So, some days ago, as you may remember, I went out to purchase a cost effective and travel friendly watch to take to places where I didn't want to take the likes of a Breitling, Rolex or Panerai.
I ended up acquiring a Hamilton which hasn't stopped amazing me since I started wearing it last Tuesday.
In part, this is due to the fact that it is on my very favourite strap ever since Tuesday night. And while that certainly is one of this particular watch's strengths, it also implies what I have come to dislike about it.
When I bought the thing, it came on a rather nice if somewhat boring black calf strap with a special buckle, shaped to look like the brands logo. When I had the strap exchanged for a tobacco coloured alligator, I thus had to have a different buckle added in order to fit a "normally shaped" strap. The watchmaker performing the operation had the kindness to offer me a generic buckle to make everything fit and prima vista, all was good. It wasn't really though, because as are many watch people, I am very attentive to details in a watch-strap-buckle combo. Soon then, the obvious cheapness of the pressed iron, polished-ish, buckle, which didn't quite work with the brushed finish of the watch head, started to bother me. All the way till today.
Now, I am in no way a jeweler and my skills regarding fine manual labour are... Well... So-so at best.
This however could not keep me from purchasing some differently grained sheets of sandpaper as well as some masking tape and blue ink-erasing rubber. I had the plan of giving the part in question a slightly more elaborate finish, which chiefly, meant that I was to remove the grates where the upper and lower molds had joined. I scrubbed the thing in all afternoon in the hope of getting somewhere good, but to no avail. All I was able to come up with was a scratchy uneven surface. Up until I got to the only tool I hadn't yet tested... Sandblasting foam. This foam is like sandpaper, but instead of being on a harsh piece of cardboard, comes in form of a little sponge. It thus allows for a much more delicate approach and a much more harmonious finish. It got me this result, fitting the look of the watch much better and giving the buckle a more quality feel... At least it does in my mind... Hope you like it
