Joined
·
708 Posts
I've had a few people ask me what my method was for restoring a set of hands that came in a 6309 parts lot that I bought a few months back. I posted about restoring them in the middle of the process, then my son was born and I forgot to finish the post! I figured I'd dedicate a new post to them for posterity. I had previously attempted this on a set of hands for my Citizen 52-0110, and after experimenting a bit more with this set of hands, I'll probably go back and redo them.
Anyway, this is how they looked when I got them.
![]()
They were in pretty poor shape, so I didn't feel too bad using acetone to dissolve the old lume, even if it would chew up any finish they still had on them. This took longer than anticipated. I've read that apple cider vinegar can remove tarnishing and rust, so I may give that a try in the future.
Using a manicurist's buffing stick, I test polished the hands quickly. In this shot, the minute hand had been quickly sanded.
![]()
This was someplace in the middle of the process. I used the more abrasive side of the file until all the visible oxidation was gone, then I used the slick side to shine the bare metal.
![]()
When the time came to replate the hands, I looked at what jewelers would use. Everything seemed quite involved and required some specialized equipment to basically electroplate the parts. I knew that was more than I was willing to spend for an experiment, so I bought a silver plating product on Amazon. It's called Medallion Liquid Silver and I was prepared to be unimpressed. Much to my surprise, it did a great job and it actually does replate the metal through a chemical process.
Medallion sends a sponge that is far too coarse to apply it to watch hands, as it's intended for silverware. Instead, I raided my wife's makeup bin and used these makeup applicator sponges. They worked perfectly and they're cheap.
![]()
This was the state of affairs after I applied the silver liquid and cleaned off the residue. They were passable, but you could still see some imperfections in the hands. I was nearly satisfied with that result, but I learned that in order for the hands to look their best, you really have to work at making sure they're flat and smooth and that all the oxidation is removed. I did sand them a second time but I forgot to take a photo.
![]()
I finally had a chance to re-lume the hands. I use Noctilumina and I've been very pleased with it, although anyone who has relumed anything will tell you it's an art form in itself.
![]()
And here they are back on the watch.
![]()
Some general tips for working with the hands:
1) They bend very easily. What worked for me was to press them into a thin layer of Rodico to keep them in place while I gently polished them.
2) The pointy areas will catch on the emery board and the sponge, so don't apply a lot of pressure. This isn't a brute force technique, so take your time.
3) I likely wouldn't attempt this on hands that have become brittle from oxidation or that may be structurally damaged. I'd only really do this on a set of hands that is superficially oxidized.
I hope that can help a few folks. As always, attempt this at your own risk and I'd highly suggest doing it on something you don't care to ruin. Good luck!
Anyway, this is how they looked when I got them.
They were in pretty poor shape, so I didn't feel too bad using acetone to dissolve the old lume, even if it would chew up any finish they still had on them. This took longer than anticipated. I've read that apple cider vinegar can remove tarnishing and rust, so I may give that a try in the future.
Using a manicurist's buffing stick, I test polished the hands quickly. In this shot, the minute hand had been quickly sanded.
This was someplace in the middle of the process. I used the more abrasive side of the file until all the visible oxidation was gone, then I used the slick side to shine the bare metal.
When the time came to replate the hands, I looked at what jewelers would use. Everything seemed quite involved and required some specialized equipment to basically electroplate the parts. I knew that was more than I was willing to spend for an experiment, so I bought a silver plating product on Amazon. It's called Medallion Liquid Silver and I was prepared to be unimpressed. Much to my surprise, it did a great job and it actually does replate the metal through a chemical process.
Medallion sends a sponge that is far too coarse to apply it to watch hands, as it's intended for silverware. Instead, I raided my wife's makeup bin and used these makeup applicator sponges. They worked perfectly and they're cheap.
This was the state of affairs after I applied the silver liquid and cleaned off the residue. They were passable, but you could still see some imperfections in the hands. I was nearly satisfied with that result, but I learned that in order for the hands to look their best, you really have to work at making sure they're flat and smooth and that all the oxidation is removed. I did sand them a second time but I forgot to take a photo.
I finally had a chance to re-lume the hands. I use Noctilumina and I've been very pleased with it, although anyone who has relumed anything will tell you it's an art form in itself.
And here they are back on the watch.
Some general tips for working with the hands:
1) They bend very easily. What worked for me was to press them into a thin layer of Rodico to keep them in place while I gently polished them.
2) The pointy areas will catch on the emery board and the sponge, so don't apply a lot of pressure. This isn't a brute force technique, so take your time.
3) I likely wouldn't attempt this on hands that have become brittle from oxidation or that may be structurally damaged. I'd only really do this on a set of hands that is superficially oxidized.
I hope that can help a few folks. As always, attempt this at your own risk and I'd highly suggest doing it on something you don't care to ruin. Good luck!
