How to polish watch scratches. How to get rid of scratches on a watch glass. Mineral glass polishing

No matter how high-quality a watch is, over time it wears out and minor damage and scuffs appear on the glass surface. This not only worsens appearance product, but also makes it difficult to see. However, you should not rush to replace the accessory. You can eliminate defects at home by polishing the watch glass to prevent scratches. It is important to consider what kind of material was used to make the transparent part of the dial - glass or plastic.

Rules for removing scratches from glass

Before moving on to eliminating defects from a transparent surface, you need to familiarize yourself with some recommendations from experts so as not to aggravate the situation even further:

1. Do not polish glass with hard paper. Its dense and rough texture will adversely affect the glossy or matte finish, and the ink contains contaminants.
2. This rule also applies to sandpaper. Instead of polishing, its rough texture will cause even more damage to the fragile top layer.
3. Do not use a dry, rough cloth to wipe the surface of the watch, especially if water with water has been used for cleaning. high temperature and aggressive detergents. It is better to use soft fiber, gauze or other similar materials.
4. To wash glass, you can use regular laundry soap. But you shouldn’t expect the same result from it as from special products that will allow you to clean the surface as much as possible.
5. If used for laundering washing powders, then before cleaning you should dissolve all abrasive particles as much as possible.
6. Polishing should be done slowly and patiently so as not to damage the fragile surface of the watch.

Methods for eliminating defects

Before you start cleaning the transparent surface, you need to find out what material it is made of. The polishing method will depend on this. There are four types of glass in total:

organic;
plastic;
mineral (natural);
sapphire.

Wristwatches are most often made with organic glass elements. It is easiest to clean at home, just like plastic. But other types require the use of a special grinding machine.

With organic and plastic glass coating

To remove scratches and other defects on organic watch glass at home, you should use some by simple means, which can be purchased at regular hardware stores.

Toothpaste

This method is suitable for small scratches on plexiglass and plastic. Remove with it deep damage It’s unlikely to work, but the appearance of the transparent surface will be much better. Need to:

1. Squeeze out a small amount of toothpaste on a cotton pad.
2. Rub the damaged area in a clockwise circular motion.
3. Then repeat polishing, but make movements in the opposite direction.
4. Let the paste dry.
5. Remove excess abrasive substances using a damp soft fabric.

Paste GOI

This product has been used for a long time to remove scratches on glass. wristwatch. To eliminate significant damage, use GOI paste No. 4 or 3, for defects of medium depth - No. 2, and for microdamages use the least abrasive composition No. 1. To polish the surface you need to:

1. Melt the paste in a water bath to maximize its cleaning properties.
2. Take a small piece of felt material or a cotton swab.
3. Apply some warm paste on it.
4. Wipe the damaged area.
5. Final polish the glass using tooth powder and microfiber.
6. If necessary, repeat the procedure.

If the glass is severely damaged, you can use all types of paste, starting from the fourth number and ending with the first, replacing them alternately. Finish polishing the glass with tooth powder.

Mineral oil

Glass can be polished and renewed using mineral oil and felt cloth. Moreover, you can use this product regularly so that the watch always looks like a just purchased product. Procedure:

1. Remove the glass from the watch.
2. Gently work it with felt with a small amount of polishing paste, polyrite or crocus will do.
3. Rinse the glass thoroughly under running water and dry.
4. Apply oil to a cotton pad and polish until shiny.
5. Remove excess with alcohol.

No matter how carefully a person wears a wristwatch, over time, the glass of the dial wears out, small scratches and abrasions appear on it. This negatively affects not only the appearance of the chronometer, but also the view, which is hampered due to these defects. Therefore, polishing watch glass with your own hands is of interest to many who want to return their accessory to its beautiful appearance.

First you need to find out What kind of material was used to make glass? Organic glass is the most common type, as it is used in budget watches.

Real glass is rarely inserted into watches, and the most prestigious and expensive models usually come with sapphire glass. The simpler the material of manufacture, the softer the glass and, accordingly, the easier it will be to remove scratches.

For different types scratches will be used various means and materials, but the working technique is almost the same.

For organic glass

Minor scratches

If the scratches are very tiny, you can completely do without a sanding machine. First you need to prepare workplace and materials.

