sssurfer Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 To my horror I just discovered that there is a sort-of-greenish spot on the rose gold plating of a side of my beloved 147. Here is a pic. Sorry about the bad quality, I was unable to avoid reflections of the photocamera so the spot does not show very well: The spot is completely flat, same surface as the rest of the plating -- and it naturally does not get modified by cleaning. I am unable to tell if it was already there when I received the watch. I suppose not, as I looked at the watch from every angle, but can't be sure about it. Anyway, I would prefer not to ask the dealer: should he even offer a replacement, I don't like the idea to have the watch pass the customs two more times again. Is there any member, especially those skilled in electroplating, who can suggest the best way for me to get rid of that spot? Have I to plate the watch again? If so, I suppose that plating pens are ok for such a small work, are they? Or any other suggestions? Really thanks, sss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Some additional thoughts: it came to my mind that green is color of oxidated copper, and copper is a main component for rose gold plating. Maybe that spot is an area where copper got oxidated somehow? In such a case, might a reducent compound (like those used to remove stain spots from clothes) be useful? Or would it likely damage the plating even more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 I was writing while you posted, austria! Great minds think alike... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kritz Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 I was writing while you posted, austria! Great minds think alike... Bet it copper .... i do have a thought on how to get rid of the stain ... bit of a risk though .... so be careful ... there is liquid out there to remove oxidation from silverware. Not the old rub puddy Mom used, but a liquid - Tarnex is a brand name in the USA. Gold doesn't oxidize - copper will - this stuff will "de oxidize" silver metal. It has been years since chemisrty - and I don't know whats in it - only its function ... But who knows what is in your plating? - i would be REALLY careful and try a q-tip on only a VERY small area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Bet it copper .... i do have a thought on how to get rid of the stain ... bit of a risk though .... so be careful ... there is liquid out there to remove oxidation from silverware. Not the old rub puddy Mom used, but a liquid - Tarnex is a brand name in the USA. Gold doesn't oxidize - copper will - this stuff will "de oxidize" silver metal. It has been years since chemisrty - and I don't know whats in it - only its function ... But who knows what is in your plating? - i would be REALLY careful and try a q-tip on only a VERY small area. Thanks, kritz! So it seems we all are heading to some professional product able to reduce oxide. Any EU-located members know of a Tarnex-similar product available in EU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fellfell Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Sir what is the seller that you buy your rose gold watch? THANKS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kritz Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Cheers sssurfer! Anyway, be very careful with reducing compounds. Platings are always thin and they go off rather easy. So - touching the case with a reducing compund might reduce the oxidized copper, but it might also start other reactions in the low quality rose gold plating... So you might end up with a totally damaged watch with a totally uneven finish... take care! Maybe you should carry it to a good jeweller, he can maybe tell you what to do on such a plated watch. The stuff I am thinking about will de-oxidize as opposed to etch with acid. That said - i'd find some green copper around town and try it out - bet you can find some in Rome ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TTK Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Do NOT use ANY kind of chemical remover.......! Try this first of all ...! Get a pencil.....that has a white eraser head....( softer than the red heads.....BTW I love redheads......no hair...just redheads )......and rub it gently with the eraser....if the white doesn't work....try the red one......do NOT buff with the eraser...just gentle strokes.....it should work.....failing that I have a white powder from China that works...it's a type of jeweller's rouge.....but isn't rouge.....more like jeweller's 'blanc'........but getting it thru' Customs might be a little tricky.....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 First of all: thanks, TTK! It's a honour to get help from you. The rubber(s) did not work. So I thoroughfully examined the area with a 10x loupe and I discovered two things: 1 - Contrarily from what I previously said, the spot seems not lying exactly at the same level of the surrounding surface, but it rather seems at a little lower level. 2 - The spot is surrounded by other micro-spots (undistinguishable at naked eye) with exactly the same look of the larger one. This makes me think that it might be a problem of plate gone away (possibly not properly sticking from the start), or - even more likely - defective from manufacturing. So, in the end, I think that my best option is to have it re-plated. I now just have to decide whether to try it in a DIY way, or to ask a jeweler. Decisions, decisions... Thanks all for your help folks, I think I am nearer to the solution now. @fellfell: the only dealer selling a '147' is Joshua. But be warned: the '147' is not an accurate rep. If you are looking for a rose gold Radiomir you will also find plenty of reps of other models around. You may have a look at my pics in the gallery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linder Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 So this brings up the question of how to find a jeweler for the replating. The only jeweler I have good connections with is the Patek AD and there's no way I can ask them to replate EL's 3919, LOL. Anyone have advice on how to find the type of company to do the replating? Am I looking for an actual jeweler or? