Polishing platinum

[rolex16]

I have read that when you scratch or ding platinum, no metal is lost, it is merely moved. Does this mean that when polishing, the material is moved back and that since no material has been lost, a platinum watch and bracelet could always be brought back to factory specs or close to? Or will a polish still round off the case, etc.?

[Spikedlee]

Platinum is very durable. When scratched, the scratch actually displaces the metal, leaving ridges on the edges of the scratch. This is where durability comes in. Whereas other precious metals, if scratched, lose metal, and thus wear down, Platinum does so at a much slower rate. Platinum's metal can be moved back in place with polishing because it is not actually losing metal like white gold. Good question as it relates to the watch. I am also curious now.

[jb335]

God question. Have heard similar things about PT and a reason I would like to one day add a PT watch.

Let’s see if we get a TRF consensus on the subject…. lol

Following


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[Tools]

Originally Posted by rolex16

I have read that when you scratch or ding platinum, no metal is lost, it is merely moved. Does this mean that when polishing, the material is moved back and that since no material has been lost, a platinum watch and bracelet could always be brought back to factory specs or close to? Or will a polish still round off the case, etc.?

When you scratch any metal you are merely moving it, this is not a particular property of platinum.

"Polishing" is often misused here and most of what is done is not polishing, it is refinishing, or bringing back an original finish.

If you take the surface down to the bottom of a scratch to polish it then you are removing a layer of metal to get there, you cannot raise the bottom of that scratch up to the original level of the surface.

If you re-brush a brushed finish with a grinding wheel or sand paper, you will remove a lot of metal. If you re-brush it with a wire or fiber wheel, and even a 3M pad, realigning your scratches, you will remove very little metal. What you are doing here is making scratches in a uniform direction.

Too much of any of these processes will always remove some metal. Aggressive machine "polishing" can do a lot of damage to the original shape and contour. Typically it is the overlap of a buffing wheel that softens up the edges. A good refinisher will go back and recut the sharp edges

[Incroyable12]

It's technically called burnishing and if you have a steady hand it's quite easy to do at home.

Buy a tungsten carbide rod or burnisher (platinum is easily contaminated and tungsten is the only metal that won't contaminate platinum) and simply rub it extremely hard against the scratched platinum. It looks brutal but it won't scratch or damage the metal.

This video shows you how:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSQ6I5Qt6DY

[rolex16]

Great info, thanks!

[amanbra]

Originally Posted by rolex16

I have read that when you scratch or ding platinum, no metal is lost, it is merely moved. Does this mean that when polishing, the material is moved back and that since no material has been lost, a platinum watch and bracelet could always be brought back to factory specs or close to? Or will a polish still round off the case, etc.?

When buying wedding ring/bands ages ago this was what I was advised. Platinum is a very "gummy" metal and that more often than not when there is a scratch etc it's the metal getting moved around as opposed to lost.

In saying that when polishing Platinum I think it would depend on how they do it as to determine if you're going to lose material in the process or not.

There was a person on this forum that mentioned he had heaps of issues with RSC using the wrong rouge etc for his watch and many a clueless... It does worry me re my Plat DD, when it one day goes back in... hope that day is far away.

[Little machines]

Thank you ! I learned something about polishing and burnishing.

[Incroyable12]

Originally Posted by amanbra

When buying wedding ring/bands ages ago this was what I was advised. Platinum is a very "gummy" metal and that more often than not when there is a scratch etc it's the metal getting moved around as opposed to lost.

In saying that when polishing Platinum I think it would depend on how they do it as to determine if you're going to lose material in the process or not.

There was a person on this forum that mentioned he had heaps of issues with RSC using the wrong rouge etc for his watch and many a clueless... It does worry me re my Plat DD, when it one day goes back in... hope that day is far away.

If they don't know about the properties of platinum I wouldn't trust them to work on a platinum watch.

Platinum is a very finicky metal and requires special polishing compounds and knowledge. The amount of work involved is why platinum objects command a premium despite it being a cheaper metal than gold.

[amanbra]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

If they don't know about the properties of platinum I wouldn't trust them to work on a platinum watch.

Platinum is a very finicky metal and requires special polishing compounds and knowledge.

Exactly and it appeared the rsc he was dealing with weren’t well versed on the matter.


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[Incroyable12]

You can basically "polish" a platinum watch at home using the burnishing method unless the thing is deeply gouged.

I've done it to my platinum DD and it looks basically brand new now.

[amanbra]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

You can basically "polish" a platinum watch at home using the burnishing method unless the thing is deeply gouged.

I've done it to my platinum DD and it looks basically brand new now.

You serious? Maybe I should have a go at my wedding band. It’s pretty banged up


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[Incroyable12]

Originally Posted by amanbra

You serious? Maybe I should have a go at my wedding band. It’s pretty banged up


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Yes I own an 18206 which had a lot of scratches on the polished sides of the case though the watch had never been polished so it still had all the original angles.

