The Breitling Watch Source Forums

About every second wearing, I prepare a luke warm sink full of water and lay a wash cloth on the bottom to rest my watch on. I then let it sit for 5 minutes at the bottom of the sink to loosen the dead skin and dirt that may have accumulated. Obviously, this is only done with the watches that are over 5 bars as rated for water resistence.

I then use an ultra-soft toothbrush and Ivory soap to gently remove the dirt etc. from the strap and watch back. I then run the water from the faucet to clear away the soap leaving a shiny watch that is now ready for hand polishing. For this part, I like to use a camera lens micro-fiber cloth to polish it up. This method leaves my watches shiny and new and always looking their best.

Does anyone else have any watch cleaning tips that they use that I/we may benefit from...?

_________________
Breitling Bentley Motors
Breitling Chrono-Matic 49
Breitling Super Avenger
Breitling Cosmonaute 2010 limited edition
Rolex Submariner
Rolex GMT Master 11
Rolex Daytona
Rolex Sea Dweller Deepsea
Tag Heuer Carerra
Graham Chronofighter GMT Oversize

Brentomatic,

For the polishing try Cape Cod polishing cloths they are AWESOME

_________________
LING MAN

Great tip!

I just ordered this little package...

http://www.bostonwatchexchange.com/serv ... ISH/Detail

_________________
Breitling Bentley Motors
Breitling Chrono-Matic 49
Breitling Super Avenger
Breitling Cosmonaute 2010 limited edition
Rolex Submariner
Rolex GMT Master 11
Rolex Daytona
Rolex Sea Dweller Deepsea
Tag Heuer Carerra
Graham Chronofighter GMT Oversize

Ultrasonic cleaners awsome and from $20 upwards

_________________

Not really.

True ultrasonic is in the $150 - $200 range - think Quantrex Q90 as entry level. Below that you get 'vibrating water' but not true ultrasonic.

You should also never put a watch movement into an ultrasonic cleaner. Breitling use them for some diassembled parts during servicing, but not all parts. They do a great job on bracelets, but you need to remove the bracelt from the watch.

I put my Superocean in one the other day and it came up a treat loads of dirt out of the bracelett and the same with my wifes Gucci came up really good,So is ot ok in the cheaper ultrasonics then (vibrating water as you say)

this is the one I got http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWNX:IT

_________________

It's probably not powerful enough to do any damage, but you couldn't pay me enough to do it.

I use a Quantrex for cleaning parts as I continue to learn watchmaking, but I never subject jewels or balances to the ultrasonic treatment - and of course you can't avoid that if you put the whole watch in them.

To me it really is a huge risk.

I mainly will use it for braceletts but as you say probably better not to put whole watches in even though it says in the instuctions its fine

_________________

They probably say that it's OK because it's not powerful enough to create ultrasonic cavitations, but I'm really not exaggerating - you couldn't pay me enough to do it with one of my watches.

For the bracelet, I simply use a very soft toothbrush and soap. As I do it every second wear or so, it keeps the dirt to a minimum (I hope). I too would not use an ultra sonic machine for my watches. I can't wait to try this Cape Cod cloth..!!! Brent likes a shiny watch...

_________________
Breitling Bentley Motors
Breitling Chrono-Matic 49
Breitling Super Avenger
Breitling Cosmonaute 2010 limited edition
Rolex Submariner
Rolex GMT Master 11
Rolex Daytona
Rolex Sea Dweller Deepsea
Tag Heuer Carerra
Graham Chronofighter GMT Oversize

Its OK Roff sends me your watch and i'll clean it for ya NO CHARGE for you mate

_________________

I've got a better idea - send me yours, I'll put it in a proper ultrasonic and send you the bits back as evidence of what it can do!

Umm let me think about that for a moment.................Umhhhhhhhhh NO THANKS its a kind offer but I will decline

_________________

Thanks too for the linkie for the cloth, I'll try that. I do as Brent does, soft toothbrush and soapy water, but not nearly as often as he does, maybe once every few months. And I concentrate on the bracelet and try not to get the watch itself too wet. Yeah, I know it's water resistant, but why push my luck? And I am also on the bandwagon that I would never put any watch, even a quartz, in an untrasonic cleaner.

Michael

_________________
Breitling, Omega, Rolex... what can I say, I like Swiss watches.

I recently came upon an old electric toothbrush that I found in a my bathroom drawer. Ive used it a few times now and it really works well.

I just bought a navi now though, and havent cleaned it yet. To be completely honest, ive contemplated just cleaning it the way I do all any other watch (under water), but really dont want to be the guinea pig for you guys
Any suggestions?

_________________
-RJ