We will need:

Special grinding paste, which is called “GOI paste”. It can be easily found at any auto store. As a last resort, it can be replaced with a regular one. toothpaste without any bleaching effects, since such pastes can make the glass cloudy.
Soft cloth fabric.
Cotton wool, alcohol, water.

Before polishing, it is advisable to remove the glass from the watch case. If you are afraid If you won’t be able to put it back later, you can polish it the same way, removing only the bracelet or strap.

Next, the watch is placed on a flat and smooth surface, glass is slightly wetted with water, GOI paste (or toothpaste) is applied to the fabric, after which you can begin polishing. It is not recommended to press hard on the glass, especially if it is made of inexpensive material.

Rub the surface of the glass with smooth movements in a circle., occasionally moistening it with water, until the glass acquires absolute transparency and purity. When the glass is sufficiently polished, it is recommended to wipe it with cotton wool soaked in alcohol to remove any remaining paste particles from the glass. Alcohol can be replaced to soapy water.

Large scratches

If the scratches are medium or large in size, instead of cloth, it would be better to use a piece of felt fabric, or better yet, leather. In addition, GOI paste will need several types of hardness - numbered 1 to 4.

The polishing technology is exactly the same as in the case of microscratches, but the paste must be alternated. Polish for a few minutes with paste No. 1, then change to No. 2, then, depending on the size and depth of the scratches, take No. 3 or No. 4.

After all the procedures, when there are no defects left on the glass, you will need to polish the glass with a wet soft cloth for several minutes to give it the shine that the glass had when it was completely new.

The above polishing methods Suitable for soft organic glasses. If the glass is natural, the polishing process can take many hours. Therefore, it will be much easier to use a polishing machine.

For natural glass

Polishing technique using a machine is quite simple. First, a polishing wheel is installed, onto which GOI paste is applied. The machine is turned on at low speed, then the glass is pressed against the circle and polished for several minutes.

During polishing, it is necessary to move the glass from the edges to the central part. After the glass has acquired the necessary transparency and the scratches have completely disappeared, the machine turns off and further work is done manually. A soft tissue is taken, a little mineral oil or alcohol is applied to it, after which polishing the watch glass continues until the glass is completely clean.

Sapphire crystal

It is much more difficult to polish sapphire crystal, because it is very hard, but at the same time quite fragile. To polish it, instead of GOI paste, it is better to use diamond paste. When polishing, great care must be taken to avoid damaging the glass.

In any wristwatch, glass is a necessary element. Not a single model of wrist accessory can do without it. But it is this particular part that after some time loses its attractive appearance, as small abrasions, irregularities or chips appear on it. These minor troubles upset the owners, because the watch takes on an unkempt appearance. Therefore, if you notice the first signs of glass damage, do not ignore it. Small and minor scratches can be removed at home. The only way- This is glass polishing, but it can be done in different ways. Let's look at the most popular and effective ways How to remove scratches from watch glass at home.

Using toothpaste

The simplest and available method To remove scratches from a watch glass, use regular toothpaste. For this procedure, you will need regular white toothpaste without additives or colored granules and a soft cloth.

So, let's begin:

Squeeze a small amount of toothpaste onto a cotton pad or soft cloth.
Gently rub the product into the glass on the accessory using circular movements in a clockwise direction.
You need to polish the entire glass, not just one scratch separately.
Do not press too hard on the glass; it may not survive your efforts.
After polishing, any remaining toothpaste should be removed with a damp cloth.
If the appearance of the surface has not improved much, the procedure can be repeated.

As a result of your efforts, the glass on your wrist accessory will become smooth; you just need to be patient.

Important! This method only works for minor damage and abrasions. If there are deep ones, it is better to take the watch to a workshop, where the glass surface will be restored using professional grinding.

Paste GOI

Sold in hardware stores special remedy based on chromium oxide - GOI paste:

If there are large scratches on the glass, polishing should be done with coarse-grained GOI paste No. 4.
Apply a little product to a cotton pad and wipe the glass clockwise for a minute.

Important! Try not to press too hard to avoid breaking the glass.

Remove any remaining paste with a damp cloth.
After such a “rough” treatment, the abrasions are reduced, but do not disappear at all. The process is repeated in the same order, but with medium-grain GOI paste No. 3.
Finally, to achieve perfect smoothness, it is recommended to grind using fine-grained GOI paste No. 2 or No. 1. If desired, at the last stage you can use toothpaste instead of GOI toothpaste.
Mineral oil will give the glass a mirror shine. Drop it onto a cotton pad and gently wipe the surface in a circular motion without pressing.

