Can anyone give me some guidance for cleaning a watch dial and hands? I've searched the internet, and some of the cleaning methods seem kind of extreme for a vintage watch. Thank you.
Bare in mind that cleaning and restoring are very different.
I've found most vintage Bulova dials are actualy very good at being cleaned, especially the one's from the 20s.
All I use is a bit of sopa and warm water and occationally (depening on the dial) a small about of stainless steel cleaning powder disolved in water.
My advise if you are looking to restore the dial anyway, try give it a clean first.
The Printed tracks and lettering of the 40's Dials don't take to liquids very well, which may have something to do with the enamel finish of the Dial they are printed on?
Never had the nerves, putting it mildly to try a 20's Dial. No guts, no glory they say.
Gary had mentioned 'dipping' once and I've always wondered what that's about. Self explantory I know but dipping into what?
DO NOT MESS WITH OLD RADIUM. IT CAN BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH IF INGESTED OR BREATHED IN. THERE IS NO ARGUMENT TO BE MADE HERE OR ONE MANS OPINION VS ANOTHER.
EVEN IN TINY AMOUNTS RADIUM IS DEADLY.
Jay
The watch is dated 1928, so I'm sure there is radium present. Thanks for the warning! I'm an avid collector of 50s American Girl watches, but I'm a newbie to the Deco Bulovas. Overall the face is in pretty decent shape for a watch of that age. Should I be concerned about handling the watch, since the old plastic crystal was removed well before I bought the watch? BTW...to my disbelief the watch is working and keeping time within about 6 minutes in 24 hours. I bought it as a non-working watch!
In reply to Don't try this at Home. : ) by FifthAvenueRes…
In reply to Don't try this at Home. : ) by FifthAvenueRes…
Hi everyone,
I have been cleaning dials for along time and one tip I can give is with the old dials that do not have a clear coat over them, like the radium dials can be cleaned buy putting them in Tarnex for about 15 seconds and a lite brush with a old tooth brush.
The old metal dials were originaly painted over plain metal, without a primer and the metal would oxidize then eventually come through to the top of the paint, and the tarnex will remove the metal oxidation from the paint and the dial will brighten very much, and sometimes look like new.
This process will take a short time, and stop as soon as it starts to look good, dont think that you cant mess it up if you go just a bit further. I suggest that you try a old dial that you dont need first. always rince in clear tap water for about 2 seconds, then blot the dial with a paper towel , set aside to dry for a bit.
Dials with a clear coat over the finish, like dials after the 60's can be cleaned with a soft tooth brush, and a mild dish soap. The same thing applies, it must be done quickly, do not use much water for more then a couple seconds, soap on the tooth brush, lightly scrub for a couple seconds, rince in water for a couple seconds, blot dry with paper towel.
The clear coat will soften and lift quickly and then you can start to remove the print under the clear coat.
Remember, try on a old dial first if you can. Hope this helps. Mike.....
I have to disagree.
Once oxidization breaks the painted surface it can't simply be cleaned, the Dial will need refinishing.
In speaking with Robert at International Dial Company about a recent project they are having some success cleaning surface stains.
Anything occuring under the paint surface cant be cleaned.
Thats fine if you disagree, it wont change my life a bit, LOL
I have been doing it and it has worked well most of the time, and I certianly would not set here and take the time to type out BS to a bunch of people who would try this and come back and kick my teeth out later.
All you have to do is try it. Lets face it, If your dial is so bad that your thinking of re-fininshing it, then what do you have to loose? Nothing right.
It alway's amaze's me when you have been doing something that works for 25 years and someone who has never done something, will come along and say, it dont work! LOL
BTW, I;m was not talking about dials that the paint had already been removed from the surface, I'm talking about those dark dingy dials, that look intact with no life left in them.
There is alot of peopel out there that would rather save the original dial for a few years rather than have it refinished, That is were this tip comes in handy.
I guess, my 25 years of watchmaking dont make a differance to some people.
In reply to Thats fine if you disagree, by Timemachines
Ok, I would like you to tell me if this dial cleaning tip work or not. I just went and pulled two old dial, The round dial is a before tarnex cleaning and after, the other square dial I placed a peice of tape over half the dial and then cleaned with tarnex, you tell me.
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ONCE AGAIN!!!
DO NOT MESS WITH OLD RADIUM. IT CAN BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH IF INGESTED OR BREATHED IN. THERE IS NO ARGUMENT TO BE MADE HERE OR ONE MANS OPINION VS ANOTHER.
EVEN IN TINY AMOUNTS RADIUM IS DEADLY. IT WON'T KILL YOU TODAY OR TOMORROW, BUT REST ASSURED THAT SOMETIME IN THE DISTANT FUTURE THERE WILL BE A PROBLEM. NOT WORTH THE RISK.
Jay
In reply to ONCE by vintagebulova.com
hear than Fifth??? LoL I have some lead sheet if you wanna wrap those two boxes lol
And Jay is absolutely correct, My exposure to depleted uranium dust has caused me fits ( and not a little discomfort) and it (DU) is much much less radioactive than even 500 year old radium...external exposure isnt necesarilly the issue, it is the dust created when the paint/radium mix deteriorates (to a fine powder) and permeates THE ENTIRE WATCH and then you open it up and clean it out, usually with a blower first, then breathing it in. Your lungs cannot efficiantly move this material out so it sits there and irradites the tissue. The material that is moved from the lungs tends to be deposited in the heavier bone masses (hips, shoulders etc) and does the same. It deteriorates the soft tissue of the joints. I would guess raidium would be worse than the DU as the DU half lifes rather quickly in comparison, but believe me its effects are immense. I have no idea what the best method of avoidance is as we are all going to open theses watches but whatever your method, a 3m dust mask during initial cleaning would be my first line of defense.
Well, I have had a few day's to reflect my post and I think that I owe the Fifth a opaligy for the way I came acrossed in this post. I know that he does alot for the site and his intentions are alway's good and his remark was only his opinion as we all have.
I personally dont know him, but he is well liked here, and I dont have any bad feelings about his remark, it just flipped a switch at the time. I think that some people think when the hear the word oxidation , they think of a rust spot on their car, and maybe I didn't think first before before I made a reply.
My point is that with these old dials , they used lead based paint, that oxidized, and the base metal dial also oxidized and the combination of the two will make the dial look dark and dingy, and the tarnex makes it all seem to go away.
Well, I dont want anyone one to be mad, or discuragied that I came acrossed strong, and after reading it, I did. I hope that we can look passed the attitude I had and again, I'm sorry for any bad feeling's .
Mike..