Overpolishing hesalite

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ninman

·May 4, 2022

So I've had my speedmaster for about 3 months now, and I've had to polish the crystal a few times since then. However, I got a scratch on it that took roughly 6 applications of polywatch and a good 30 minutes of polishing to get out. I've no idea how I managed to get a scratch in it like that, but that's what happened.

Anyway, I'm a bit worried about how much damage a scratch and the follow up polishing will have done to the crystal. Can anyone advise?

 

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gbesq

·May 4, 2022

Don’t worry about it. You’re not going to polish through or melt the crystal unless you’re from the planet Krypton and were raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent.

 

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chrisb732

·May 4, 2022

Do you have any before and after pictures to share with us?

 

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blufinz52

·May 4, 2022·Hears dead people, not watch rotors.

You really have to be more careful with that Speedie 😉

 

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vbrad26

·May 4, 2022

Be more careful not to scratch it?
It is still a new watch so understand you want to keep it spotless. But a time will come where you won't care as much.
I remember when I got my first scratch or two in my first few months of ownership and I was quick to buff them out.
But a time came where I started letting the scratches accumulate. And now I hit it maybe twice a year.
However I'm also very mindful of not banging the crystal on things. So most of my scratches/scuffs are very mild.
Do you need to worry about it though? Probably not. Yes, you are essentially removing very small amounts of material - but in the grand scheme of things it is fine.

 

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savka

·May 4, 2022

gbesq

Don’t worry about it. You’re not going to polish through or melt the crystal unless you’re from the planet Krypton and were raised by Jonathan and Martha Kent.

At least not with polywatch. I was told the boutique polishes crystals and that they will only do it 5x before replacing it, but I’m not sure what their process is…

 

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gbesq

·May 4, 2022

savka

At least not with polywatch. I was told the boutique polishes crystals and that they will only do it 5x before replacing it, but I’m not sure what their process is…

I’ll wait for @Archer to weigh in, but that sounds like a ridiculous policy that’s geared more toward increasing revenue than it is toward replacing worn out crystals.

 

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Cenzo

·May 4, 2022

I've had my Speedy for almost 3 years. I wear everyday and polish the hesalite about once every 4 months. No issues.

 

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ninman

·May 4, 2022

Sorry no before and after pics. I've honestly no idea how I scratched it that badly. I just went out shopping that day with my parents, and my watch was under my coat sleeve for most of it, got home and there was a scratch there. I just thought no biggie, I'll polish it out with polywatch, and after applying polywatch it didn't do anything, so I kept applying it and it started to slowly remove the scratch. You can't see the scratch anymore, the crystal looks brand new, but it must've been a pretty deep scratch, which is what worries me a little.

 

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Archer

·May 4, 2022·Omega Qualified Watchmaker

gbesq

I’ll wait for @Archer to weigh in, but that sounds like a ridiculous policy that’s geared more toward increasing revenue than it is toward replacing worn out crystals.

Not an official Omega policy that I've ever seen...how would they tell if it was polished by someone else? Someone has picked some arbitrary number and made a rule...

 

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Cenzo

·May 4, 2022

Here is a before (right) and after (left). Had a deep scratch I could feel with my fingernail at 12:00. Polywatch and a cotton ball and it was gone in 3 mins.

 

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savka

·May 4, 2022

Archer

Not an official Omega policy that I've ever seen...how would they tell if it was polished by someone else? Someone has picked some arbitrary number and made a rule...

I also thought it was a bit ridiculous since I regularly use polywatch but thought they might use some more abrasive/intensive method with a wheel or machine. The statement was made by a SA at the King of Prussia boutique, fwiw.

 

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KnoP

·May 4, 2022

nice result! i never polished my alaska but when i read this thread maybe i should give it a try!
do you protect the bezel anyhow or deos polywatch no harming to that anyway?

 

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Cenzo

·May 4, 2022

KnoP

nice result! i never polished my alaska but when i read this thread maybe i should give it a try!
do you protect the bezel anyhow or deos polywatch no harming to that anyway?

I taped it with painters tape the first time, since then I never bothered.

 

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MRC

·May 4, 2022

KnoP

nice result! i never polished my alaska but when i read this thread maybe i should give it a try!
do you protect the bezel anyhow or deos polywatch no harming to that anyway?

I always protect the bezel. One of these plus some masking tape does the job cheaply.

Not endorsing this brand, I forget where I got mine.

 

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KnoP

·May 4, 2022

thanks!!

 

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Rolehex

·May 4, 2022

MRC

I always protect the bezel. One of these plus some masking tape does the job cheaply.

Smart idea there, think i'll get me one.

 

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JwRosenthal

·May 4, 2022

The trick I use to protect the bezel (even on just regular watches as poly can put a shine on a brushed bezel) is 2” painters tape across the top, run my fingernail around the edge of the crystal at the bezel, center of tape comes right out