Minus4Plus6.com - Rolex Case & Bracelet Maintenance

Maintaining Rolex Watch Cases & Bracelets

Rolex Watch GMTII 116710

Both of my GMTs get the typical scratches that come with average everyday use. Hairline scratches from hitting walls and clasp scratches from desk diving and desk flying accumulate over the months. Some Rolex wearers allow the scatches to pile up and have them buffed out when the watch is serviced. Others meticuously polish each scratch moments after noticing it. I would like to think that I am somewhere in the middle. My thinking is that if I truly do some damage, the damage will be repaired at the next service at a Rolex Service Center.

Weekly Wipedown

Perhaps one of the biggest questions asked on Internet boards is how people clean their watches. The ritual I use is to use Scrubbing Bubbles wipes and a Googalie cloth. Scrubbing Bubbles can be found at any drug store or marketand Goggalie cloths can be found at www.googalies.com.

	Over the bathroom sink, get the watch wet with tapwater. Take 1/2 of a scrubbling bubble wipe the bracelet and clasp and the side of the watch case. Be careful not to get any Scrubbing Bubble soap around the seals. I allow the soap to sit for a minute or two. Once the soap has settled in, I rinse with tap water and dry with a Googalie cloth. This is a quick and easy way to keep your watch clean without worrying about soap seeping into the watch seals.

Googalie cloths were not initially designed for watches. Nonetheless, Googalies are a thick, soft microsoft cloths that are great for wiping down the gick that collects over the week.
Bracelet Removal
	About once or twice a year, the bracelet requires removal for cleaning and light refinishing. The tools required are a Bergeon springbar tool, a roll of masking or electrical tape, and an optional case pad.

	The Bergeon Springbar tool 6111 has a small fork on one end for sliding the springbar inward to release it from the case. The small and sharper the tool, the better. Do not use an inexpensive springbar tool as the fork on them tend to be too dull or too large.

	Prior to using the springbar tool to release the bracelet from the case, separate the bracelet from the clasp using a small pin such that the bracelet can lay flat on the workbench. After separating the bracelet from the clasp, mask off the lug with masking tape. Line up the straight edge of the tape with the edge of the lug. The masking tape or electrical tape will help prevent tell-tale springbar scratches. Others have reported that electrical tape works better than masking tape.

	Using the Bergeon 6111, carefully slide the springbar inward while slightly pushing down on the springbar. Slight downward pressure will keep the tool onto the springbar and allow the springbar to drop into the case and not slide back into the hole.

	Be careful while sliding the springbar inward. After releasing the springbar from the case, repeat the same procedure on the other springbar. There is definately a trick to releasing the springbar from both sides. Sometimes, while sliding the springbar on one side of the case, the other side slips back in. Slight downward pressure on the springbar while sliding it out will help prevent what I call the "see-saw" effect.

	What has become my absolute favorite tool for removing Rolex bracelets is the Bergeon 6825. This tool slides both sides of the springbar simultaneously such that you are not playing see-saw with the springbar. The standard tips that are included with the tool are a little too wide. I ground them down slightly to fit inside a Rolex solid end link (SEL). Althouth Otto Frei indicates that this tool will not work with Rolex bracelets, a simple filing of the tips makes this the preferred tool for removing SEL bracelets.
	This tool is pricey, but if you are going to be removing Rolex bracelets, it is well worth the cost for Swiss precision and less cursing at yourself for creating scratches from removing or reinstalling the bracelet.
Reinstalling the bracelets is the same procedure, but in reverse. The reinstallation process is much easier using the Bergeon 6825.
Bracelet Scratch Maintenance
	For the periodic scratches, I use three types of Satin bars. I use the Bergeon 5444 fine (top left), the Bergeon 5444 medium (top right), and a very fine satin bar (bottom) purchased from a knife shop. Although others have used brillo pads and scotchbrite pads, I like to use these bars as they give me greater control on the grain direction, as well as the type of finish. For all brushed bracelets, I start with a medium satin bar, then finish with the fine satin bar. The 116710 (GMT-C), has a finer satin finish. Subsequently, I use the fine satin bar exclusively.

