The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I've used Cape Cod's on stainless, but I'm wondering if anyone has used them to polish platinum. If a Cape Cod is the wrong choice, I'd like to know what others have used to polish platinum. I have a very, very light polishing job to do, so I want something that's extremely gentle. Thanks in advance.

-Craig

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

I wouldnt see why not. The package says "for fine metals" and lists gold on there. Platinum is much harder than gold and has tremendous chemical and corrosive resistance, so I cant imagine that anything bad could happen.

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-RJ

I was thinking the same thing, but felt it may behoove me to check on here before I took the plunge. Thanks for the input.

-Craig

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

This is not entirely true. Platinum is a softer metal than Gold BUT Platinum is much stronger and holds up much better to wear. I wouldn't use a cape code cloth on platinum until I confirmed it is 1000% safe by asking either a jeweler or the manufacturer. Platinum is too expensive to be screwing around with.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

On what scale?

Vickers (annealed metal):

Platinum 41
Gold 22

Moh's:

Platinum 4 - 4.5
Gold 2.5 - 3

Higher is harder in both cases.

Yes, in pure form extracted directly from the earth, platinum is harder than Gold... BUT gold is mixed with other alloys to be used in jewelry which increases it's hardness resulting in making it harder than platinum. Platinum in stronger and heavier than gold but in jewelry Platinum is softer than gold since platinum is used virtually entirely pure without the need to mix it with other metal alloys.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

That's true if Platinum is mixed with iridium, there the vickers rating is only 80, but it's not true in watches where platinum is mixed with ruthenium (95% platinum by weight) which has a vickers rating of 135.

18k gold generally has a vickers rating of 125 (regardless of colour) - it can be increased to greater than 200, but not for practical applications.

Based on the sole watch in his signature I didn't know if he was referring to a watch or his platinum jewelry.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

That comment doesn't make sense either, but the science clearly isn't going to make any dents in your position.

For the record 950 platinum with iridium is very, very, very rare in jewellery - it's great for stone setting, but lousy for the consumer because it ages extremely badly - very easily scratched, very easily deformed.

900 platinum with iridium is more common - still a compromise relative to 950 ruthenium or 950 cobalt, and less popular with consumers who consider 950 to be 'better' (which isn't necessarily true as it is measured by weight not volume), but if you were thinking of 900 platinum with iridium in his question, then we are back to the flaw in the vickers hardness argument as it is comparable with gold.

As a small side question, how does Cape Cod actually work?

I assume there are just very small abrasive stones suspended in some petroleum based solvent that is then used to soak a cloth. Is there some other mechanism (chemical?) Does anyone know what said stones would be made of? I've been tempted to put a bit under the microscope to get a better look...

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“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.” - Albert Einstein

They claim that it is a proprietary polish formulation - I don't know more than that.

My B01 is definitely not at the root of my question. Technically, I'm inquiring about a ring. However, I figured my question would be relevant for anyone with a platinum watch.

The inside of the ring says "PT950." I'm hoping it's something other than the fragile stuff Roff alluded to . . .

-Craig

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000

My position is simple and accurate...platinum is softer than gold.. Obviously we're talking about the jewelry form Of the metals since I doubt anyone here is extracting precious metals from the earth so your vickers and mohls scales are pointless and useless.

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"I don't own any watches, I just lease them"

Vickers is a scale of hardness used for (among other things) jewellery metals - pointless, useless, and backed by science - inconvenient for you perhaps, but I can't help that.




@bozman52 - the problem with PT950 is that it doesn't really tell you very much. That means 95% platinum by weight (generally less by volume), but it doesn't tell you what the other parts are (and there's no easy way to tell without destroying the ring). If it's mixed with iridium then I would be amazed, more likely it is ruthenium or cobalt. Cobalt is generally only used when the ring is cast from a molten metal, and ruthenium is the more likely alloy. Ruthenium will give you about 90% platinum by volume and will provide a long lasting ring. It will be fine with cape cods, although it is a softer metal than SS so you should be gentle and less frequent with it's use.

Roff, as always, thanks for the insight. I guess you're not a one trick watch pony after all. I didn't realize you were so well versed in metallurgy.

-Craig

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Chronomat 01- Sierra Silver/Steel
Navitimer 01- Limited Edition #1337/2000