Been wondering about this for a few years, really....I very often see remarks about lugs being worn, rounded, not sharp, overly polished, and casebacks being worn and thin, and badges worn down. As well, badly finished bezels and cases get remarked on. I’m really unsure what the cause of this wear might be.
What is the main cause of wear? Ordinary knocks, bumps and scratches from day-to-day activity? Or from a watchmaker overly polishing the case over the years?
Now, I can see how a plated piece of metal can have the plating worn off through continual abrasion, but how does it happen with stainless steel? And so, how do you avoid wear? How careful do you need to be? I am a pretty careful person, so I don’t think I’m causing damage to my watches, but just how careful do you have to be? And is this why people talk about having a “daily beater” where it doesn’t matter how badly you treat it?

That brings to mind the question regarding metal bracelets and the wear they seem to be able to cause inside watch lugs. I have been thinking about attaching this bracelet to this Seamaster (I’m a hyperactive band-changer) more often, even though I doubt that they ever were sold this way back in the 50’s. But I’m a little concerned about harming a fairly good condition case.
Maybe someone can point me to a post or an article on the topic of case wear.

 

A lot of the "case wear" we see is caused by a person using too much polishing compound on a heavy buffing wheel.
Many of "these people" think that the shinier a watch is, the more it will bring. See eBay seller OC Watch Company for examples.

Normal wear results in minor scratches and small dings that can be removed with careful polishing by skilled watchmakers.

If you wish to retain a treasured piece, only wear it in benign environments (not to bucks parties) and suitable attire (no other bangles, wrist adornments etc.) The other option is to get a daily beater and just understand that it'll get knocked about and enjoy the developing "patina".

Correctly sized steel bracelets shouldn't damage the finish, more likely is scratching from spring bar tools/spring bars during change-outs. This can be avoided by applying small bits of gaffer tape (duck tape/duct tape) to the affected areas pre-op.

One of the worst metal bracelet damage is caused the the multifit styles (Spiedels, Flexowrist etc.) where the neat full lug to lug fit is achieved by springs pushing the ends of the bracelet out to meet the lugs. This can cause significant wear, depending on the harness of the lug. I've see some awful gouge holes in gold cases caused by these bracelets.

Casebacks are another area where damage can be horrific, usually caused by trying to open the watch with a brick and a cold chisel or whatever other tool was handy.

Damage is also caused by corrosion resulting from salty perspiration remaining in crevices and reacting with dissimilar case components. This can also be caused by NATO style straps holding perspiration which eventually ends up making a nicely etched facsimile of the strap in the caseback.

Hopefully I've given you some guidance, and I'm sure some of the other members can provide more.

Cheers

Jim

 

Thanks Jim, the corrosion through sweat is a subject I forgot to include, and I've certainly in the dim-distant pre-vintage past created some myself (although my pre-vintage past is now vintage, if you get what I mean). That's a little difficult, I guess - sweating on a caseback, then not being able to use water to wash it off because the damn watch isn't waterproof!

 

I've started putting protective stickers on all my casebacks to eliminate some corrosion/salt water I think it's the most viable solution if like me, you want to wear your watches a bit more. I'm not sure it is perfect, but it's definitely lessened the wear, especially on some of the more unpolished connie caseback/seamonster medallions which you want to keep as crisp as poss.

 

Sounds like a fair idea, Alex. So what are these little beggars called - (common/scientific/trade) names? Easily obtainable?

 

I can destroy watches, I really can. I had a cheap Lorus quartz for about ten or twelve years, the crystal was virtually opaque and I had worn the gold plating through to the copper plate underneath. This is because I wear my watches on my right wrist (and I am right-handed) and I never ever bothered to take the watch off when I was fixing the car / mixing cement / anti-fouling the boat etc etc. Still, it went through about four batteries and three straps before it died and I bought another cheap Lorus.

 

Yes John, I was thinking that desk- surfing might be problematic, but obviously not quite as abrasive as a cement mixer!

 

I think that if you lead a fairly active life (and living in the country in an old cottage you just do) then any watch that you wear all day long is going to take a beating. That is exactly the problem I have with collecting nice old vintage Omegas - mostly I only dare to wear the best ones in the evening when I am chilling out. Or for special occasions, important meetings, and so forth.

 

Both. The polishing is done to remove the ordinary knocks, bumps and scratches.

 

Say, you wouldn't happen to have any backs with paint or enamel on them, would you? I'm trying to find a way to protect the medallion on an old Longines Conquest:

Sorry if it's a hijack, but some Omegaphiles may not have seen my post in Longines Land...

 

I agree, one needs to have a beater for many of the physical day to day activities, and save the better vintage pieces for later. I work in an office and hospital setting, so the hazards are avoidable (unless one is not watching and puts a wrist into the door frame), and I always take off my watch when performing any procedure.
I also would be interested in options for protecting casebacks

 

How could I of missed that beauty!! That's a tough call... This might sound daft, but Scholl do adhesive circular sticky tabs for blisters etc... I reckon one of those on the back would set the watch just flush off the wrist! Might look ridcuous also.. Not sure if that would do more damage than good.. So maybe just some sticker that's not too abrasive?

 

Not sure of the technical name as I've been getting them from my watch man, i'll give him a holler.

 

Ta, I think there's a few here who'd be interested.