Renewal of the Case and Metal Bracelet

Words

Jure Jenko

Photography

Nejc Puš

Wristwatches accompany us at practically every step: many wear a timepiece from dusk till dawn and perform all sorts of tasks wearing it. Considering the fact that this way the watch is exposed to various factors, it is almost impossible to avoid causing various damage to the watch case or metal bracelet. In the watchmaking workshop Malalan skilled masters restore your watch since they are equipped with vast knowledge and state-of-the-art technology.

When you hand your wristwatch over to our sales personnel in Ljubljana or Zagreb, they send it to one of the workshops where the watch is first examined. According to its state, we can estimate the scope of work needed and which parts will have to be restored or changed.

We decide together with you whether the procedure will include a complete revision or just a refreshment or a complete restoration of the case. After that, the work begins with the disassembly of the entire watch: the bracelet is detached from the case and the mechanism is removed, as well as the glass, the winding crown, and push-pieces.

When we are only dealing with the visual refreshment or restoration of the timepiece’s exterior, the movement is not taken apart but is kept in a protected chamber almost to the end of all procedures. All parts of the case and bracelet are appropriately cleaned, following which the restoration of bigger indentations begins.

In recent years, we have acquired all relevant certificates for the work with various materials, including the extremely demanding Oystersteel material in its cases used by Rolex.

In recent years, we have acquired all relevant certificates for the work with various materials, including the extremely demanding Oystersteel material in its cases used by Rolex. Thus, within the context of a more demanding restoration major indentations are filled with a laser welding procedure which enables extremely precise work while at the same time does not cause the material the case is made of to overheat: be it steel, gold, or any other metal.

The application of the material is followed by multi-stage processing using special abrasive bands that helps preserve the original case form. When the form of the case matches the extremely demanding standards of manufacturers, we focus on the fine surface treatment: sandblasting, satin finishing, matte finishing, and polishing.

Preservation

The technique used by the watchmaker is extremely important with all the treatments mentioned above and should always strive towards the goal that the end result is exactly the same as the original state.

The Brushes

We need to choose the right brushes and the right polishing paste, while the key part is played by the direction of the polishing, the pressure applied, and the speed of brush rotation.

Preservation

It is very important with polishing that as little material as possible is taken away for the best possible result. If your wristwatch bears a metal bracelet, it is usually polished together with the case to ensure the identical final appearance of both.

Limitations

The number of times polishing can be done is limited by the bracelet and case thickness, since scratches can be avoided to a great extent by applying some attentiveness while wearing and storing the watch by preventing its contact with other metal accessories.

When the shape of the case and the quality of final treatment meet the high standards demanded by our workshop, the case is once again cleaned and the procedure of reassembling the wristwatch begins. During this task, primarily the waterproofness needs to be ensured, hence we always, as a preventive measure, replace all gaskets in the case, the winding crown, and push-pieces.

Before the sensitive movement is reinserted into the case, waterproofness tests are performed thus guaranteeing that it matches the classification of the manufacturer. Afterwards, if you make sure the winding crown is appropriately tightened and you do not expose the wristwatch to too high pressure, it will remain adequately waterproof.

Even though the renewal of the bracelet and case is a procedure that is the most noticeable on the wristwatch, it is good to keep in mind that polishing always takes some material away from the metal parts.

For this reason, the number of times polishing can be done is limited by the bracelet and case thickness, since scratches can be avoided to a great extent by applying some attentiveness while wearing and storing the watch by preventing its contact with other metal accessories thus preventing the scratches from occurring on all metal surfaces. Additionally, a leather strap can be worn between the watch and the metal bracelet, while the watch should be kept in pouches or boxes intended for this purpose.