Important! If the surface of the glass on an expensive wristwatch with anti-reflective coating has deteriorated, then there is no need to risk it, just contact the services of a watchmaker.

Other polishing methods

How else can you remove scratches on a watch glass?

Every home has baking soda. Dilute it with water to obtain a thick paste, and use this mixture to polish the glass surface of your watch. Apply a little product to a cotton pad or soft cloth and wipe your glass in a circular motion. Remove any remaining product with a damp cloth.
Another simple way to remove scratches from a watch is to polish it with the finest sandpaper. But to do this, it is advisable to remove the glass from the watch, wipe it with a soft cloth, moisten it with water, and only then proceed directly to polishing. This must be done very carefully, do not rub the surface too much, so as not to damage the glass even more. Then you need to apply tooth powder, dissolved in water to a paste-like state and leave until completely dry. Remaining product can be removed with soft paper.
If you have a car, then it is quite possible that you have car wax at home, which is successfully used to combat scuffs on glass. Instead of a car one, you can use a furniture one. Just apply a little of this product to a cotton pad or soft cloth and gently polish your glass. This composition is specially designed to return surfaces to their ideal appearance.
In the question of how to remove scratches on a watch glass, polishing for copper or silver can help us. Of course, this is not the most common method, since not everyone in the house may have it, unlike soda or the same toothpaste, but if suddenly such a composition happens to be in your home, then apply it to a cotton pad or cloth, Gently sand the surface of the glass. The result will please you. You can repeat this procedure many times, it will not harm your watch.
You can try removing scuffs with ammonia. Dissolve 15 g of ammonia in 500 ml of water, and use the resulting solution to clean the scratches until they disappear completely.
Polish with your hands long enough. If you want to do this faster, it is better to use hand-held electric tools, for example, a miniature drill with an appropriate attachment. This will significantly speed up the glass polishing process.

Important! Sometimes the glass can be simply removed from the body. In this case, polishing is carried out a little differently. The fabric is moistened with water and polish, and glass is passed over the fabric itself.

When should you contact a professional?

It is not always necessary to solve the problem yourself; there are times when it is better to use the services of professionals:

If the abrasions are very deep.
If your glass already has cracks.
If the watch is valuable, made of precious metals.
If you are unsure whether your watch is waterproof.
If you have already tried all the methods available to you, but there is no result.
If your watch is still under warranty.

Vika Di

Any item suffers some damage during use, and a wristwatch is no exception, be it a silver watch or a stainless steel watch. The only exception is, perhaps, titanium watches, since this metal has very high strength, on all others, especially if they have a brass body, scratches and abrasions will inevitably appear.

Removing scratches from the case and bracelet of a watch

It’s worth warning right away that if it was not possible to avoid deep scratches and chips on a gold case coated with precious metals, protective special coating or with a satin (matte) surface, you will have to contact the service for professional polishing of the coating - amateur attempts to eliminate these defects can ruin the watch.

Scratches on the watch case

You can polish your wristwatch or stainless steel metal bracelet yourself, for which you will need some time, patience and materials that are easy to purchase in specialized stores.

What materials will be needed?

To polish the case yourself you will need:

polishing cloth intended for polishing jewelry;
a good brand of cleaner and its analogues;
manicure block for polishing nails;
scraps of soft cloth or napkins for wiping glasses.

Polishing can be done on stainless steel watches without bluing, gilding or other coatings. If the steel on the watch is matte, don’t get too carried away so that scratches appear in place. the glossy area did not appear.

To get rid of small abrasions and scratches, defective areas are polished with the dark side of a polishing cloth, and then the surface is sanded with its light side until it shines(except for matte case and bracelet).

If the abrasions and scratches are of medium size, then the defective areas polish with a piece of soft cloth, having previously applied a cleaner or its equivalent to it.

The movements must be circular and precisely localized to the scratch site.

Until no trace remains of it, then use a soft cloth or wipes for cleaning glasses the treated area is sanded to a shine.

You can also satin the bracelet yourself in a simple way, as evidenced by reviews on the forums. It is usually recommended to use high-quality eraser(you can use a pencil eraser - it will be convenient) to eliminate scuffs and minor scratches.

