Dial cleaning tips please?

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JetLinks

·Apr 27, 2021

I guess the first question would be do I just leave it alone? (like I wish I'd done to the bezel..... damn sonic tank!)

But if there's a safe(ish?) way to clean this dial up, I'd love to hear them.... I've seen suggestions of lemon juice before but was curious as to other possible solutions? Thanks all!

 

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Evitzee

·Apr 27, 2021

Best tip......leave it alone.

 

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wagudc

·Apr 27, 2021

JetLinks

I guess the first question would be do I just leave it alone? (like I wish I'd done to the bezel..... damn sonic tank!)

But if there's a safe(ish?) way to clean this dial up, I'd love to hear them.... I've seen suggestions of lemon juice before but was curious as to other possible solutions? Thanks all!

Complete and total destruction of the dial finish is always a possible outcome when cleaning. It is best only attempted when the dial is intolerably bad (which this one is not).

 

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Syrte

·Apr 27, 2021

As stated ^^^.
Vintage dials are not “cleanable”. Unless you’re prepared to destroy them.

 

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Scarecrow Boat

·Apr 27, 2021

If the patina/condition of the dial is something you don't like, you would be better off selling it. Otherwise, you would take a massive hit in value and enjoyment of the piece by destroying the dial.

 

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Matth84

·May 3, 2021

I can recommend James Hyman, see: https://www.alchemistrelumer.co.uk/

 

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Professor

·May 3, 2021

Syrte

As stated ^^^.
Vintage dials are not “cleanable”. Unless you’re prepared to destroy them.

That is why I find the old ceramic dials so interesting. These can clean up like new. Downside is so many develop hairline cracks over the decades.
Even then there are methods of filling in and making such cracks nearly invisible.

 

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OmeGez

·May 7, 2021

Can someone advise on my 2254, please? I thought it would be better to post in here rather than post a new thread. I’m not sure if this has always been there, only now I am noticing it.

Is the lume known to be inconsistent?

Or, Is the lume known to ‘degrade’ or the nicer word ‘patina’ - knowing these are printed dials, would that affect the ageing of the watch?

 

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Archer

·May 7, 2021·Omega Qualified Watchmaker

OmeGez

Is the lume known to be inconsistent?

There are two issues I see - one is a few darker spots in the lume near the sharp point of it, and the other is the cracks around the perimeter of the lume. The cracks are likely age related, or due to some sort of damage like a dropped watch or something like that. I've seen much worse - cracked dials of this type...like so...





The dark spots I've seen before, and sometimes they are on the surface, but I've also had them buried in the lume. Hard to tell without looking at it in person.

Just looking again and maybe there is a third issue - the left side of the lume plot seems a slightly different shade of colour maybe - not sure if it's just lighting.

 

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OmeGez

·May 7, 2021

Thank you for your reply! Much appreciated!

thankfully, the third issue is my camera skills. The lume is even, it’s just the angle I used to take the picture.

I don’t mind the degrading lume as such, just glad it’s not just mine and there are other examples of it happening.

The watch is daily used. It’s been all around the world in all different types of heat and humidities - character is something I don’t mind building, just wanted some reassurance it’s not just my ‘non tritium’ dial watch that potentially shouldn’t be changing.

 

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Professor

·May 7, 2021

One tip I can give you, never use a Q-tip on a dial that has rhinestone markers.
I spent more than two hours searching my carpet for a tiny rhinestone after a single fiber of the swab got caught under it and broke it loose from its mounting.
Everything turned out fine in the end. I caught a glint of reflected light and found it. I used a tiny droplet of Duco Cement to remount it and I did a good job of it. Only way it could be seen is with a loupe and then you'd have to know exactly where to look.

 

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JwRosenthal

·May 7, 2021

Professor

One tip I can give you, never use a Q-tip on a dial that has rhinestone markers.
I spent more than two hours searching my carpet for a tiny rhinestone after a single fiber of the swab got caught under it and broke it loose from its mounting.
Everything turned out fine in the end. I caught a glint of reflected light and found it. I used a tiny droplet of Duco Cement to remount it and I did a good job of it. Only way it could be seen is with a loupe and then you'd have to know exactly where to look.

 

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micampe

·May 7, 2021

That looks water damaged to me, not dirty, so I don’t expect cleaning to be successful.