HELP. my rolex is yellowing.....

[Pauss]

For those who is familiar with Cape Cod Cloth. it happens when i was cleaning my WG daytona this afternoon with Cape Cod Cloth in the basel area and the side case of watch. and after i rinse the solution off with warm soapy water and wipe it until dry, suddenly i realize that the WG surface is yellowing.
is this normal and happened often? what should i do about it? any help or suggestion? arghhhhhhhhh

[frostie]

Something is definetely wrong but i am not an expert when it comes to polishing

Can you post some pics ?

Welcome to TRF

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Welcome to TRF!

Ordinary WG is Rhodium plated and the plating can wear off by use. The WG alloy that Rolex now uses is different, however, and should stay white.

I have seen a WG bezel on a older DJ 1601, though, where the YG showed underneath.

[Pauss]

its kinda hard to see with camera. but as an owner i know when something wrong with it. but i could be wrong :).
that's why i want to know if Rolex's WG can be polish with Cape Cod or not.

[EvEr34]

No cape cod on WG. I think it's even indicate on the packet

[Pauss]

nt

[Pauss]

i didn't see if they mention not to polish WG with it. well after i do research today ppl in ebay mention about it.

[frostie]

It doesn't mention white gold anywhere

[EvEr34]

You are right I just looked at my packets and it doesn't. My bad. here is the disclaimer on the Boston Watch Exchange website.....this is where i get mine. You'll find this disclaimer pretty much everywhere where cape cod is sold.


"Special Note on White Gold:
We don't recommend using Cape Cods on white gold watches as any polishing of a white gold surface could eventually result in the removal of the rhodium layer and produce slight color changes. Using Cape Cods on satin finish surfaces will eventually make the satin finish a high polish finish."

[Norm]

While we're on the topic: Can I use a Cape Cod cloth on my polished gold links of my TT Blue Sub? The scratches are very fine and barely noticeable. Thanks in advance.

[marshallr47]

Oh no! I wonder if it can be corrected. Sorry to hear that and good luck.

[frostie]

Yes cape cod cloth can be used at golden polished links

here is a tutorial : http://www.rolexreferencepage.com/articles/15.html

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Originally Posted by Norm

While we're on the topic: Can I use a Cape Cod cloth on my polished gold links of my TT Blue Sub? The scratches are very fine and barely noticeable. Thanks in advance.

Indeed you can!

Click here.

[Norm]

Thank you Bo and Velitsko.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

No problem. Seems we posted at the same time. There is another more detailed tutorial, at least with more pics anyway. Unfortunately, it's in German, but if you can live with a google translation, here is the other tutorial.

Better try out the cloth on another piece of polished metal to get the hang of it before polishing the actual watch.

[Norm]

Thanks again Bo. That's excellent. It seems like it may be better to live with the scratches for a little while and just polish it occasionally.

[scottschoe]

Originally Posted by EvEr34

You are right I just looked at my packets and it doesn't. My bad. here is the disclaimer on the Boston Watch Exchange website.....this is where i get mine. You'll find this disclaimer pretty much everywhere where cape cod is sold.


"Special Note on White Gold:
We don't recommend using Cape Cods on white gold watches as any polishing of a white gold surface could eventually result in the removal of the rhodium layer and produce slight color changes. Using Cape Cods on satin finish surfaces will eventually make the satin finish a high polish finish."

Ouch. Is something like that reversible at time of service? Yet another reason why I don't use cape cods.

[oneillba]

Don't you just hate when you are trying to do something good for your watch and indavertently bung something up? I can't tell you how many times I've done that with one of my fine shotguns. Polishing the stocks or treating the barrels and somehow something happens and they fall over or I bang them into something and make things worse i.e a dent in the stock. I'm sure the same thing happens with cars and other things people try to maintain and keep up. Oh well!

[Pauss]

o damn! that mean my feeling is right that my rolex is yellowing. any help or recommendation?

[tnt]

Originally Posted by Pauss

o damn! that mean my feeling is right that my rolex is yellowing. any help or recommendation?

it needs to have a very good repolish and recoat with the rhodium in order to get that white gold looking back. No other choice around.

[meloncap78]

What, if anything is on the market to polish a stainless sub? The polished case sides in particular. If I know there is a solution that takes away the fine line scratches and makes it look like new again without sending it out to someone then I won't worry so darn much about being as careful as I am with it.

[DRKBC]

Hi there,

18K white gold is not that white, we use to be in the jewellery business and always used 19k White gold as it is much whiter than 18k and is also very hard. Most white gold jewellery is not made with 19K and as such is often rhodium plated as you have read many times on this thread. Rhodium is a type of platinum,it is very white and bright and it can be applied to white gold in a very thin coating (flash plated) making the item look great initially but when it wears off ... well you get the idea. If that's the case here it would surprise me, I would think Rolex would be a little more of a what you see is what you get type of company, wouldn't you?

Dwayne

[CanuckRolex]

White gold is a Rhodium plating over standard yellow gold.

