- 12/3/18
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This is something I’ve done for several years now and have posted about it a few times. But I figured it was time to make a thread including all these techniques in one place.
Dials
I tried washing a junk dial one day just to see how it went. It worked well so it's now my default cleaning method. I use a good quality artist paint brush and mild dishwashing liquid. First close the sink stopper in case a dial marker comes loose (never had that happen but no need to risk it). Get the dial wet, soap it up good, rinse and blow dry with an air puffer. Sometimes you can get a water spot or two if you don't dry it fast enough, just wash the spot away, rinse and blow dry again.
This technique should not be used on matte dials or if you have water based lume. But on most of our rep gloss dials with lacquer based lume it will leave them flawlessly pristine. I've done this on dozens of dials, including a gen dial.
I always recommend trying any new technique first on junk parts to see how it goes and to get practice. Make your mistakes where they don't matter.
A couple other examples
Hands
Some hands washing examples. I use the same technique to clean hands after mounting them on thin plastic stick tools or a broaching file for the second hand. You can also hold them with plastic tweezers. Leaves them looking the best they can.
Pretty nice hands for rep.
Crystals
For me, cleaning a crystal is maybe the most PITA task in modding or watchmaking. Not the most challenging by far of course, just simply a major bitch most of the time. I also use the dish soap and paint brush technique to clean crystals. It can be done with or without the gasket installed to the crystal or even if the crystal is already installed onto the case. The drying process becomes more time consuming and painstaking as other parts are included, so especially when a case is involved I settle for ~95% perfect and finish with a lens wipe.
Squeaky clean perfection
When you just can’t get that last little speck of dust or two off the inside, reverse roll some bracelet tape and hold it with tweezers. Barely touch it to the speck and lift it away.
Zeiss lens wipes are the bomb.
It’s not uncommon for any of these parts especially the crystal, to become re-contaminated during an install. For example if you have to take the bezel back off and the retaining ring and crystal come with it so you have to separate the crystal again with a die. I just go right back to the sink and start over, it’s a 3 or 4 minute job. Dial and hands are a couple minutes each. This is really a fast clean once you get the hang of it. Remember to practice first on junk parts. Happy modding!
Dials
I tried washing a junk dial one day just to see how it went. It worked well so it's now my default cleaning method. I use a good quality artist paint brush and mild dishwashing liquid. First close the sink stopper in case a dial marker comes loose (never had that happen but no need to risk it). Get the dial wet, soap it up good, rinse and blow dry with an air puffer. Sometimes you can get a water spot or two if you don't dry it fast enough, just wash the spot away, rinse and blow dry again.
This technique should not be used on matte dials or if you have water based lume. But on most of our rep gloss dials with lacquer based lume it will leave them flawlessly pristine. I've done this on dozens of dials, including a gen dial.
I always recommend trying any new technique first on junk parts to see how it goes and to get practice. Make your mistakes where they don't matter.
A couple other examples
Hands
Some hands washing examples. I use the same technique to clean hands after mounting them on thin plastic stick tools or a broaching file for the second hand. You can also hold them with plastic tweezers. Leaves them looking the best they can.
Pretty nice hands for rep.
Crystals
For me, cleaning a crystal is maybe the most PITA task in modding or watchmaking. Not the most challenging by far of course, just simply a major bitch most of the time. I also use the dish soap and paint brush technique to clean crystals. It can be done with or without the gasket installed to the crystal or even if the crystal is already installed onto the case. The drying process becomes more time consuming and painstaking as other parts are included, so especially when a case is involved I settle for ~95% perfect and finish with a lens wipe.
Squeaky clean perfection
When you just can’t get that last little speck of dust or two off the inside, reverse roll some bracelet tape and hold it with tweezers. Barely touch it to the speck and lift it away.
Zeiss lens wipes are the bomb.
It’s not uncommon for any of these parts especially the crystal, to become re-contaminated during an install. For example if you have to take the bezel back off and the retaining ring and crystal come with it so you have to separate the crystal again with a die. I just go right back to the sink and start over, it’s a 3 or 4 minute job. Dial and hands are a couple minutes each. This is really a fast clean once you get the hang of it. Remember to practice first on junk parts. Happy modding!
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Actually, where I live, we have pretty good water except for drought years. We’re in the foothills of the mountains, on top of a massive bowl of alluvial sand and gravel. During good years, water from our Artesian wells is bottle quality.