	The idea with a satin bar is to restore the satin grain in the same direction, not just simple scratching of the steel. Rolex satin finishes all go in the same direction and the grain runs consistently from one link to the other link, similar to wood grain running down a plank. I run each link on the satin bar, looking to see that the grain lines up. Be sure to slide the link carefully and deliberately in one direction for each link. A tell-tale sign of a bad refinish job is that satin grain going sideways and is not parallel with the center section of the link. In this image, I am holding the satin block while moving the link. Others have reported to laying the bracelet flat and moving the sanding block over the links. It does not matter which is better, as long as the grain is even and in one, consistent direction direction over all the links.

	For mirrored finished bracelets, I use the center link to use a guide for insuring that the grain is consistent from link to link. You do not want the grain go sideways.
	To prevent scratches on the mirrored center, I tape the center section. I also use masking tape or electrical tape as a guide. Slide the bar in one consistent motion with even pressure.

	For rubbing out and slightly polishing the mirrored center link, or the side links on a brushed finished GMT 16710 or SeaDweller, I use a Cape Cod cloth that can be found at any hardware store or from Cape Cod directly.
	Tape off the brushed portions of the links and wipe the cloth gently over the mirrored sections. This procedure can also be done with the case, but be sure to tape off the brushed lugs. The cloths smell like vanilla, but the chemicals in them do remove metal. The cloth will get slowly black with use. As the cloth dries, you have add a drop of water to reconstitute it. The chemical does stick to the watch. After polishing, rinse off the chemical using warm water or a Scrubbling Bubbles wipe (mentioned above) to remove the gunk, rinse and dry with a Googalie cloth.

	Lastly, once the bracelet is touched up, I throw it in the ultrasonic cleaner. An ultrasonic bath cleans the gunk that builds-up inside the links, especially problematic on Jubilee and traditional Oyster bracelets. Keeping the inside of the links clean helps prevent premature bracelet stretch from undue wear on the bars holding the links together. I throw the bracelet into the ultrasonic every 6 -12 months. This ultransonic is an eBay $40 special and the cleaner is Jules Borel generic for about $15/bottle. For this type of cleaning, a setup like this setup works fine.
Dealing with case scratches
	For deeper scratches than what a Cape Cod cloth can rub out, I use a cloths from WatchBrandNew. These cloths come in various grades, starting from a rough as a fine satin bar, to the feeling of very fine paper. Each of these cloths is measured in microns of abrasiveness. The yellow scratch pen pictured I rarely use, but I have found is good for restoring the brush finish on the underside of the lugs after bothing a bracelet removal or re-installation.

	The WatchBrandNew cloths are good for stainless watch cases and the polished sides of a GMT or Sea Dweller band. The idea is to start with a coarse grade, then work towards a finer grade cloth. The directions indicate rubbing the cloths by hand, but I use two buff-sticks. One skinny buff stick that is leather lined. and larger, softer buff-stick. Using buff sticks is much easier on the fingers. Wrap the cloth around the buff stick and rub in on the watch case in one direction.
	Using the larger buff stick covers the case-side more completely. I use the smaller buff stick for the mirrored Oyster link sides, as well as around the winding crown on the watch head. I typically stick to using the one or two micron cloth. Although these cloths are sold as a set, I have purchased one and two micron cloths separately.

Check the bracelet screws
Scan used with permission	Lastly, using a Bergeon 160 - 180mm screwdriver, or the Rolex screwdriver that is included with a SeaDweller tool kit, check the screws in the bracelet to make sure they are not loose. If a screw is chronically loose, use LocTite 221 or 222 (red bottle with blue LocTite fluid) on the screw threads to insure that screws are secure. Rolex even recommends LocTite 221 in their directions on using the DeepSea Glidelock buckle.
Although each of these procedures will not bring back the Rolex factory or service center finish, they do help make the watch look like it is not worn by a careless Neanderthal. Each of these procedures I have learned by reading the watch boards and none of them are too invasive and can be repaired by an RSC. There is some security in knowing that some day-to-day scratches can be easily repaired with a little skill and the correct tools.