Hello. Has anyone had any experience removing scratches from the screen of a seiko g757 watch? Or any other watch?

I have been advised that a product called Polywatch is good at removing small scratches.

Im sure I could take it to a watch maker but the one near me is a rip off merchant and also I don’t trust the old guy to do a good job.

As its an old watch I don’t want to make it worse.

Any helpful advice or experiences would be very welcome.

Thank you

Ed

p.s. This website and forum is fantastic.

Ed
The lcd is mineral glass so polywatch wont touch it. It is very difficult to get mineral glass polished well and it also depends what model you have as some of the G757s have the graphics printed onto the back of the glass which makes replacement impossible. What model number do you have?
If its a watch you wear all the time you might want to try the clear screen protector plastic as sold for mobile phones. I havent tried this but I think it may be ok as the adhesive on the film might fill and hides the small scratches. Just an idea while you search for a new glass. If its a model that hasnt got graphics printed a good jeweller watchmaker would be able to cut and fit a new one.

Thank you for the compliment Im glad you like it.

regards

Adam

Thanks again Adam for your quick reply.

Im glad I didn’t waste any money buying Polywatch.

I have a G757 4000 and a 4010. The 4000 is worse than the 4010. The 4000 sadly looks like the one with the printed graphics.

I also have a H357 which im guessing has the same type glass? The black bezel on this is in terrible condition.

Watches are meant to be worn so I’m not to worried about a few scratches as even in general us they get scratched a little.

Do you have any advice for cleaning/ removing scratches on the steel?

Thanks again

Ed

Ed I use micromesh to remove scratches (available on ebay) Dremel also have some good attachments for brushing the steel, you have to have a steady hand though.

Adam

May I try to contribute?

1. Regarding the scratched cases. Yes, you can do it if you have G757 4000 and 4010. However, never try it with G757 4050 or 405A (they are not solid stainless steel watches - they have their base made of another metal, a “red” one). You need to buy a simple electric polishing machine for that in a set. It looks like a small electric drill.
http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-300-1-24-Variable-Speed-Rotary/dp/B002BAHFBE/ref=sr_1_8?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1295009765&sr=1-8
http://www.amazon.com/Trademark-75-9900-Polishing-Drilling-Accessory/dp/B003B4QSRQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1295009829&sr=1-6
2. Regarding the G757 Glass. Adam is right - Polywatch is useless in this case. You need to have a watch with a (relatively soft) plastic glass. If you want to remove scratches from your G757 glass (even if you have a model with some printing on it - on the other side, of course) you could use some polishing stuff manufactured for polishing car glasses and buy a special (very expensive) professional polishing device (US $800,- +). Well, I think this job must be done by a professional watchmaker anyway. Never polish any watch glass if you have a movement inside! It will probably die because of overheating. Just contact your local watchmaker/juwelier in this case.

Best Regards,

Hi Ed

I have had some success removing bad scratches on the crystal by using wet or dry carborundum papers. It is a matter of “going down the grades”.  Starting with say 240 grit paper, place the paper on a flat surface such as your desk. Add a little soapy water (or saliva!). Place the watch face down on the paper and rub the glass backwards and forwards and in circles for several minutes. The glass will now look opaque! Repeat this process with 280, then 320, 400, 600, 1000 and finally 1200 grade paper or finer if you can get it.  Next polish - I have used Mer car polish first rubbing flat on a piece of cloth laid over the desk and then using a Dremel with a fabric buffing wheel attachment.  I would only advise this process for badly scratched watches where the crystal is completely flat and raised from the bezel which should be stainless steel only. There is danger of damaging the plating on gold coloured watches.

Best regards, Peter

Adam: Still no more info forthcoming on my H127-5000A?

Hello, I am a licensed A & P.  (Airframe and PowerPlant) mechanic.  One of our training processes - is the removal and polish of Windows, etc - which are used by Pilots.

Reading the previous posts -  I see that some watches have markings on the crystal.  If those are not on the ‘inside’ of the watch - they would of course be removed by any polishing process.  A flat or curved watch crystal can have virtually all scratches removed - with just a little work by the home person.  Any ‘protective’ coatings would be totally removed (but its already scratched); and the crystal will be slightly thinner.

On such a small surface as a watch crystal - if the crystal is curved - please try to apply even pressure throughout.  However, most curved watch crystal are mostly flat - in the large viewing area.  And one does not necessarily have to try and polish the very side edge of a crystal which is raised up to curve.

On a flat crystal - take some painters tape and mask off the very outer edges of the watch case.  Keep the tape handy and renew it as you go along.  This will keep your case scratch free.

You can easily do the following on a piece of scrap plexi-glass for example - to verify it works - and to get a feel for the process.

As someone previously suggested - you do this with sand paper.  It will work even on hard mineral glass.  You need to make somewhat of a determination of the depth of the Worst scratch.  I have restored a watch crystal which required the use of 40 grit sandpaper.

The basic principle is this:  You need to sand out the deepest or worse scratch.  If this scratch is going perpendicular to the crystal - start sanding horizontal to the scratch.

100 grit; 80 grit; 60 - whatever is initially needed.

Sand in one direction only. (Perpendicular or Horizontal).  After the scratch is sanded out - the entire crystal will look terrible.  Now, go up to the next grit from wherever you had to start.  Sand 90 degrees from the direction you previously sanded.  If you first sanded Horizontal, now sand Perpendicular.  Work your way up the grits.  Changing direction between each sanding.  Watch crystals are so small - this really does not take much time.

By 1200 the crystal will be looking good.  Probably fine for you…  However, Aircraft supply houses - will have paper probably all the way up to 24000.  You can talk with them before you start.  3M also makes a product (forget name, sorry) which you then use after the final 24000 sanding.  The 3M stuff is a liquid.

If you continue with the suggested Aircraft Sanding (24000 & than 3M) - the crystal will probably look better than when new.

It is possible to get a good looking crystal without worrying to much about the direction of the sanding.  But going 90 degrees change off as suggested - gives a superior polish; and is required for aircraft.

David.
Seattle, WA.

Fantastic reply David.  Its an area that I would love to get good results in especially when you have a crystal that has a graphic or is reversed etched. What sort of timescale are we looking at?

Adam