I bumped my '84 Speemaster against the clear coat of my car and put a pretty good scratch on it. Here's a photo:



Scratch is above the 3 on the hour sub-dial. I have no depth of field here, so only the scratch is in focus.

I tried my new favorite polish on it: Meguiar's Swirl Remover on a Dremel. Didn't work; the scratch was too deep. So I went to Crystal Bright on a bench buffer and that worked nicely---but it left swirls. I've found in the past that Polywatch also leaves swirls. They're hard to see with the naked eye, but show up easily under magnification.

So back to Meguiar's on the Dremel, and we're good:



The dial is in better focus on this pic because I couldn't focus on the scratch---it's gone!

Here's a picture of the products used in this exercise:



And the usual disclaimer applies:

This product is intended for educational use only. Ask your doctor or pharmacist. Do not open back panel; no user-serviceable parts inside. You may have individual rights that vary from state to state. Batteries not included. Does not come with any other figures. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. List each check separately. Contents may settle during shipment. Use only as directed. No other warranty is expressed or implied. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Postage will be paid by addressee. This is not an offer to sell securities. Apply only to affected area. May not be suitable for children under eighteen. Best if used before date stamped on carton. Subject to change without notice. Times are approximate. Simulated picture. Breaking the seal constitutes acceptance of this agreement. One size fits all. Colors may, in time, fade. Slippery when wet. Net weight before cooking. Not affiliated with the American Red Cross. Drop in any mailbox. Edited for television. Keep away from fire or flame. Post office will not deliver without postage. List was current at time of printing. At participating locations only. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Do not write below this line. Lost ticket pays maximum rate. Your canceled check is your receipt. Add toner. Sanitized for your protection. Slightly higher west of the Mississippi. If condition persists, consult your physician. Employees and their families are not eligible. Avoid contact with skin. Contestants have been briefed on some questions before the show. Limited offer. You must be present to win. No passes accepted for this engagement. No purchase necessary. Use only in well-ventilated area. Replace with same type. Approved for veterans. Some equipment shown is optional. Price does not include taxes. Pre-recorded for this time zone. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Restaurant package, not for resale. First pull up, then down. Driver does not carry cash. This supersedes all previous notices.

 

I'm happy with Polywatch, but next time, I will try your tip for deeper scratches. Thanks!

 

Very nice....turned out good.

Quick question....did you need to use the Dremel or do you prefer to use it? Would you get the same result by hand?

Just curious....not sure if I'd trust myself w/a Dremel and possibly buffing to deep.

 

Dremels are scary. I dropped mine down to around 3,000 rpm and practiced on an old crystal first. I never hold the buff to the crystal for longer than a quarter second or so. I also make sure my buffs are hyper clean and I trim off all loose threads. I also hold the watch tightly: if the buff catches an edge........

With those caveats, I found that the Meguiar's product works better with a Dremel than by hand, and will not scratch a Hesalite crystal. On the contrary, as noted above, it leaves a better finish than Polywatch for me.

 

I found Polywatch to be very good even on deep scratches. I had a scratch deep enough that 3 places said it was to deep to polish out.
Ten minutes with Polywatch and

 

Indeed, I think Polywatch is somewhat grittier than the Meguiar's swirl remover, which is why I like the latter for a final polish.

 

Nice machinist's tool box!

 

Yes, what wood is that? Some kind of oak?

Oh, good work on the scratch, too.

 

For bad scratches, I've taped the case with masking tape on a piece of thick cardboard and used a very fine wet/dry sandpaper for the deep stuff, then polywatch.

 

And the usual disclaimer applies:

This product is intended for educational use only. Ask your doctor or pharmacist. Do not open back panel; no user-serviceable parts inside. You may have individual rights that vary from state to state. Batteries not included. Does not come with any other figures. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. List each check separately. Contents may settle during shipment. Use only as directed. No other warranty is expressed or implied. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Postage will be paid by addressee. This is not an offer to sell securities. Apply only to affected area. May not be suitable for children under eighteen. Best if used before date stamped on carton. Subject to change without notice. Times are approximate. Simulated picture. Breaking the seal constitutes acceptance of this agreement. One size fits all. Colors may, in time, fade. Slippery when wet. Net weight before cooking. Not affiliated with the American Red Cross. Drop in any mailbox. Edited for television. Keep away from fire or flame. Post office will not deliver without postage. List was current at time of printing. At participating locations only. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Do not write below this line. Lost ticket pays maximum rate. Your canceled check is your receipt. Add toner. Sanitized for your protection. Slightly higher west of the Mississippi. If condition persists, consult your physician. Employees and their families are not eligible. Avoid contact with skin. Contestants have been briefed on some questions before the show. Limited offer. You must be present to win. No passes accepted for this engagement. No purchase necessary. Use only in well-ventilated area. Replace with same type. Approved for veterans. Some equipment shown is optional. Price does not include taxes. Pre-recorded for this time zone. Reproduction strictly prohibited. Restaurant package, not for resale. First pull up, then down. Driver does not carry cash. This supersedes all previous notices.[/QUOTE]


Your disclaimer pretty much covered it all! Reminds me of a Tom Waits classic you might be familiar with...