When you have spent a small (or sometimes large) fortune on a watch, especially if you’re a collector, then you want to keep it in the best possible condition for as long as you can. Although, some collectors do prefer the authentic look of an unpolished watch that shows its history just by looking at it.
Many watch owners like to polish their watches from time to time, however some watch collectors say that you shouldn’t ever do this because it can end up damaging your watch after some time. But how do you know when your watch has been polished far too much? And what can you do about it when that happens? These are the types of questions that this article is going to answer.
A watch, regardless of how expensive it is, can only be polished so many times before the casing and steel starts to get out of shape and lose its appeal. The reason why this happens is that the equipment that is being used to polish your watch will polish away metal every single time.
Personal Taste
While many watch owners love the look of an unpolished watch as it tells a story of its history, many watch owners disagree and much prefer their watches to be kept in pristine condition and will worry about any slight bump, knock or scratch. If you really want your watch to look brand new for years to come then taking it to a professional may be your best bet, as they will ensure that they are not rubbing away too much metal as they remove scratches. While you can learn to do it yourself, sometimes a professional can do a better job, but it is up to you to decide whether you can do a good job and ensure that you can keep the shape of your watch casing.
When the bracelet has been damaged through too much polishing then it can easily be replaced, however this cannot be said for the watch case. What happens when you need a replacement casing?
RSC will recommend that you do buy a case replacement however the cost is likely to be quite high, in a lot of circumstances. Not only that but if you have had your watch for many years then it is likely to have been discontinued, which makes the search for a replacement harder. If your watch is vintage then you will be very lucky to come across a case replacement that you actually want.
With so much hassle to restore your watch once it has been badly polished, you have to wonder whether it is worth polishing it in the first place. Many watch collectors warn others to not polish their watches to begin with as it may only cause problems for you in the future, as mentioned above. If you decide to not polish your watch then no damage can come from it.
Hopefully this article has been able to shed some light on why people like to polish their watches, why some don’t and whether it’s for you.
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