Watch polishing eraser

To remove a small chip or deep scratch on uncoated stainless steel, you can use a manicure tool. nail polishing block, and then polish the case or bracelet on top.

No matter how carefully you handle your watch, over time it will inevitably develop minor defects in the form of scratches. This not only spoils their appearance, but also makes it difficult to see the position of the arrows on the dial. If the glass is scratched, you can use one of the methods below and sand the glass yourself, taking into account the type of material from which it is made.

How to remove small scratches from organic glass?

Plastic watches and plastic glass(also called organic) are the most budget-friendly options. The disadvantage of such glass is rapid cloudiness when it is constantly in contact with clothing. To remove scratches from glass at home, you will need:

GOI paste No. 1;
abrasive tooth powder or paste or soap;
soft cloth (preferably microfiber);
water.

Sequencing:

Remove the glass from the watch case and carefully remove with microfiber all contamination from its surface.
Clean glass place on a flat surface and, constantly moistening it with water, using wave-like movements with equal pressure, grind the glass on the watch until there is no trace of scratches left and the surface becomes matte.
Moisten a little paste or soap in water, apply to the surface of the glass and continue polishing it for another 10-20 minutes.
Wipe sand the glass clean and insert it back into the watch case.

This is how you can polish a scratch on a watch glass, completely eliminating its traces, and the glass will be look like new. You can polish the mineral glass of a wristwatch in the same way.

Medium scratches

To eliminate medium-depth scratches, you will need the same materials as for small scratches, but GOI paste is not only No. 1, but also No. 2 and No. 3, as well as a piece leather or felt.

A piece of leather for polishing watches

Remove the glass from the watch case and microfiber clean it of all contaminants.
On microfiber moistened with water apply some paste GOI No. 3 and polish the glass with the same wave-like movements until noticeable scratches disappear, then replace the paste with No. 2 and continue polishing. For elimination micro scratches use paste No. 1.
When the surface of the glass becomes perfectly matte, wash off the GOI paste, dry the glass with a dry microfiber, apply tooth powder to it or paste and continue polishing with microfiber dampened in water for about 15 minutes.

Tooth powder for watch polishing

Removing deep scratches

In addition to the above materials, you will need:

GOI paste numbers from 1 to 4;
medium and fine grit sandpaper.

Sequencing:

Pull out the glass from the watch case and use microfiber to clean it from all dirt.
Start polishing using wave-like movements. medium grain sandpaper.
Go to GOI No. 4 to remove the most noticeable irregularities, then to GOI No. 3 and No. 2, and finally to fine-grit sandpaper paper.
To eliminate micro-scratches and make the glass matte, use GOI No. 1 for polishing.
To restore the glass's glossy shine, use the same wave-like movements polish its surface with tooth powder or soap for at least 10-15 minutes.
Clean the glass and put it back into the watch case.

Sandpaper for polishing watches

Sapphire crystal

Sapphire glass, although it has maximum hardness, is at the same time very fragile. It's best to have it polished professionals in watchmaking or a jewelry workshop. However, such a need is unlikely to arise, since scratches can only be left on it by hard material, for example, diamond.

The watches that we constantly use and get used to also need our care. Spend a little time and they will shine, like new, and there will be no trace of minor scratches.

July 29, 2018, 11:11 pm

During the operation of a wristwatch, various defects appear, for example, scratches on the glass. It may seem that the item has become unusable, but it is possible to correct the situation yourself. To do this, grind the surface. If you are deciding how to polish the glass on a watch from scratches, you first need to determine the type of material from which it is made. In addition, the condition of the product should be assessed. The more damage there is, the more difficult it is to eliminate them. You can find out the characteristics of the product by studying information about the manufacturer’s products.

To eliminate abrasion of varying intensity, methods are used based on the use of the following materials:

toothpaste;
sandpaper with a suitable grit level;
universal composition called GOI paste;
rags, preferably using lint-free material;
pure water;
felt;
dentifrice;
soap.

