How to Remove Scratches from watch | A Thorough Explanation

MR Sony July 8, 2022 0

Table of Contents

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Want to remove scratches from the watch? Well, Scuffs on our favorite timepiece are very disappointing, right? This is the most common issue that everyone has. As a solution, we decide to replace the glass or buy a new timepiece. Replacing glass can be costly and time-consuming.

But, fortunately, we have some crispy solutions for scrapes on your timepiece. Do you know those solutions? Okay, wait. Let me explain. There are a few methods to remove scratches on watch.

Yes, you can remove scratches from watch easily by yourself. You do not need to replace the horologe glass. With these methods, you can fix even deep scrapes at your home. What are those methods to fix scratches on the watch?

Let’s find out the answer…

How to Fix Scratches on Watch?

Using Toothpaste

Using toothpaste is an easy and effective method to remove scratches from watch. There are many hacks of toothpaste to solve daily issues. Toothpaste contains tiny particles that lightly “sand” the surface of our teeth.

In the same way, it can lightly sand and fix minor scrapes on your timepiece. You can use non-gel toothpaste for this task. If your timepiece has deep scrapes, then you should mix baking soda with the toothpaste.

It will give you a bit more abrasion to take deep scrapes. Here is the step by step guide to using this method.

First, keep your horologe under a bright LED light.
Then put a small amount of toothpaste to the scuff
Rub it carefully for a while with a cotton ball or a clean & soft cloth
You can use masking tape to prevent damage to bezels.
Use a cotton bud to reach inside grooves.
Wait for some time to remove the toothpaste.
Use a soft cotton cloth and remove toothpaste in circular a polishing motion.

If you follow these steps, then you can fix minor scrapes. However, with this method, it is hard to cove deep scrapes. But, you can try baking soda. If it does not work, then go for any other option.

Diamond Paste

If the toothpaste method does not work for your timepiece, then try this diamond paste method. You can purchase this diamond paste from any DIY store or online store. You will need a very small amount of 3-micron paste and 2.5 – micron paste to remove scratches on watch glass.

First, apply 3-microns paste on a soft cotton cloth or directly on the scrape. Then rub it circularly on the scuff until the paste is gone. After that, wipe it out and apply 2.5 – micron paste on the scrape and rub it until the paste is gone. But, make sure to rub the scrape smoothly.

If you have a crystal horologe, then you can follow the same steps. But, apply 6 – micron paste in the glass and use a hand-held Dremel tool for better results. There are some other products as well to remove scrapes.

Polishing Cloths

Polishing cloths are the best way to remove deep scrapes. Mostly the jewelry store uses these types of material to polish jewelry. You can buy the polishing cloth from a jewelry store or online suppliers.

You can use pioneer or shino polishing cloths to fix scuff. These cloths come with a double layer.

The inner layer comes with red polishing powder. You can use the outer layer for the final polish on the scrapes. The never-dull polishing cloths are also helpful for deep scrapes.

You can purchase them from a drug or hardware store. If you have gold horologe, then this is the best way to remove scrapes from your timepiece.

But, it can damage your timepiece as well if you do polishing frequently. It is good to polish horologe one time in two or three weeks for safety. You can also use these polishing cloths to remove scrapes from metal.

Scratch Cleaner Pastes

Scratch cleaners pastes are available in the market that you can use to remove scrapes. Scratch cleaners can also be a powder. Both scrape cleaner paste and powder contain light abrasive like toothpaste.

You can apply these pastes or powder with a soft cleaning cloth. If you are using powder cleaners, then mix it with water or oil to make it paste type scrape cleaner. Follow the steps that we have mentioned for toothpaste.

Must use the masking tape to prevent damage to the rest part of your horologe. Avoid applying a large amount of paste. Use microfiber cloths to rub scrapes smoothly. After a few minutes, scrapes will disappear then clean the paste with a microfiber cloth.

Buffing Method

The buffing method is a difficult and time taking process. The buffing method uses rotary machines like an electric drill, grinder machines, and others. Grinder machines are useful to remove a scrape or polish any material.

These grinder machines come with wool on both sides of the grinder machine. It will polish the surface as a drill or motor rotates it. If you do not know anything about the buffing machine, then we do not recommend this method.

You can try this method on less necessary products. Once you understand all things, then you can use it to your timepiece. You have to consider some safety features while applying this method.

As the other methods, use painter’s tape to cover bezels and case. If possible, remove the case and bezels because it can be damaged while using a grinder machine. You should wear safety goggles to keep your eyes safe.

Take your timepiece near the grinder machine and start the grinder machine with light-to-medium speed. Keep moving your timepiece to buff all over the glass. Check frequently to check that you are doing correctly or not.

This is a complicated and difficult method to understand. We recommend this only if other methods do not work for you. Keep your safety in your mind while using this method.

Read next: How to change watch buckle

How to protect watches from scratch

You may hear that “Prevention is better than cure” Watch protection is better than using these methods to remove scrapes. We will give 10 tips for watch protection. These 10 quick tips will help you to avoid scrapes on your timepiece.

