How much does watch polishing and maintenance cost? Steps for polishing and maintaining replica watches

　　Wearing a watch daily inevitably leads to bumps and scrapes, leaving various scratches on the crystal and case. If the scratched case cannot be repaired by yourself, you have no choice but to pay for service at a repair centre. So, how much does watch polishing and maintenance cost? Below is an introduction toReplica watchesthe steps for polishing and maintenance.

　　How much does watch polishing cost?

　　Depending on the type of watch, the price for polishing will vary. General watch polishing costs around 100-200, without massive fluctuations either way. Luxury timepieces will cost somewhat more.

　　Replica watch polishing steps

　　Regarding polishing, it is generally divided into three grades

　　1, coarse polishing, which simply put makes the watch look bright again. The watchmaker will polish the case directly without treating surface scratches. The final result is a case as smooth as a mirror, though scratches and dents remain visible. This type of polishing is simpler and cheaper, but unless your watch is exceptionally well maintained ordinarily or you do not mind scratches, opting for coarse polishing during servicing is hardly worthwhile in my view.

　　2, fine polishing, which addresses all scratches and some dents on the watch. For deeper dents, the watchmaker will simply grind them down before polishing. After this treatment, the final result is a case that feels smooth to the touch without sharp edges while retaining its brightness, though very close inspection will still reveal those deeper dents.

　　3, restoration, which involves completely smoothing out all scratches and dents on the entire watch, followed by thorough and meticulous polishing to restore the watch to a brand-new appearance. Naturally, the restoration process is much more complex than the previous ones and takes considerably longer.

　　First, the hardware must be complete. The tools required for polishing include: purple wax, white wax, green wax, sisal mops, nylon wheels, calico mops, abrasive strips, and of course a polishing machine.

Calico mop

Small polishing machine

Large polishing machine

　　Next, work officially begins. The first step starts with sanding. Sanding naturally requires abrasive strips, which come in coarse and fine grits. Select abrasive strips with an appropriate grit size according to actual conditions, and then switch to different models of grinding wheels depending on the depth of the scratches on the watch surface.

　　Grinding wheels also come in different models, generally categorised by coarseness into 400, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000. Lower numbers indicate a coarser wheel, so sanding always starts with 400 or 800, and by the time you reach wheel number 2000, the scratched areas visibly brighten. At this point, you can switch to a hard wool wheel for coarse polishing until hairline scratches are no longer visible to the naked eye, and then switch to a soft wool wheel for fine polishing.

Grinding wheel

　　Continuously repeat the above steps until a radiant glow is visible from the case at any angle. The entire process requires the polisher to constantly keep the brushed surface parallel to the watch surface, maintaining a steady hand and careful focus when using the polishing machine. Repeating this process is actually rather tedious, demanding immense patience from the polisher to work bit by bit, ensuring every scratch and dent is polished so that the brushed effect on the watch turns out well.

Brushing

　　The third step is to use a calico mop to pick up polishing wax, then repeatedly polish the surface. At this point, adjust the polishing machine to a high-speed mode of 2 thousand revolutions per minute, lightly polishing until the surface reflects a cold light and you can see your reflection on it, achieving what is known as a mirror finish. Particular care must be taken during this process to apply the wax intermittently to ensure the surface brightening effect. Likewise, meticulous care is indispensable.

Wax polishing

　　The final step involves wiping the newly ground and polished watch with petrol to thoroughly remove polishing residue and any wax that may have adhered to the surface, while making the watch look even brighter. Once this step is completed, the job is truly done.

　　After seeing the entire restoration process, do you feel that transforming a watch covered in scratches into a pristine, like-new condition is as difficult as turning an ugly duckling into a swan? Even for an experienced watchmaker, it takes at least 1 hours or more to complete.

　　Fine things always demand time and patience, and finally seeing a watch revitalised is immensely gratifying for both the watchmaker and the wearer. But do not forget to look after your watches properly in daily life!

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