When choosing in various ways the set of materials is changing. Polishing watch glass from scratches using the first method is carried out according to the instructions:

Prepare fine-grained sandpaper, soap/tooth powder or paste with abrasive properties (No. 1), water, microfiber rags.
The work is carried out on a flat surface, thereby reducing the likelihood of more severe damage to the product.
The main components are being dismantled. Often, in order to remove the glass, you need to disassemble the watch yourself. First, the cover is removed and the working mechanism is removed.
If you are deciding how to polish a watch glass yourself at home, you must first wipe the glass surface. As a result, they are deleted fine particles pollution. If this is not done, additional scratches may occur.
The glass must be moistened with water. To properly polish a product, you need to know that it makes wave-like movements without unnecessary effort. The intensity of pressure on the surface must be the same at all points, otherwise it can be deformed. On at this stage GOI abrasive and sandpaper are used.
Tooth powder is applied to a matte surface moistened with water. Using a microfiber cloth, continue to sand the product until it becomes transparent. In this case, the matte effect should disappear.
The duration of polishing with tooth powder is on average 20 minutes.
When all the steps are completed, the part is cleaned of remaining contaminants and installed in the housing.

Tooth powder can remove small scratches

Another method that suggests the possibility of polishing watches:

Prepare the following materials: GOI paste of any degree of abrasiveness (1, 2 or 3), felt, tooth powder, microfiber, water.
Preparation of the product is the same as in the first case: remove the glass and wipe it with a rag.
Using felt material and GOI paste No. 3, significant damage to the surface is removed. When the depth of the defects decreases, another type is taken (GOI No. 2). The actions are repeated. For microdamages, use the least abrasive composition (No. 1).
At the last stage, the final polishing of the product is performed using a previously unused piece of microfiber and tooth powder. Sand the surface for 15-20 minutes until it becomes transparent.

If you are wondering whether it is possible to polish heavily damaged watch glass, you should try another method. It assumes the need to use compounds varying degrees abrasiveness. Instructions for restoring scratched glass:

Preparing the composition of the GOI different types: No. 1-4, sandpaper, felt, microfiber and toothpaste.
Work begins by dismantling the glass part. First, sand the surface using sandpaper. At the same time, the composition of GOI No. 4 is used.
The movements are performed in waves.
Next, GOI paste No. 3 and 2 are used sequentially; at the last stage, the surface is polished using composition No. 1.
Treating the glass with toothpaste and a microfiber cloth will add shine.

Note: Commander watches are not afraid of water. This means they can be polished without disassembling them.

Deep scratches can be polished effectively using sandpaper

Polishing different watch glasses

First, determine the type of material. In most cases, organic glass is used. It has an affordable price and good performance strength. Sapphire glass is used in products of luxury brands. There is also a plastic option (used in some Casio and Swatch models). Manufacturers of watches with mineral glass: Swatch, Guardo, Nautrica, Orient. These products represent a high price category.

Organic glass

Materials:

alcohol;
water;
cotton pad;
abrasive composition;
soft woven material.

Note: GOI paste can be replaced with tooth powder; only the variety with whitening properties is not suitable for polishing plexiglass. Because of this, the product may lose transparency.

Instructions:

The clock needs to be taken apart.
After wetting the surface with water, you can begin polishing using an abrasive compound and a rag.
Polishing is carried out in a circular motion until the defects completely disappear.
Then wipe the glass with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol.
The clock is being assembled.

Recycled organic glass

Mineral

To remove scratches from the glass of this type of watch you will need a grinding wheel, GOI paste, alcohol and a cotton pad. The abrasive composition is applied to the working edge. There is no need to remove the glass. It is pressed against the grinding wheel and polishing begins.

Tip: When polishing with a grinding wheel, you need to constantly move the watch from the edge to the center and back. This will allow the surface to be applied evenly. .

If you are deciding how to polish the mineral glass on a watch, you need to remember that work to restore the product is carried out until it becomes transparent. After this, mechanical polishing is continued by hand: a cotton pad is moistened with alcohol, then the surface is cleaned until shiny.

Cleaned mineral glass

Sapphire

This task is the most difficult, due to the properties (increased hardness, fragility). Casio products with such glass are widespread. It is recommended to use diamond paste. Otherwise, the principle of polishing is the same as in the previously discussed cases. It is only necessary to avoid increased point pressure and do not drop the product.

Plastic

This is a fairly durable material that can withstand intensive use. If plastic glass is scratched, the defects can be easily removed. To do this, it is enough to use a composition with the least degree of abrasiveness - toothpaste. First the glass is dismantled. Then apply abrasive to a rag and begin polishing until all defects disappear.