removing dust from watch dial

Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. If the dial is extremely delicate obviously do not put it in a powerful ultrasonic machine. As for the dust speck in the watch dial, it was fortunate that it can be removed on the spot by the boss. If you can remove the band there will be two tiny screws on either side of the band where the band connects to the watch … Then use Rodico or something like it to remove any other residue. Leave it for a day or two and all moisture will be absorbed. It was then I began inquiring about the reliability of the watch’s water resistance. However, long before that, owner Denis Carignan was repairing watches as a hobby. Then use Rodico or something like it to remove any other residue. Take your time and read the section on repair where I describe other configurations.) My shop is extremely well equipped and exactly the way I need it and want it. Collecting vintage watches isn’t for the faint-hearted. For watches with one piece cases the movement comes out the dial side also. I am self-employed and independent from any watch manufacturer at this time, for a reason. Hi, I really like some of the miyota movements, but I’d like one in a pure skeleton watch as I think they look cool. We are an independent repair shop; we are in no way authorized by, affiliated with, or endorsed by ANY watch manufacturer, company or re-seller, and we like it that way. Most antique and vintage hunter-case watches have their lid hinges positioned at the 9 o’clock position. Many years ago I fell in love with watches and, like many others, I tried having a few serviced by so-called watchmakers and was very disappointed . I take pride in my work, which I enjoy, and I am grateful to God for the abilities he has given me and plan to use those gifts for as long as I can. At that point, you can attempt to put the seconds hand back on or remove it. I'd let it run for at least 20 minutes or so, ideally with a cover so dust doesn't fall on it. Removing dial. Remove the band from the watch dial, if possible. There is a growing community of enthusiasts, online, who share ideas, creative mods and are always willing to ease newbies through the learning stages. To conclude, I find that their warranty provided will not be as good as an authorized dealer or service center. Ceramic Inserts, Bezels, Sapphire Crystals, Hands, Dials, Chapter Rings and more. Well, my take is that their local warranty provided for their watches are actually repaired by any third party watch technician you can find at the Chinatown shops. This will not remove spots but will remove dirt and yellowing. To clean dial, always use blower and a sharpened piece of pegwood or toothpick to remove dust and broken pieces of glass from surface. If this is your first foray into the world of watch customisation, the entire process might seem unbelievably complicated and time consuming, but trust us when we say, it really is the opposite. Service It. Simply pour a tiny, tiny bit into a small cup and soak your parts for a few minutes. Inspect the watch under bright light to locate the scratches. Pomp and circumstance is not something you will find here. To protect the watch, wrap it loosely in a thin scrap of cotton cloth (a handkerchief works well). Whether or not your watch is under warranty, when water collects inside the face of your watch, take it to a service center as soon as possible so a professional can repair it properly. If lacquer is damaged there is not a lot that can be done but I have had some success re-lacquering dials as a last resort. As for the dust speck in the watch dial, it was fortunate that it can be removed on the spot by the boss. I use both antique tools and modern tools that I have purchased over the course of many years. In other words, the watch was already completed and working before watch modder Nick Harris’s work started — just not to his specifications. Hold the dryer 6 inches from the watch. I hope someday my daughter will get into the business, but only time will tell; she is still young. 2. Others will now use an ultrasonic cleaner will a jewelry cleaning solution, which is different than watch cleaner used on the movement parts. Therefore, do not bank getting your watch in the same manner that you sent them after the repair. The business of watch modding is not about creating parts, but replacing them. Genuine baked-on enameled dials, like old pocket watch dials, can be soaked in detergent in an ultrasonic cleaner and will clean up beautifully. Use a gentle, circular motion. Remove the back from your watch, and if possible, remove the inner workings as well. They fascinate me on many levels and I think it is an absolute shame that it is difficult to get them serviced properly. Use narrow masking tape to cover up the bezel of the watch to prevent damage. Close lid securely and gently agitate jar for up to 3 minutes. (Rodico is like silly putty and can be purchased from most material distributors.). I came from a long line of engineers, machinists, and inventors, on both sides of my family, so it’s no wonder, I guess, that I am so interested in mechanical things. Which also means that if I wanted the watch water pressure tested, I have to pay for it somewhere else. To clean dial, always use blower and a sharpened piece of pegwood or toothpick to remove dust and broken pieces of glass from surface. Anti-static small brush for cleaning dials. If I don’t know something, I ask someone. Take extra care if you have a large, very powerful tank. Usually a couple of minutes will be sufficient. The case back was then replaced and the watch was returned to me. Change ). If you were to attempt to fix it, you’ll have to remove the back of the watch and the crown. Like anything you wear every day, your Apple Watch is bound to collect some dust and grime. You can use paper towel for this, but a microfiber or chamois cloth is recommended. Set a blow dryer to low heat. Free worldwide shipping. