Being an occasional lurker on this message board for some time, I often come across posts requesting info on how to remove scratches on the bracelet, particularly the clasp. Well, I thought I should share my technique on how to remove those pesky scratches. I routinely polish out the scratches on the bracelet of my mid-sized SeMP. I also polished out some light scratches around the bezel. I will go as far to say that my repair work is almost identical to the factory finish. Here is what I do...
I use 3M Sandblaster pads in a 180 or 320 grit. I get them at Lowe’s for a few bucks. I’m sure other hardware stores carry them. They are foam pads with a light yellow abrasive rubbery material coating one side. Cut the pads into small rectangles (around 1”x3”). Use electrical tape to mask off areas you don't want to brush (e.g. the brightly polished sections of the bracelet, the crystal, bezel insert, etc). Electrical tape is very pliable and nicely conforms to the curved surfaces of the bracelet. The key to a good result is to be very smooth and straight in the brush marks that you are creating with the sanding pad, just as you would do when applying paint with a paint brush. The brush marks you create should be parallel to the brush grain already on the surface of the metal. I use two hands to hold ends of the sanding pad. Start the brush stroke outside the area you want to repair, go over the repair area, and follow through outside the repair area, all in one continuous straight motion. If you stop in the middle and continue, the brush marks won't be even and straight. Also, use the lightest pressure it takes to remove the scratches. You don’t want to brush off the engraved lettering on the clasp! If the scratches are deep, use the 180 grit pad first, then finish off using the 320 grit pad. If they are light surface scratches, just use only the 320 grit pad. It is very helpful to do the work under a strong halogen desk lamp. The light greatly emphasizes the brush marks, making it easy to see the progress of the repair brushing. When you get to a point where the brushing looks acceptable under the halogen lamp, it will look essentially perfect under normal lighting. If you are brushing the links on the bracelet, it is better to do one individual section at a time. When finished, I blow the area clean with canned air and clean off the surface with rubbing alcohol. As far as using regular paper sandpaper, the results won't be as even because the sandpaper is stiff and does not evenly conform to the curve surface of the bracelet and clasp (trust me, I tried it). Some people say to use Scotchbrite pads. IMO, they are way too abrasive to create a nice smooth finish, even when using the least abrasive (grey) version (trust me, I tried it). I’ve haven’t tried the satin finish bars they sell on TimeZone. As far as refinishing the brightly polished areas of the bracelet, I use jeweler’s rouge on a Qtip. It takes a steady hand and a lot of patience, but if you take the time to do it right, the results are very rewarding. Good Luck!
Andy
