[jringo8769]

Well when i really got back into watches a few years ago i so wanted a Chase Durer...but i knew that they cost more than 2 very nice 6105 new ..so i thought i would never get the chance to get one in any condition...so long story short..i got one that needs lots of love and the finish is terrible...has anyone here ever successfully removed PVD and recoated it..i have a good friend who recommended spraying it and then sealing it..but i am concerned about thickness and tolerances..there must be someone here who might do PVD...i can remove all the old finish with very low pressure blasting...but i am worried i might make it worse..any help will so be appreciated...

 

[georgelazenby]

I'm sure jay at motor city watch works

Can remove then re pvd or kerakote. Perhaps IWW can do it too but may be costly.
In Europe I'm sure Bry could help too.

 

[jringo8769]

hey well thank you...i was wondering about rust bluing?...they make firearms very black doing that...wonder what a watch case is made from?...

 

[killsnapz]

hey well thank you...i was wondering about rust bluing?...they make firearms very black doing that...wonder what a watch case is made from?...

I have the chemicals to reblue firearms. I did my Enfiled No1 Mk. III The chemicals actually etch the steel. They are designed for very hard types of steel. I'm not sure what they would do with aluminum.
On newer weapons systems like the AR-15 with aluminum receivers they coat the receivers typically with ceracoate. Only the barrel and a few other hardened steel parts are blued.

Michael

 

[jringo8769]

Well i am told it is all stainless...but the bezel and the caseback is what i dont know about...would the ceracoate make lose all the detail or is it thin?...well thank you Mike again...you are a wealth of info...really appreciate it...

 

[toxicavenger]

Ceracoate is really thick like bedliner paint. Also it looks like hell when it starts to peel. The best option is PVD or DLC but it is super expensive. Around 500-800. Maybe you can get it anodized?

 

[jringo8769]

Please tell me more about the anodizing...is it hard to do?...can it be done at home?....i have heard of it but know nothing about it...

 

[feca67]

Contact member bry1975 he can get it stripped and DLC coated for you (better than ceracote imho), for a very reasonable price, though you'll have to find a way of redoing the white numerals yourself. Here's one of mine he did

 

[Logan]

I've been thinking about trying the baking lacquer that brownells sells, I used it on a pellet pistol once with good results not sure about a watch.

 

[John_D]

Sorry doesn't do anything at all for me, makes a nice stainless steel divers watch look like a cheap plastic Casio one.

 

[jringo8769]

Feca67 tell more about this DLC coating...never heard about this....i would think with tight tolerances on watches it would scratch where they come into contact...how durable is it?...your watch looks great...this watch needs to have that very flat matte finish like it came with...it would not look right all polished...and i do agree some watches look terrible all black...but some like Feca's look great...i love to see innovation...personalization...that is what makes this forum so great..i PM'd Bry1975 too...i am very interested to see what he may be able to do...thank all of you...God Bless

 

[feca67]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond-like_carbon

It's very hard wearing, not sure it if its as hard and durable as PVD but its certainly harder wearing than any paint, it won't wear off in normal light use. In my experience it's tougher than anodising (though that's usually onto softer aluminium) and I'd guess it's tougher than cerakote. Of course if you drag your watch along a rough surface like a brick wall then I'm sure you could mark it.

You can have DLC in matt, satin or gloss finish, which is achieved by polishing or blasting the steel before applying the DLC.

 

[killsnapz]

Ceracoate is mean for rough service environments thus its use on aluminum gun parts so they don't corrode. It is the only type of coating you can do yourself but might be to heavy on a watch. All of the other types of coatings offered like PVD coating are way to expensive in my opinion.

Michael

 

[georgelazenby]

John... I have had two watches DLC'd by Bry..

He does a super job( he outsources he gets them done abroad) he usually waits for a batch so yours can't be done straight away. The finish is uber hard better than PVD think titanium nitride type hard. The coating is microns thin so it doesn't affect tolerances.
The last case,shroud,bezel and crown cost me about £90 ($136). But you have to be patient it may take a couple of months to get done. Hope this helps. John.

 

[jringo8769]

well Feca..thank you for info..well from what the old finish looks like it must have been flattened off to get that matte finish....i hope to hear back from Bry1975...and hopefully the Chase will get started on the repairs...Mike...i love the idea of doing it at home too...but with that watch...i guess i might have to bear the bullet and spend a little more to get it back to new..i have used Ceracaote before and love the results..my worries is with a watch...i think the tolerances may be a issue...i have a very old very unloved 1960 Smith Model 38 that someone has the bright idea to remove the finish off of..you want to talk about a real mess that was to get the aluminum frame back to looking like something again...i was going to Ceracoate it but i was told by the powder coater..i might want to find something thinner ...so i have never finished it..the barrel and cylinder look new now but it has this metal finished frame..i have pinto looking stuff

 

[jringo8769]

georgelazenby i am in no hurry at all on the Chase..i just want it right...and the finish being even better than i hoped is even better...and now that i hear it is very thin and very hard...i am very happy too...price is reasonable as they go...it will take me a while to get everything together and make it right..that watch sold for 995 new..crazy money and people seem to drool all over them for that price...if i had not got it for a bargain...i would not even attempt this...but i have loved this watch since i seen in a store...and i would have thought all of these years later...i would have lost interest..but sadly now..it is so strange of all the watches i own..i have looked forward to this one the most...i will have it tomorrow i hope..George thanks you for more info...made me smile

 

[killsnapz]

Since that watch once the finish is restored is worth almost a grand it is a little easier to dish out a $136 bucks to refinish the case. It does suck though that many nice watches that are only worth $200 bucks mint will never be restored to the high costs of restoring any case that has been coated. I have emailed about three different places that do PVD coating to get an estimate to restore a bunch of gold colored PVD cases and not a single place even returned an email. All I wanted to know was how much it would cost to restore the gold tone to a watch case and I can even get a price quote anywhere.

Michael

 

[jringo8769]

wow...really...well i have a few leads if you need them...once is local to me and other is in Michigan...i have spoke to both...they are willing to try..they were a little leary with the Chase because of value...if interested in them...pm me...i will help...they both said the more they do...the cheaper each piece would be...so maybe a groups deal would be beneficial to us all

 

[jringo8769]

here is a watch with that DLC coating from the factory...like the look of that finish..

 

[twickersdude]

I removed PVD from quite a few case backs for the late Noah Fuller. I bead blasted them with glass bead - worked very well but required frequent changes of the blasting medium...