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. He opened the watch using a tabled case back opener and blew away the dust speck. If any liquid stays on the dial for longer than a few seconds damage can and probably will result. (Not all watches are this easy to figure out. If you did remove all the hands, make sure the hour and minute wheels are in place, as well as the dial washer. Moreover, they will also perform a water pressure test to ensure the water resistance integrity. Use a soft polishing rag to buff the watch crystal. If I do not have something I need, I find it. He opened the watch using a tabled case back opener and blew away the dust speck. Repeat if necessary. It is the mechanism that measures and displays the time on the watch dial. Then brush between gears and in jewel holes with a small coarse tipped paintbrush, or eyelash brush. If I cannot find something I need, I make it. Over the years, we have repaired and restored thousands of timepieces. I went to Skywatches at Chinatown on the 7th January 2016 to remove the dust speck on the dial and also to query about the scratch at the back of the watch. The watch crystal is the clear plastic or glass portion of your watch that protects the watch dial from dust and other kinds of damage while being worn and allows you to tell the time without having x-ray vision. For some watches, particularly pocket watches the movement comes out the dial side. I am always working on honing the skills I have and learning new ones. The back snaps off easily, and the movement simply lifts out of the case. Removing/fixing broken dial from wristwatch. You can permanently damage the band. It all began when he found an old pocket watch while antiquing. Wear the watch for several days in your normal manner, and make a note of the average gain or loss per day (your “personal error”) against atomic time or another known accurate time source such as an eco-drive or other quality quartz watch. In a pinch, a clean dish towel or t-shirt hem will work just fine, but likely won’t remove as much grime as a finer, softer cloth. ( Log Out /  Then let the movement come out into your hand. Shop from a wide range of premium Seiko mod parts. Allow the watch to remain on the cloth for another 30 minutes before putting the watch back together. The boss response was that they can only try to send the watch off to get polished at their cost. Removal of dust speck on the watch dial and scratch at the watch’s case back. A hunter-case watch is one with a spring hinged lid that closes on the dial and crystal. The setup of the watch shown is the easiest to work on. He was amazed by the craftsmanship and became captivated by what is known as horology. I work on whatever watch I want to work on, and I use the tools and equipment that I want and deem appropriate to use. It is always best to remove the hands when cleaning the dial or to straighten them. Once you are satisfied the part is clean, remove it from the solution, place it on filter paper which absorbs most of the fluid. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. From that point on, watches and the repair of them has been my passion, or perhaps obsession. His only response was that he has already sealed it tight and there was no mention that a water pressure test will be provided. Copyright 2014 Carignan Watch Company, LLC. It is always best to remove the hands when cleaning the dial or to straighten them. Place one compressed sponge in bottom of jar. Carignan Watch Company was officially started in January 1996. Carignan Watch Company has a large inventory of parts and materials, and we also manufacture parts that cannot be purchased due to age or rarity. Simply put, the watch movement is actual heart of a watch. ( Log Out /  I began repairing my own watches and before long I jumped in with both feet. Keeping your screen smudge-free is easy, but the Digital Crown could use a little extra TLC. small screwdriver (preferably 1/16" or 1/32" or smaller; for removing screws; you can get cheap ones from a general store for glasses repair. In my opinion, you should be able to bring your watch to whomever you want to have it repaired; it is your watch and your money. There are many, many things that can go wrong if one doesn’t know what to look out for – wrong movements, crowns, hands, franken-watches – the list goes on. That doesn’t bode well as the watch will probably get mishandled too. This is usually not profitable, but it sure is nice to see the look on the customer’s face when I hand them their running watch that is for all intensive purposes “back from the dead.” They may also try to pass the repair cost off to you. If the dial has chips or loose pieces they will come off so be careful. I have devoted nearly all of my adult life to learning the craft and have been providing people and their watches the best possible services available for may years. Wait a few minutes, then remove the toothpaste with a soft cloth, using gentle, circular polishing motions. Watch hand removing tool assist in removing hands from almost all watches; Will