Fun with ammonia fumes - bronze patina

[EMM]

Just for fun, tonight I decided to try fumigating my two bronze watches, the ZF 382 and the Halios Tropik B, in ammonia. I read about this on the internet, so it must be a good idea.

 

 

 

Anyway, the instructions said to take the watch and dip it in a heavy saltwater solution (50/50 salt and water).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then get a small container and fill it with about ½ inch of ammonia. The watch then sits above the ammonia and the fumes, well, fumigate it.  I set the watches on this little medicine cup. 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I sealed the container.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did the 382 first. I forgot to take a picture of it beforehand, but I had just lemon juiced it to like new. The internet article said it might take overnight. So I walked by about 30 minutes into the process and from outside the container the watch looked black. I took it out. This is what I got:

 

 

 

 

 

 

So we learned a few things here. The article said CuSn8 bronze would turn grey with blue highlights. Check. Second, as many posts have stated, there’s something going on with the “REG. T.M” on the CG, because it still looked pristine. Third, this was a pretty bad idea after all. 

 

 

 

 

Undaunted, I tried it with the Halios. As you can see, it was pretty much looking new – a result of my last failed patina experiment (hard boiled eggs). 

 

 

 

 

 

The Halios is an Aluminum Bronze – a different alloy than the 382’s CuSn8. And it reacts a differently than CuSn8 to patina-ing. A LOT differently. It sat for 30 minutes initially, and looked basically untouched. So I went a full 90 minutes with it. I got this – black. Slightly green, but mostly dark grey and black.  Looked like an old door[censored] that had been outside for 20 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not to worry, I thought. Lemon juice to the rescue! In about 30 seconds, the lemon juice had taken nearly all the patina off the 382. As well as one (and ultimately two) of the painted hashes on the bezel.

 

 

 

 

 

Not so for the Halios. Nothing worked. Not lemon juice. Not ketchup. Not salsa. Not even concentrated citric acid-based coffee maker cleaner. 

Moreover, the lemon juice just kind of stalled on the 382 also. Ketchup helped a little. But nothing really got it past the picture above.

 

 

So I got some really weak silver cleaner and polish. That did the rest. Back to nice and clean on the 382, minus two bezel hashes.

 

 

 

 

 

Not so with the Halios. I stopped before I removed brush marks, and we still have noticeable patina:

 

 

 

 

So there you go. If you decide to do this kind of thing, here’s what you should expect. CuSn8 reacts faster, but is easier to bring back to its original state. It also seems to have more interesting and colorful patina – at least with ammonia. Aluminum Bronze just turns black, but it takes forever to do it.

 

 

Experiment away! I may try vinegar next. 

 

Anyone know how to paint the bezel hashes?

[dusk]

Really nice experiments. I think the first watch looks kind of amazing to be honest. Very cool

[SSTEEL]

Interesting experiments.  What is more interesting is your use of products usually found in the kitchen

[pcardoza]

Gotta admit, I like the look of the Bronzo after the ammonia treatment!   Gonna have to think about giving it a try this weekend!   

[gran]

This is geting awfully close to Nanug territory

 

[kbh]

What I've learned from seeing all these Bronzo experiments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

They should never manufacture watch cases out of brass or bronze unless they are planning on chrome plating them.

[pcardoza]

If you are only interested in maintaining a "like-new" appearance of your watch, I see your point.   HOWEVER, for those of us who like the aged look of a nice patina.........    It lends a personalized and unique look to each of our pieces.

 

What I've learned from seeing all these Bronzo experiments:

 

 

 

 

 

 

They should never manufacture watch cases out of brass or bronze unless they are planning on chrome plating them.

[DuDro]

Have you tried the "hard boiled egg in a plastic bag" method?

[EMM]

Have you tried the "hard boiled egg in a plastic bag" method?

 

Yes.  With the Halios as stated above.  It was a disaster.  Really ugly looking - like there was yellow soap foam dried all over it.  And, just like this, it wouldn't come off - there were spots all over it that turned white and wouldn't turn back.  I had to Cape Cod it shiny and then rebrush the bezel to fix it.

 

The good thing about this deal is that I wasn't trying to achieve anything - I was just seeing what happened. Thus it bothered me a lot less when what happened wasn't all that great.

[vedet]

I wonder if the repeatedly oxidizing the brozen has any influence on the material in the long term.

[armanou-pascal]

Before entering the mediterean sea

In the evening same day

Today 1 week later

-sent from my iPhone5 using Papatalk-

[Hyjynx]

The Bronzo PAM382 may not win Watch of the Year, but will without doubt win "Most Fun to Abuse", with one hand tied behind. Literally, speaking. These watches take so much licking yet keep on ticking.

Next experiment: "Will It Blend?"

Edited May 24, 2014 by Hyjynx

[Deja123]

My Mallorca Patina After 6 Days

Greets DeJa123

[pcardoza]

Very nice look Déjà!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Cubeistan]

You're a brave man EMM. Or have "too much time on your hands" NPI!

[Nightwatch]

Just looks like You are having a lot of fun out there with the bronzos:) Now for something different... if You leave it for enough time it will get like these:

below the IWC Cousteau are 3 bronze coins, all the same, the center one is cleaned, left and right left with the naturally aged patina:)