• Tired of adverts on RWI? - Subscribe by clicking HERE and PMing Trailboss for instructions and they will magically go away!

How to remove AR coating

k4jun

Ω Section Moderator
Section Moderator
Certified
25/4/15
2,944
1,235
113
Have a look at this one. Looks like a decent PO crystal

9yess.jpg

9yUZY.jpg



with nice blue AR coating..

9yaXk.jpg

9yWID.jpg



look closer as see how rubbish the coatings are...

9yixo.jpg

9yqQP.jpg

9yoUJ.jpg

9yYhS.jpg

9yIfW.jpg

9yynQ.jpg

9y1uL.jpg



Dremel, felt polishing tips and 0.5 micron diamond paste are on their way! :bull:

9y6I8.jpg

9ynZR.jpg

9y8dK.jpg

9yBW1.jpg

9yrxv.jpg



It is working, but still some AR is sneaking out

9yPnc.jpg

9yQlj.jpg



This is because of the polishing tip. We need a fine rounded tip to access the domed surface.
9ylf4.jpg

9yTuX.jpg

9yC2I.jpg



Once you did everything, crystal is milky.. this awkward moment - have I scratched it all over with the diamond paste?!?
No! Crystal is just dirty, diamond paste is oily and it makes smudges everywhere. For sure there are pro compounds to clean it but I do not have any.
Mrs.k4 has a nail polish cleaner and this does the job;)

9yult.jpg

9y4J5.jpg

9ysWF.jpg


Give it a good cleaning and here it comes, your new crystal.

Everything takes about 10min.

9yN6n.jpg

9yRv3.jpg

9yE2E.jpg

9yvF2.jpg

9yGOY.jpg

9yFjs.jpg
 

k4jun

Ω Section Moderator
Section Moderator
Certified
25/4/15
2,944
1,235
113
Much better bro, thanks for sharing. Going to do mine with Polywatch soon.

Thanks mate. Post your experience with Polywatch. I tried a few polishing compounds (dedicated to metal works) they do work on AR, but diamond is much quicker.

What I have forgot to mention in OP - set the dremel for the lowest RPM if you go with the diamond paste.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KJ2020

bc1221

Respected Member
30/4/14
4,079
456
83
Those AR coating can def be hit or miss. I had one not too long ago where every damn thing I tried would not get all of the coating off of the bottom of the crystal. Literally tried every possible option that’s worked for me in the past. (Polywatch, polishing with dremel and all different grades of polish. Even sand paper) nothing worked. It was the oddest thing. If it was just all of it that didn’t come off, I would have been ok with that but this had about half of the crystal where the AR would not come off. Finally said screw it, and just got a new crystal.

I try to stay away from those unless it was done professionally (prof, gen..etc). Or at least only get the ones with just the bottom of the crystal AR coated.

It’s a pain in the ass for sure. They scratch entirely too easily to be on top of a watch crystal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Marcospcol

Banned member, the goat does not approve
Banned
22/8/19
105
30
28
I do not have dremel or polishing paste ... someone tried with sandpaper to water 1500 ?? I think it is soft enough to give good results without damaging it! I have paste to remove scratches from the cocje that is basically polishing, I think that I will try first to rub with this and a cotton to see if it comes out to the layer of ar prof scratched on my watch!
 

YellowFin

Not pretty, hardly popular
28/1/20
2,527
2,808
113
Molvania
I do not have dremel or polishing paste ... someone tried with sandpaper to water 1500 ?? I think it is soft enough to give good results without damaging it! I have paste to remove scratches from the cocje that is basically polishing, I think that I will try first to rub with this and a cotton to see if it comes out to the layer of ar prof scratched on my watch!

1.500 grit? Sounds FAR to coarse. I'd try Micromesh, starting with the finest one (15.000 grit) or a very fine polishing product (3M Anti Hologram Blue)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: KJ2020

Marcospcol

Banned member, the goat does not approve
Banned
22/8/19
105
30
28
1.500 grit? Sounds FAR to coarse. I'd try Micromesh, starting with the finest one (15.000 grit) or a very fine polishing product (3M Anti Hologram Blue)

water-based sandpaper 1500 is very little abrasive, anyway I think I can live with scratches, I still won't try until it is more deteriorated


Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk
 

Allthenamesweretaken

Active Member
31/7/21
310
261
63
Topic back from the dead!! Where the hell do I find this paste? Does it come in a kit? Is it part a a Dremel polish kit???