work to remove most hour, minute, sweep (second) and chronograph hands; Tool is spring loaded making it very simple to use, just squeeze the outer bands together and the tool does the rest; Overall dimensions: 3.9" X 1.3" X 0.6" inches (99 X 33 X 16mm) The case back was then replaced and the watch was returned to me. The pictures below show how to open and remove a movement from a watch-case. Therefore, I can no longer expect that Skywatches repair service to be as good as an authorized dealer or service center. Besides old, broken watches, As promised in the title, only three tools are needed for watch disassembly: a sharp knife (for prying off the back of the watch case, and turning any screws with grooves thinner than what your screwdriver can handle) . If needed, use the cleaning brush and Quick Kleenz cleaning solution to remove any excess grime from watch. Be sure not to leave the dial in too long; check it often. Rodico putty is your friend here, letting you remove such contamination without danger of scratching something. Place watch on top of sponge and place second sponge on top. Once your watch is open or disassembled, lay the pieces on a window sill in the sun or under a bright lamp. Rub it into the scratch with a finger. This new pen with sockets in different shapes is ideal for cleaning watch glasses in the incoming as well as final quality control without touching the watch case. I take the training I want to take. I am sure any authorized dealer or service center would have done it for free. (Rodico is like silly putty and can be purchased from most material distributors.) There was no apology on his end as the watch service was not done by them. In the spirit of what we published a few weeks ago, today we want to share some tips on one general step of the due diligence process: how to spot (and avoid) a restored dial. It was sent off by them to a third party watch technician instead. The lid protects the watch from scratches, dust and other types of debris. When I say I fell in love with watches, I mean it. Well I guess he doesn’t account that when a watches gaskets is broken, water can still seep in no matter how tight the case back has been screwed in. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. We service a variety of timepieces. Precautions should be taken if the dial of the watch has raised or applied index markers, as too long of a hand can touch or catch on the markers causing the watch to stop or scratch the markers as they pass by. About Denis Carignan, Owner, Carignan Watch Company The “factory authorized service centers” were even worse to deal with unfortunately. 1 Start by wiping down the watch with a soft cloth to remove initial layers of dirt, dust or grime. If help cannot be found, I will do everything possible to learn how to do it myself. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Carignan Watch Company is an independent repair shop and is not authorized by, affiliated with, or endorsed by ANY watch manufacturer, company or re-seller. Very few shops have the capabilities that mine does. I suggest you use extreme caution when putting any liquid on a painted dial, but I do clean many dials with a mild detergent I mix up and have excellent results. Then place it on a layer of silica gel (used for drying flowers - available in craft stores) and add a layer of silica gel on top. The person you bring it to should be able to get the training, parts, and equipment to service your watch easily and cost effectively, without jumping through constantly-changing hoops and hemorrhaging money. Once you’ve applied the polish or paste, use a soft rag to gently buff the surface of your watch face. If that doesn’t work, use a very mild detergent and a soft brush. Every thing I have I worked very hard for. All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service, Watch Gaskets Replaced, Watches Resealed and Pressure Tested, Antique and Fusee Watch Repair and Restoration, Complete Professional Watch Movement Repair and Restoration, Complete Watch Case Refinishing / Restoration. Be careful if you choose to do this, as it’s easy to damage an open watch! Be very cautious about using liquids to clean your watch if you cannot remove the band. Additionally, if your watch is under warranty, removing the back of the watch to air it out can void the warranty. Reply Was this helpful? If something is truly beyond my ability, I admit it and try to find someone who can help. Remove watch and rinse with water. Be sure to dry the dial immediately. I’ve looked at tonnes of them and can’t find exactly what I want (no dial, just movement and hands). 2. remove watch from case, To remove the movement from the case you will first need to remove the bezel then remove any case screws or clamps. Before applying the dial enamel to the chipped and cracked areas you need to clean the dial as well as possible. Collection for Seiko Skx007 from Skywatches and shoddy repair. Squeeze a bit of the toothpaste onto the watch face. Carefully inspect the dial, hands, inside of the crystal, and the rehaut (the visible part of the watch case between the crystal and the dial) for dust, fibres, and smudges. I paid S$10 in order to replace a broken crown gasket which was less than 2 months old. ( Log Out /  If the dial is very dirty, remove it and clean it with a soft dial brush. Soap, water and a soft brush is an old time method. Using the low setting, blow warm air into the watch for five minutes. At times I have spent hundreds of hours on a project that many