steel scuba tanks, they look mahvelous dahling simply mahvelous

Need to study now how friendly is galvilite to our skin!

[cody p]

Originally Posted by jhowton

The only watch I have that is scratchproof is not a Rolex, but a Sinn that has been "Tegimented", which is Sinn's marketing speak for case hardening. It is truly scratchproof, I have smashed the heck out of it while working on my car, hit it on door frames and it looks as good as the day I took it out of the box.

Here is some info on case hardening:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Case_hardening

It would require complete disassembly of your watch because the temperatures required for case hardening are pretty severe and would certainly invalidate your warranty. I just live with the scratches on most of my watches, they remind me of all my little screwups.

is there a trade-off? i'm thinking the added hardness would make the case more prone to shattering or chipping.

[jhowton]

Originally Posted by cody p

is there a trade-off? i'm thinking the added hardness would make the case more prone to shattering or chipping.

In general while things that are harder tend to be more brittle, the case hardening process only effects a thin zone near the surface of the material and the underlying core of the metal is not effected. I have heard internet rumors of the Tegiment process allowing sort of "eggshell" type crack but have never seen pictures of such damage. Those rumors also tend to be perpetuated by fans of Sinn's main competitor, Damasko (who use a different hardening process). I also think in general that an impact force that is severe enough to shatter a watch case would do a lot more damage to the underlying appendage. You wouldn't really need a wristwatch at that point...

I only have first hand knowledge of my own watch. I have hit it against other metal things (engine block, exhaust manifolds) hard enough to cause pain and there isn't a mark on the watch. So, while in theory, yes the watch may be more susceptible to extreme damage under extreme conditions, what we are really talking about it protecting the surface against abrasion damage and fairly low impact damage which the harder material surface does quite well.

[rajurama]

Guess what i found!!! Its from urwerk's website.

URWERK presents its new UR-202 with a steel case treated with AlTiN - Aluminum Titanium Nitride. AlTiN is a technical coating treatment originaly designed for industry for full slotting and aggressive machining of stainless steel. An AlTiN coating less than 4 microns thick has the effect of multiplying the resistance of the underlying metal to scratches, shocks, oxidation and even acids.

Hardness comparison figures:
Gold : 380Vickers
Steel : 600 Vickers
AlTiN coat : 3800 Vickers
Sapphire: 4000 Vickers

[Watch Fan]

If you are interrested. I use a clear 3M transparrent plastic tape (available at most hardware stores) which I cut to fit over the clasp of all of my watches. It works very well. It is pliable, just like the factory tape and easy to replace when needed. Totally eliminates scratches and desk wear on the clasp. Also, since it's clear tape it isn't noticeable at all. Some will laugh at the idea, but dude, all of my watch clasps are perfect and have never been polished. Check it out.

[Andad]

If you find the answer to a scratch proof finish for Rolex bracelets ring me with details of your share offer.

[karmatp]

It is just the facts of life with polished links, they are horrible. Just deal with them because I would rather wear a watch with scratches than go around with tape on my bracelet. Just wear it then when it is due for a service it will come back looking like new. Seriously, I would laugh out loud if I saw a watch with the plastic still on it or if the owner taped up the bracelet.

You could always get your bracelet completely brushed, some members have done it and it looks so much better IMHO.

[jhowton]

Originally Posted by rajurama

Guess what i found!!! Its from urwerk's website.

The problem with this finish is the same as the case hardening process, it will work well on raw machined parts but you will have to completely disassemble the watch before applying it to an existing watch. The TiN process runs at approximately 500°C (930°F) which isn't going to do good things to the lubricants and seals within the watch. The process also must be run in a vacuum and who knows what effect that's going to have on a sealed watch.

TiN is applied by the PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) process, here's some more info for reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_vapor_deposition
http://www.pvd-coatings.co.uk/theory.htm

The clear tape on the clasp seems like a good idea if you can't see it. It would likely drive me crazy knowing it's there though.

[TonyD]

TiN as you said is applied in a vacuum chamber filled with nitrogen. Then they use a laser to sputter ions of titanium off a billet in the chamber. You'd have to do it one link at a time and assembler it later. TiN is a dull gold color, TiCN is a purple/blue and TiAlN is a mottled dark finish, none of which are very attractive.

The solution is called Tungsten Carbide folks and Movado has been using it for years. Its like number 4 on the list of the hardest things on Earth. Kinda neat gunmetal gray color. I plan to pick one up someday as a beater/daily wearer.

[milspec]

The best way to eliminate scratches is to wear them occassionally ....nothing else will help and modifying the bracelet or case with coatings, is defeating the purpose and more trouble than it is worth ....

Scratches are a daily part of life so wear your watch sparingly and use common sense .....

[TheVTCGuy]

I just spray-painted my Daytona with black paint... can't see any scratches now...

Course... it is kind of hard to see the time too... and my arm is all black. I KNEW I should have taken it off before spray-painting!

[shedlock2000]

Well, i beat mine up pretty good, and i thought rolex had done a pretty good job with the 904L steel, compaired to the omega clasp and the like, which though not polished, seem very fed up after a few weeks wear. The PCLs dont help though, not in my world anyway!!

[shedlock2000]

Movado......beautiful website, nice. But not my kinda watch,..... thanks for making me look though!

[Bisquitlips]

I wear my YM and the scratches don't bother me at all.

In a couple of years it will go in for a service and come back to me like new so that I can scratch it up again.

True enjoyment of a Rolex involves scratches. The more you love it, the more scratches appear!