PeteM Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Apologies if this has been posted somewhere in the past but I certainly never found it myself so I thought I would post a tip on removing AR very easily and simply. It has worked for me on DSN's Rep AR and Chiefs AR so I am pretty sure it will work on all AR's Use Stainless steel Polish and a microfibre cloth. Use small amounts on the cloth and rub small areas at a time. It takes anything from 20-30 minutes of good rubbing. It doesnt damage the bezel or case. Just make sure when your checking your progress you use natural daylight as you get more off its harder to see where you have left to do and the daylight really brings it out clearly, so every so often stand outside and have a look to check. Remember once you start theres no turning back but it will come off. I just removed it from a PAM 219 with chiefs AR and I must say the result looks good much more natural looking for my tastes anyway. Of course its just as good on the inside AR if you take the movement out but again the plus is theres no need to remove the crystal glass. Merry Xmas to you all and a prosperous New Year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Thanks for that Pete.. If you are going to send your crystal into Chief for AR and you need to remove the existing AR; it's best to use a dremel and jeweler's rouge or metal polish .. reason being, any residue of AR.. and it will be naked to the eye, it's not just the blue hue that comprises the AR coat.. will then appear as a scratch after Chiefs AR coat is applied.. IMO if your having it treated again, use a dremel.. AC/Lani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteM Posted December 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Sorry mate I did mean to say it was for removing what you dont want not for redoing the AR. But I can assure you it removes all visible signs of AR in any light. Thanks mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 I have removed AR very simply with ammonia, which is why eyeglass vendors always warn against cleaning AR-coated eyeglass lenses with Windex or other ammoniated glass cleaners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Sorry mate I did mean to say it was for removing what you dont want not for redoing the AR. But I can assure you it removes all visible signs of AR in any light. Thanks mate no worries Pete..just from experience.. the invisible specs or areas that you cannot see, may be as small as a needle point..these will show up as nasty blemishes on a re-coated crystal. and the larger left over AR will look like gashes.. But for removing AR on DSN crystals for PreV models ..your tutorial is very nice.. thank you for that.. there is a definite protocol for removing AR before sending it to Chief though.. AC/L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteM Posted December 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 I have removed AR very simply with ammonia, which is why eyeglass vendors always warn against cleaning AR-coated eyeglass lenses with Windex or other ammoniated glass cleaners. Thanks thats another good tip. Would that be just household Ammonia and is it OK on the watch case. I will get my son to try that as well next time see if its easier for him!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 24, 2009 Report Share Posted December 24, 2009 Would that be just household Ammonia and is it OK on the watch case. Whatever they sell in the supermarket & I also use it to clean (unassembled) watch parts (including cases). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackR Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 @freddy - i assume you just wet a soft cloth and rub, too...how long does it take with ammonia??... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bike Mike Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 Novus #2 plastic polish work great too. Enough to cut through AR quick, but not enough to cut into the crystal, bezel or case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freddy333 Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 @freddy - i assume you just wet a soft cloth and rub, too...how long does it take with ammonia??... Ask any woman how to remove nail polish with nail polish remover. The procedure is the same. Pure ammonia (from your local supermarket) removes AR on eyeglass lenses similarly. - easy & fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChipSlap Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 Yes, I've done it with laboratory acetone. Just be careful to keep it away from the gaskets. Acetone + rubber = 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justasgood Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 Just removed the outside AR(pretty scratched up) using Polywatch and then my Dremel with Green polish bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exeekias Posted December 25, 2009 Report Share Posted December 25, 2009 some great tips in here, thanks guys! I think I'll try the ammonia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t1mmy Posted January 8, 2010 Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 Any idea of whether ammonia will damage mineral crystal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteM Posted January 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 Personally I would use the SS polish on mineral, did it on a MM from Getatwatch no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteM Posted January 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 Ask any woman how to remove nail polish with nail polish remover. The procedure is the same. Pure ammonia (from your local supermarket) removes AR on eyeglass lenses similarly. - easy & fast. Funny but I tried that first on DSN rep AR but it wasnt very good took a lot of rubbing. The SS poilsh took it straight off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offshore Posted January 8, 2010 Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 Any idea of whether ammonia will damage mineral crystal? Ammonia will not affect MG. O/S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackR Posted January 8, 2010 Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 i tried the ammonia - 10% ammonium hydroxide - professional strength - which is supposedly twice the strength of household stuff you get in the grocery store... anyhowwwww - with a microfiber cloth and a lot of rubbing - nada?!...not sure how long and/or how hard to do this - but after 15 minutes or so of it, i couldn't see anything coming off...argh... also tried the metal polish technique - with a microfiber cloth, too...and once again, a lot of rubbing - 15 minutes - yielded little change and/or anything visible coming off...argh #2... so - is it just a question of longer time rubbing and increased pressure?!... HELP... help!... R- (working to remove AR from an older model PAM 036) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HauteHippie Posted January 8, 2010 Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 hackR, ammonia might strip off eyeglass AR (which is a different type of coating altogether), but on the tougher coatings it'll definitely be an exercise in futility as you can see. Lacquer thinner, acetone, you name it. Even with steel wool, it's going to put up a long hard fight! In fact, back when the 3717 first came out with its intense blue AR that you could hardly even see through, I found this to be almost impervious to ANYTHING. The polish I use is super expensive at about $65 per 4oz, but super effective too... Yet any time I get one of those crystals in (and thankfully its rare now), it still takes a good half hour to deal with from start to finish and that's with power tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackR Posted January 8, 2010 Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 thanks, Chief...i'll desist from trying and put up with the blue hue for now - and ask Z to strip it off when he re-lumes it...the blue hue really is annoying with the tobacco dial - kinda muddies up the look... R- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteM Posted January 8, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 thanks, Chief...i'll desist from trying and put up with the blue hue for now - and ask Z to strip it off when he re-lumes it...the blue hue really is annoying with the tobacco dial - kinda muddies up the look... R- Not sure what your using mate with SS polish or how but Chiefs AR came off with it. Are you sure its on the side your cleaning off?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hackR Posted January 8, 2010 Report Share Posted January 8, 2010 welllllll....i rubbed 1/2 the crystal and didn't see a diff in sunlight...nor was there any residue on the cloth (i assume there would be a blue crud coming off?!)...i rubbed for 5-10 minutes without any change...rubbed hard... here's the stuff i used... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HauteHippie Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Yea you don't want anything that says "gentle" on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HauteHippie Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Not sure what your using mate with SS polish or how but Chiefs AR came off with it. Are you sure its on the side your cleaning off?? Go at it with a metal polish or rouge, and you'll get it off for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanikai Posted January 9, 2010 Report Share Posted January 9, 2010 Just to chime in again.. if you are sending your crystal to be AR'd with chief.. ya better use the dremel and metal polish or jewelers rouge.. or face the consequences o the AR coating being defective .. up to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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