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Anyone have advice on how to find the type of company to do the replating? Am I looking for an actual jeweler or? For USA, I read that Artisanplating (http://www.artisanplating.com/) makes good jobs. sssurfer - here in my town in Austria we got two companies that do replating with various metals. Pd, Au, Ag Pt,... dunno if they do rose gold... if you want I can ask. Really thanks, austria! Should I not be able to find anyone in Rome I'll allow myself to bother you again on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fellfell Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Thank you for your answer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted July 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 Thank you for your answer Ma di nulla. Ciao, e in bocca al lupo per la tua ricerca! You are welcome. Hi, and best wishes on your hunt! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAHLER Posted July 26, 2006 Report Share Posted July 26, 2006 A watchmaker is able to perform platings. The problem of the pink gold is the copper %. Evidently the plating is very economic and in some points has been an excessive concentration of copper that is oxidized. For that little that I know the galvanization passes through numerous layers of different material. Progress to a new plating won't be undertaken economic but if done well it will last quite a lot years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAHLER Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 http://orologi.forumfree.net/?t=6174316&st=0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted September 7, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 UPDATE AND RESULTS The spot revealed not to be an area of oxidation, but an area where the rose gold plating had peeled off. The greenish color was the color of the underlying layer of non-rose gold (the yellow color of the 'normal' gold just seemed greenish because sort of a color optic illusion for the contrast between the rose and the lemon accent of the two different golds). Considering the abovesaid, no wonder that no wiping or cleaning try resulted successful. Rather, they even enlarge the defective area and surrounding similar-but-smaller spots. A plating pen resulted unhelpful as well. It did NOT replate the defective area, and it rather enlarged it at 10x. The pen revealed able to plate in rose gold only areas where the original gold plating (rose or else) had been completely removed by me. I repeat this in case it may come helpful to some member: GOLD PLATING PENS DO NOT PLATE OVER PRE-EXISTING GOLD PLATING. (Curiously enough, my pen plated bare SS instead without any problems, even without any special pre-treatment). Naturally, stripping away all the original gold plating from the whole case, and plating it again from scratch, was beyond my plane. That pen was meant to perform a small retouch only. So I located a plating service and gave them the whole task. Cost for stripping and plating again all the case and accessories (clasp, screws, etc) in 8 microns gold (rose gold for the surface layer): 50 EUR. I got it back today, and all seems fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermanx Posted September 7, 2006 Report Share Posted September 7, 2006 Can you post a picture of the replated watch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted September 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2006 Can you post a picture of the replated watch? Currently it is at watchsmith for reassembling, and I'll soon have a holiday week far away from my PC, so I think I'll be able to post pics on the 2nd half of September. Tnx for your interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted September 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 Can you post a picture of the replated watch? After having worn the watch a while under several different light conditions, I am now forced to admit that the rose accent of the replate is very far from the original. Very, very paler. It's not worth any pics. Even worse, no local plater here seems able or willing to assure a more reddish accent. It seems as the original rose tone of this watch is impossible to replicate (!?!). I am going to ask Josh for a solution... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlast Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 was in the same problem ... finally , get new one 147, watchcase now - perfect,but this time ugly buckle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted September 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 was in the same problem ... finally , get new one 147, watchcase now - perfect,but this time ugly buckle Ouch! Did you pay for a whole new watch? About the buckles, I suppose that you just swapped them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everlast Posted September 20, 2006 Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 no , watch have some other minor problems too, and Jos offered to send back to fix it.I was'nt asked or dreamed about it,but when I get package back,brand new 147 was inside and good buckle was sent with old watch , but it's not a big deal , other RG PAM's have the same one,no problems to get replacement ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sssurfer Posted September 20, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2006 no , watch have some other minor problems too, and Jos offered to send back to fix it.I was'nt asked or dreamed about it,but when I get package back,brand new 147 was inside and good buckle was sent with old watch , but it's not a big deal , other RG PAM's have the same one,no problems to get replacement ... All clear now. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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