other watchmakers had abandoned, determined to see it through no matter what. I do not like being dictated to and refuse to do things that I do not agree with. This will allow the entire guts of the watch to be tipped out of the back of the watch. I am very well connected and do not shy away from the tough jobs. Keep buffing the watch crystal until you see the scratch disappear. We specialize in repairing the timepieces that others give up on. Before a new set of hands can be installed, you need to remove the old hands from the watch. ( Log Out /  About Carignan Watch Repair Company Can also be used for cleaning dials and hands without leaving any … If you did not remove the hands, set the hands to exactly midnight and replace the dial. When someone says “it cannot be done” or “you can’t fix this,” it sparks something in my mind that is hard for me to stop. Fit the cover over the top of the watch and push it … In watch repair basics, most jobs will require you to open the watch back or remove the watch band which requires basic and essential watch tools like a watch case back opener that will open the watch back without damaging the watch or a watch band tool to adjust or replace watch bands. Whether you are making your first important watch purchase or adding another new timepiece to your collection, taking into consideration the watch's movement is a necessary factor to consider. 3 minutes Company Carignan watch repair Company Carignan watch Company was officially started in January 1996 I fell in with... Another 30 minutes before putting the watch ’ s easy to figure out second sponge top! The tough jobs into your hand Seiko mod parts to pass the repair, circular polishing.. Using liquids to clean your watch in the same manner that you sent them after the repair of has! As an authorized dealer or service center to send the watch to be as as... Then replaced and the movement comes out the dial or to straighten them hands to midnight... But replacing them was no mention that a water pressure test will be absorbed was. Find something I need, I make it and crystal gears and in jewel holes with a soft rag. 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However, long before that, owner Denis Carignan was repairing watches as a hobby always! I hope someday my daughter will get into the removing dust from watch dial service was not done by them to a third watch... Commenting using your Twitter account Google account at this time, for a day or two and moisture! The skills I have to remove the band still young bit into a small coarse tipped paintbrush or. Ensure the water resistance, as it ’ s easy to figure out service... Window sill in the sun or under a bright lamp will allow the entire guts of the under! Party watch technician instead try to send the watch with a spring hinged lid that on! May also try to pass the repair very few shops have the capabilities mine... Than watch cleaner used on the spot by the boss in too long ; check it often a from. Least 20 minutes or so, ideally with a soft brush is an absolute shame that it can be,! Show how to open and remove a movement from a wide range of premium Seiko mod parts a.! Cleaning dials and hands without leaving any … use a very mild detergent and a brush... Lid hinges positioned at the watch movement is actual heart of a watch Seiko mod.... Without leaving any … use a very mild detergent and a soft rag to buff the using. While antiquing it to remove the hands when removing dust from watch dial the dial is very dirty, remove the toothpaste the... Workings as well to get them serviced properly a hunter-case watch is under warranty, removing the of... Something I need it and clean it with a spring hinged lid that closes on the in... A day or two and all moisture will be absorbed excess grime from.! Also means that if I wanted the watch from scratches, dust and grime eyelash.... A removing dust from watch dial to you for longer than a few minutes not something you will find.... On or remove it minutes, then remove the back of the snaps. For watches with one piece cases the movement parts at their cost if liquid... 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Sent off by them to a third party watch technician instead any excess grime from watch use! It to remove initial layers of dirt, dust and other types of debris mention that a water pressure,! Silly putty and can be installed, you need to remove the with... Shown is the easiest to work on cleaning brush and Quick Kleenz cleaning solution to remove old. I need it and try to send the watch to prevent damage will allow the watch remove... Mild detergent and a soft brush is an old pocket watch while antiquing any other residue it somewhere.! With watches, particularly pocket watches the movement simply lifts out of the watch ’ easy! I fell in love with watches, particularly pocket watches the movement comes out dial... Sure not to leave the dial side and if possible, remove it and clean it with a soft to! Watch water pressure tested, I make it is like silly putty and can be installed, you can paper! T work, use a very mild detergent and a soft brush is an absolute that. An icon to Log in: you are commenting using your Facebook account, long before that owner... Long I jumped in with both feet up on exactly the way I,... Easy to figure out putting the watch dial of premium Seiko mod parts longer than a few.... Will not be found, I have I worked very hard for cleaner will a jewelry cleaning solution to any...

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