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What the hell is this schmutz on my new $400 watch!?!?!


Corgi

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Dealer says its copper that can be removed with Cape Cod Cloth. Is he correct? I ordered one of these cloths on the bay and it won't be here for a few weeks so I'm asking the community if anyone else has had similar issues to verify that this is indeed a fixable problem.

The entire f---ing bracelet is covered in this disgusting brown s---.

Here's the part which pisses me off - I had it serviced to waterproofed!! That means somebody in China handled this watch for some time, did they not notice all of the brown G-- d--- s--- on it? ----.

Please help! Is it really easily removable copper residue or is it permanent misapplied 14K gold? There is some of it on the crown even... sigh......

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(Look at the clasp in this photo, too)

By the way, other than that, I can't get this beauty off my wrist! Gorgeous, gorgeous watch this is...

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I would not go ANYWHERE NEAR that gold with a Cape Cod cloth.....unless whoever suggested it will replace the watch when the 'Cod has removed all the Gold Plate.

Try an ordinary pencil eraser first (you know the white rubber thingie for correcting pencil marks on paper). I also have some Chinese powder used extensively out there for just such problems

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Good luck!

.

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Real bad "gold" i would say meens that in that gold plated bracelet is real much copper in it. And if it is realy the copper wich is coming out you will not get it away with cape cop i would gues it will lokk even more bad after cape cot

Greetings Navi

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Corgi, that sucks. I'm sorry. :frusty:

I have one just like that, and we had to change the bracelet finally. But though I just used Cape Cod cloth on my new Hublot gold deployant, I would suggest to heed what others are saying: NEVER on gold-plate. It WILL strip the "gold" right off.

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my old two tone sub w solid gold links from an unknown maker has that as well. mine's just tarnish and can be removed by dabbing a lil liquid of the capecod cloth on it. no rubbing w the cloth itself, else u'll remove the gold!

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Eraser works... sort of... it can remove the big blotches but not the little ones... and it leaves a hell of a mess....

What am I supposed to do now...? He says that it is totally normal but now I am told it is not good?

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I am feeling weary of going swimming with it now this week-end. I would have trouble wearing it in the rain.

The eraser removed the obvious stains (Thanks Narikaa... golly you're a good guy!!), but the gold appliqu

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Against everyones advice I will post my experience with this exact same problem. I have an older two tone sub with the end link just plated on one side. The mid links are hollow and I will assume they are plated very thick because I have had the watch for over four years. It had the brown spot on the end link. I used a cape cod and it removed it in an instant. Ran the whole bracelet with the cape cod and it came out shiny and new. Even removed some of the scratches on the clasp. It does have the gold through the clap and all the gold looks better than ever. I don't know if they were made better back then or what, but the cape cod brought new life to an old sub for me.

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Thanks J Freeman... but I'm not taking my chances! The eraser, coupled with a good brushing, has made it wearable and if I muck it up with my own fingerprints it looks pretty OK... under some angles it still looks bubbly though.

There is not a chance in hell I am sending it back, though. I should see the silver lining: it tells time. For a watch to tell time, considering where its from, is a win in my book.

It's as though the watch itself and bracelet are manufactured in totally different places. The watch is absolutely beautiful and flawless, but the bracelet looks like it was made over a barbecue.

I once again e=mailed the gentleman who sold it to me and we'll see if we can reach a mutually convenient solution. Until then, is there a way to easily test waterproofness and at the same time guarantee the watch's safety?

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is there a way to easily test waterproofness and at the same time guarantee the watch's safety?

Pressure test.

If you are in the States, call around to watch repair / jewelry repair stores and ask if they service or pressure test replica watches. I have found in Dallas 1 out of 3 will. They call it a "generic watch" and service is $$95 for a maintenance and oil; $55 for a pressure test.

But the bracelet is still no fun. I hope the dealer's name doesn't start with "A" :whistling:

Wiss

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Corgi, that sucks. I'm sorry. :frusty:

I have one just like that, and we had to change the bracelet finally. But though I just used Cape Cod cloth on my new Hublot gold deployant, I would suggest to heed what others are saying: NEVER on gold-plate. It WILL strip the "gold" right off.

wait wha stop who wahaa?!

new hublot gold??

the Rose Gold HBB?????

pics? pics? ^^ come on show teh goods off!

ps: btw.. you're saying the cape cod took the gold right off the HBB? :( aww

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wait wha stop who wahaa?!

Hehe. No TR, it's not one of those massively expensive Hublots that people here are salivating over.

I decided to take a $119 plunge with a silly model first. If I liked what I saw, I'd MAYBE consider a higher-end HBB this Christmas. Guess what? Crappy as it is. Fakey gold as it looks -- I love it. I get the Big Bang hype.

(NEVER like the Panerai though. I'm a PAM girl now, forever!)

Wrist-check tomorrow, with the new HBB.

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I'm a PAM girl now, forever!

Good girl.

See what happens with other brands?

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Corgi, I have a 14K thickly plated bracelet that has a similar problem as your bracelet but, not as severe. It is my understanding that the discoloration is caused by handling prior to plating by workers and the oil from the fingers was not removed prior to plating. The result is the discoloration that you see on your gold bracelet. I have been able to remove it with a gentle application of Flitz which is a non abrasive polish. However, the stains will return gradually in a week or so.

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Well... it retails for 258$ from Joshua yes but I wanted to make sure it was waterproof because I wanted to try swimming with it.

I am not going to try swimming with it.

its not difficult to apply a lil dab of silicone grease & replace the caseback o-ring with a new one .. i think $400 is a lil to steep for that kinda mod ..

good luck & hope the dealer resolves this for you ..

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