cleaning/replacing crystal

[jackt]

Hi, I have an old Raymond Weil watch which is in wonderful condition save for a smudge/finger print on the underside of the crystal. It is not obvious but I know it is there.

I took the watch to a local watch repairer in spain who said the crystal cannot be cleaned and must be replaced.

I am under the impression that it is a fairly easy job for watch repairers to cut a new crystal but why he cant clean the existing one is beyond me.

The chances of buying a new one from Raymond Weil is remote as they probably no longer make the item. I think the watch is about 30 years old.

May I ask you guys my best course of action please. thanks

 

[freddy333]

Although unlikely, it is possible that the fingerprint was the result of a chemical that someone had on their skin when they (inappropriately) handled the crystal. If that was the cause, then your only option is replacement. Unless the crystal is a very odd size, a good watchmaker should be able to replace it with a generic if an OEM is no longer available.

 

That said, it is more likely that it is just a fingerprint that needs to be cleaned using standard crystal cleaning methods. Find another watchsmith or, better still, contact Raymond Weil & see what/who they recommend.

[jackt]

Hi Freddy333, many thanks for the info, I shall seek out another watch repairer. jack

[SSTEEL]

Drop me an email, I can help.

[jackt]

Hi, I am probably being thick but I cant find your email

[kernow]

Send him a private message and ask for it. 

[automatico]

I have seen 'cloudy' spots inside MG crystals but not sapphire. 

It may be like Freddy said and the blemish can be removed.  If not, here is some info on crystals:

 

You need to know if the crystal is mineral glass (MG) or sapphire because it takes different equipment to cut a sapphire crystal.  Regular MG crystals can be cut without much expensive equipment but sapphire is another story.

You could also have an MG crystal cut to save $$ if the original is sapphire.

 

Square, rectangular or any shape other than round crystals are generally referred to as 'fancy crystals' or 'shaped crystals' and back when many watches were snap back non water resistant types, most retail repair shops had a crystal grinder and could cut a glass/MG crystal to size.  Newer watches with fancy/shaped crystals will have them either cemented to the case or pressed into a plastic gasket and you can get by with  very small  irregularities with a cemented crystal but a crystal fitted into a gasket has to be  exactly  like the original.  Some supply houses have crystal cutters made using the pantograph tracing method and they can duplicate a MG crystal to perfection.  You need to send them the original unbroken crystal and/or the case for a pattern.

 

I have cut a lot of 'fancy/shaped' MG crystals and will say the ones with straight sides and 90 degree corners are not too hard to do but if the crystal has rounded corners or is a shape other than square or rectangle it is much harder to cut to a good fit.

Sometimes I can cement the original crystal to a piece of MG and cut a crystal that will be very close by carefully cutting the excess away...most of the time.  I use superglue to stick the crystals together and soak them in acetone to release the original crystal when done.

My crystal cutter has a fine grit stone mounted flat like on a record player with a water tank that drips water on the stone to keep it wet and prevent glass dust build up.  It turns at a few hundred rpm and has a small flat area at the front for a hand rest. 

 

You can also use a small diameter fine grit diamond disc in a battery powered Dremel tool to 'final shape' MG crystals using Windex etc glass cleaner to keep the disc wet.  It works Ok but is slow going and takes a lot of practice.  I never tried it on a sapphire crystal although it might work.  A larger diameter diamond wheel mounted on a machine similar to a stone wheel crystal grinder would probably be good too. 

 

I do not take in any outside work, I have enough of my own.  The only outside work I do is for friends/family who bought a watch from me.

 

Them:  "The watch you sold me quit running."

Me:  "Did you drop it on carpet or concrete?"

Them:  "Uh, uh..."

Me:  "Gotcha!"   

[jackt]

Hi Automatico, many thanks for such detailed info. jack