I burnished the sides and gave it a quick wipe with a jeweler's cloth and now it looks almost brand new without any metal being lost.

[alphadweller]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

It's technically called burnishing and if you have a steady hand it's quite easy to do at home.

Buy a tungsten carbide rod or burnisher (platinum is easily contaminated and tungsten is the only metal that won't contaminate platinum) and simply rub it extremely hard against the scratched platinum. It looks brutal but it won't scratch or damage the metal.

This video shows you how:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSQ6I5Qt6DY

This is brilliant, thanks for that.

[Robf52]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

It's technically called burnishing and if you have a steady hand it's quite easy to do at home.

Buy a tungsten carbide rod or burnisher (platinum is easily contaminated and tungsten is the only metal that won't contaminate platinum) and simply rub it extremely hard against the scratched platinum. It looks brutal but it won't scratch or damage the metal.

This video shows you how:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSQ6I5Qt6DY

Always good to learn something new. Thanks.

[vipereaper30]

Now I need to go buy a bunch of platinum stuff to test this out. Thanks!

[ap1]

Originally Posted by vipereaper30

Now I need to go buy a bunch of platinum stuff to test this out. Thanks!

[Harvie]

Same principle as using deerbone on shell cordovan.
Not difficult. Just takes patience and practice.
Results very simular.

[fskywalker]

Originally Posted by Incroyable12

It's technically called burnishing and if you have a steady hand it's quite easy to do at home.

Buy a tungsten carbide rod or burnisher (platinum is easily contaminated and tungsten is the only metal that won't contaminate platinum) and simply rub it extremely hard against the scratched platinum. It looks brutal but it won't scratch or damage the metal.

This video shows you how:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSQ6I5Qt6DY

Interesting, thanks for sharing !


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[csaltphoto]

This is super interesting! Reading up on it some and turns out that any metal can be burnished. It also hardens the surface so it resists future scratches better. Ran across a jeweler who only burnishes his jewelry and was rather dismissive of commercial abrade and polish methods. And there are these super hard tools with tungsten rollers to burnish steel

[George58]

Originally Posted by Tools

When you scratch any metal you are merely moving it, this is not a particular property of platinum.

"Polishing" is often misused here and most of what is done is not polishing, it is refinishing, or bringing back an original finish.

If you take the surface down to the bottom of a scratch to polish it then you are removing a layer of metal to get there, you cannot raise the bottom of that scratch up to the original level of the surface.

If you re-brush a brushed finish with a grinding wheel or sand paper, you will remove a lot of metal. If you re-brush it with a wire or fiber wheel, and even a 3M pad, realigning your scratches, you will remove very little metal. What you are doing here is making scratches in a uniform direction.

Too much of any of these processes will always remove some metal. Aggressive machine "polishing" can do a lot of damage to the original shape and contour. Typically it is the overlap of a buffing wheel that softens up the edges. A good refinisher will go back and recut the sharp edges

I always thought that dent 18k or ss you won't find missing material

[Emc2ir]

Great Information !

[George58]

Originally Posted by George58

I always thought that dent 18k or ss you won't find missing material

yeah never see the missing metal because the mental got pushed when subjected to a dent or deep scratch

[zengineer]

All metals can be scratched in a way that removes material. All metals can be dented/ deformed/scraped in a way that only displaces metal without removing any material. It has to do with the size, shape, movement and material of the thing doing the scratching.

Platinum is not magic. It's properties simply make it less susceptible to everyday things that would more easily damage gold or steel.

Go buy a diamond grit grinding disc at the hardware store and go to town on a Platinum watch for a few minutes. You'll displace the metal alright...it will be displaced across the room. There won't be a watch left to burnish.

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[rambo99]

carbon fiber case is way more scratch resistant than platinum.

[zengineer]

Originally Posted by rambo99

carbon fiber case is way more scratch resistant than platinum.

What makes you say that? Carbon Fiber is a reinforcement used to lighten or strengthen a composite material. It still has to be bound together by an epoxy or other plastic resin. It's finish may hide scratches better than metal but it really can't be more scratch resistant than most metals.

Ceramic maybe, carbon fiber no.

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[rambo99]

Originally Posted by zengineer

What makes you say that? Carbon Fiber is a reinforcement used to lighten or strengthen a composite material. It still has to be bound together by an epoxy or other plastic resin. It's finish may hide scratches better than metal but it really can't be more scratch resistant than most metals.

Ceramic maybe, carbon fiber no.

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all my 6 other steel watches, 4 rolex and 2 panerai have got scratch marks after 1 month of wearing, but still zero scratch mark on my panerai carbotech even after 3 years of usage. that's why I think carbotech is scratch proof.