Wear a timepiece after you completely dressed up. It will avoid scuffing while you are wearing or adjusting your dress.
Do not wear bracelets and watches on the one hand. Jewelry can cause scrapes on glass. However, you can wear soft bracelets made of cotton.
Take off your timepiece while you are playing or climbing mountains. It can cause damage to your timepiece. However, you can wear cheap bands.
Do not use lotions and fragrance as it can also cause minor scuffs on your timepiece.
Frequently clean your timepiece with a soft toothbrush. It is good to get rid of debris and small particles stuck in straps.
Do not wear your timepiece while you are sleeping, exercising, or gardening. It can also cause deep scratches on the watch glass.
Keep your timepiece in the original box. Boxes are made only to store watches.
Do not keep the timepiece on a metal surface.
Do not let your timepiece rest on electronic items or near magnets. It is fine if you have an anti-magnetic timepiece.
Keep your timepiece away from extreme temperatures. The temperature should not be warmer than 60°C or colder than 32°C.

How to Remove Scrapes from Crystal Watch Face

It is easy to remove the scrape from crystal glasses with these methods. But, there are three types of crystal watches in the market. There are different methods of removing the scrapes from a specific type of crystal.

Let’s check out those three types of crystal glasses.

Remove Scrapes from Acrylic Crystal Glasses

The acrylic crystal is cheap than other types of crystals. Also, it is easy to remove scrapes from the acrylic crystal glass. You can use polishing cloths and scrape cleaner paste for the acrylic crystal glass.

The acrylic is the oldest type of crystal. The acrylic crystal can scrape easily. You have to be more careful to protect your timepiece. Acrylic crystals are made from plastic-type material. Acrylic crystals are lightweight and more durable than ordinary glass or plastic.

Steps to remove scrapes from acrylic crystals:

Remove the crystal from the timepiece to avoid damage. If you cannot remove it, then use painter’s tape to cover bezels.
Apply a scratch cleaner paste and rub it over the crystal glass.
If you are using polishing cloths, then rub its outer layer on the scrapes.
After some time, remove the paste, and scrapes will disappear.
If you cannot get results, then repeat this process if necessary.

Remove Scrapes from Mineral Crystal Glasses

The mineral is the hardest crystal available in the market. It is cheap than sapphire crystal. But it can break easily. With the buffing machine, it will be easy to fix scrapes on mineral crystal.

You have to frequently polish this crystal to avoid scrapes. The Buffing method is perfect for mineral crystals. You can follow the steps of the buffing method we have mentioned above.

These are mid-range and average quality timepieces. It is expensive than acrylic glass. But, there are low chances of repairing mineral crystal glasses. If the buffing method cannot remove the scrapes, then you have to replace the mineral crystal.

Remove Scrapes from Sapphire Crystal Glasses

Sapphire crystals are expensive and most durable crystal than others. It is very tough. The sapphire crystals will not get scratches easily. If you are careless or went through an accident, only then can it get scratches.

Some sapphire-crystal glasses are available at more than 1000 dollars. If your sapphire crystal timepiece gets scraped, then you can use the diamond paste method. You can use a 6-inch paste to remove scrapes from the sapphire crystal glass.

But it has some drawbacks as well. According to an interview with Dr. Helen Chan and Richard Lehman, it is hard to produce a large quantity of sapphire crystal glass. There is also some environmental issue to melt sapphire.

Overall, it is a perfect choice for your timepiece. But its price is much higher. Everyone cannot afford sapphire crystal glass. You can follow the steps mentioned for Acrylic Crystal to fix scrapes on sapphire crystal glasses.

Helpful Products to Fix Scrapes on Watch

Scratch Removal Gel

The scratch removal gel will help you to remove scrapes from plastic and acrylic crystal glass. It is a simple get that can remove deep scrapes in just two or three minutes. It is a scrape cleaner paste. You only need to apply this on the scuffs and rub it for a few minutes.

Microfiber Cloths

The microfiber cloth is necessary to rub the gel or paste. It is helpful to polish the scrapes on crystals. The microfiber cloth ensures that it will polish scuffs on the glass without causing any further damage.

Tape

The tape is also a necessary product to cover other parts of the timepiece. You can use this product to cover bezels and others that do not require polishing. It prevents further damage. So a covering tape is necessary while you are removing scrapes from the horologe.

Final Verdict

We hope that you have found your answer in this article. Now, you can fix minor or deep scrapes from your horologe. You do not need to spend your money on your horologe. Prevention is better than cure. So keep your horologe safe from the magnet, bracelets, fragrances, and other things.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Author
Recent Posts

MR Sony

MR Sony is a watch enthusiast who has been using watches since 2002. In 2020, he founded the luxury watch blog(Pickedwatch.com). Before starting the site, he spent four years as a contributing editor to multiple web blogs, where he wrote about luxury lifestyles.