zOwie Omega Discussion Forum

Steel wool will certainly create micro scratches on your watch. Unfortunately that remedy may have added insult to injury and may have compouded the issue you mention where the polished and brushed areas now look similar. I would strongly avoid its use in the future.

While thtere are products available to restore the brushed areas, your bracelet may have sustained greater damage requiring a machine buffering. However, if you wish to try the Satin Bar approach, my standard post on that subject is a the end.

While excessive showering with hot soapy water will probably have a negative effect on the seals used for water resistance, this is the first I've heard of the problem you descibe. Bathing in hot soapy water for a few months should not cause such damage. A number of posters on this and other forums have bathed regularly with their SMPs on and have never mentioned your problem.

Dave's thought regarding the mineral content of your water may be a more plausible cause.

This is my standard post on scracthes and marks. The results are easy to obtain and will result in minimal metal loss.

Some people use Scotch Brite, but in my view Scotch Brite is very coarse and will leave noticeable swirl marks under a variety of lighting onditions. Others use very fine sand paper. I believe that sandpaper could take off more metal than necessary.

My solution for the removal of scratches was the purchase of a fine Satin Finish Bar, item FB-1103 from Frei and Borel on the TZ Tool shop. Its around 10 dollars (USD). It is a hard sponge-like impregnated rubber block and I've had excellent results with it. For deeper scratches use their medium satin bar first. Its more abrasive. Finish up with long, slow, straight lines with the fine bar. The finish you'll get is extremely close to when new and should be a major improvement. Be careful not to touch the crystal with it. Do not use on polished surfaces, only brushed. Also be careful of the engravings on the clasp.

The medium bar, and the fine bar to a lesser extent, is abrasive and continued use will take off metal over time. The following is their text:

'This abrasive-impregnated rubber block provides the kind of brushed and satin finishes seen from the factory. I have never been able to reproduce it with any other abrasive of any type. The block, or squared pieces cut from it, should be used in very straight, light, even, uni-directional strokes over the entire length of the surface. Blow the surface free of debris between strokes for the most even finish. This is an indispensable product for those refinishing brushed and satined surfaces'

FB-1103

Around $10.60 USD

I've demonstrated the process for my authorized dealer and he agreed the results were excellent for very little effort. I hope this helps.

Good luck. I hope you can restore it to its original condition.

Mark

: Don't worry about. I read over your post again
: and I over reacted. I mean that I've tried
: everything to remove the scratches and
: restore the finish, such as steel wool, etc.
: I'll be taken it to a dealer eventually, I
: may just end up purchasing a new bracelet
: once the one I have is done with.