Hence when you polish it, the yellow gold starts to show through.

[DRKBC]

Originally Posted by CanuckRolex

White gold is a Rhodium plating over standard yellow gold.

Hence when you polish it, the yellow gold starts to show through.

No it is not, white gold is gold, in the case of 18k 750 parts are pure gold and the other 250 parts are an alloy or alloys that have been used to produce the white gold color. Rhodium is a member of the platinum group. Rodium, Osmium, Iridium.

[CanuckRolex]

Originally Posted by DRKBC

No it is not, white gold is gold, in the case of 18k 750 parts are pure gold and the other 250 parts are an alloy or alloys that have been used to produce the white gold color. Rhodium is a member of the platinum group. Rodium, Osmium, Iridium.

Give me a break, I just got back from the jewlers where they just resized my fiancees white gold band and showed me that anything white gold is actually standard gold with a rhodium plating overtop.

They showed it right there and the goldsmith has 45years experience and he showed me and explained to me right in front of me.

He told me never to polish the ring seeing it will remove the rhodium and the ring with get yellowish tinge with the underlying gold is showing through.

IT IS NOT AN ALLOY AND PURE WHITEGOLD THROUGHOUT.

So don't even go there and argue with a goldsmith with 45 years experience that explained this to me for an hour.

[aeroguy]

Originally Posted by CanuckRolex

Give me a break, I just got back from the jewlers where they just resized my fiancees white gold band and showed me that anything white gold is actually standard gold with a rhodium plating overtop.

They showed it right there and the goldsmith has 45years experience and he showed me and explained to me right in front of me.

He told me never to polish the ring seeing it will remove the rhodium and the ring with get yellowish tinge with the underlying gold is showing through.

IT IS NOT AN ALLOY AND PURE WHITEGOLD THROUGHOUT.

So don't even go there and argue with a goldsmith with 45 years experience that explained this to me for an hour.

You might want to take a look at this information:

Many jewelers will tell you that there's really no such thing as "white gold" because in most cases jewelry manufacturers apply a coating or "plating" of a white metal called rhodium over gold to give it's white metal appearance. As such, most pieces of white gold jewelry will require periodic re-plating to maintain its appearance. However, you need not worry about ever having to have a white gold Rolex re-plated because Rolex uses a very unique manufacturing process in the creation of their white gold - white metals such as palladium and rhodium are literally blended into molten gold to create solid "white gold."

This is an extract from "the rolex reference page". http://www.rolexreferencepage.com/Daydate/review.html

Is it correct? I can't say for sure but anyway...

BTW, no need to be hostile when posting a reply...

[DRKBC]

Originally Posted by CanuckRolex

Give me a break, I just got back from the jewlers where they just resized my fiancees white gold band and showed me that anything white gold is actually standard gold with a rhodium plating overtop.

They showed it right there and the goldsmith has 45years experience and he showed me and explained to me right in front of me.

He told me never to polish the ring seeing it will remove the rhodium and the ring with get yellowish tinge with the underlying gold is showing through.

IT IS NOT AN ALLOY AND PURE WHITEGOLD THROUGHOUT.

So don't even go there and argue with a goldsmith with 45 years experience that explained this to me for an hour.

No that isn't correct, have you ever seen a bar of pure 24k white gold? No right, that is because it doesn't exist, white gold is a little yellowish because it contains yellow gold; 47.5 % if its 10K, 58.5% if it is 14k and 75% if it is 18k. White gold is yellow gold alloyed with at least one white metal, nickel or platinum usually. If they are calling yellow gold plated with rhodium, white gold it is simply that yellow gold ... plated with rhodium. We had a workshop we made handmade jewellery so I am very familiar with this.

[Markg]

Originally Posted by tnt

it needs to have a very good repolish and recoat with the rhodium in order to get that white gold looking back. No other choice around.

i didnt think rolex used rhodium on its white gold.....

[Widows Son]

Originally Posted by oneillba

Don't you just hate when you are trying to do something good for your watch and indavertently bung something up? I can't tell you how many times I've done that with one of my fine shotguns. Polishing the stocks or treating the barrels and somehow something happens and they fall over or I bang them into something and make things worse i.e a dent in the stock. I'm sure the same thing happens with cars and other things people try to maintain and keep up. Oh well!

Keep your mitts off my Citori Sporting Clays!!!!!!

[CanuckRolex]

Originally Posted by DRKBC

No that isn't correct, have you ever seen a bar of pure 24k white gold? No right, that is because it doesn't exist, white gold is a little yellowish because it contains yellow gold; 47.5 % if its 10K, 58.5% if it is 14k and 75% if it is 18k. White gold is yellow gold alloyed with at least one white metal, nickel or platinum usually. If they are calling yellow gold plated with rhodium, white gold it is simply that yellow gold ... plated with rhodium. We had a workshop we made handmade jewellery so I am very familiar with this.

The gold is never pure white gold and is yellowish and is always covered with a rhodium finish seeing white gold cannot hold a gloss.