Titanium=scratch magnet?

[lorsban]

Hey guys,

I have a Breguet Type XX in titanium and comparing that to my other watches (steel/gold), the Breguet gets scratched the most easily and I had to spend a ton to have it polished.

So, I'm curious, has anyone else observed their titanium watches being scratch magnets?

By the way, I had a Casio G-Shock that was titanium and it seems more difficult to scratch than even my steel watches! There's probably some kind of coating treatment on the Casio but what I'm wondering is why couldn't Breguet do the same considering that it's a hundred times more expensive?!!

lorsban

[GBJIV]

My ti PAM has not scratched easily. I have had it since 2004 and it is in great shape. I just used Cape Cod recently and it came out looking great.

Sorry to hear that such a nice watch would scratch so readily...

[lorsban]

Thing is titanium (unless treated) is really known to be scratched easily. Stupid me for not doing research before buying. All I was thinking was light, strong, no rust or allergic reactions (which I oddly get with my Rolex watches).

Glad Panerai got it right, though. I wonder how it is with the other watch manufacturers?

[TheDude]

Just as a tiny fact to file away, Citizen's titanium is surprisingly hard and resistant to scratches and gouges, but it is treated in a special manner.

[bankerII]

Titanium is a relatively soft metal so it will scratch easily. It is also very easy to buff out. I have Titanium Breitling M1 that I refinish every once in a while. I have found that the stuff used to clean glass top stoves does a great job on the titanium finish of my Breitling. It is microabrasive and does not contain harsh chems.

[lorsban]

It is also very easy to buff out.

Really? All the readings I've done and from all the repair shops I've been to, they all claim that titanium is more difficult to work with than steel that's why they can't guarantee 100% removal of scratches and also why it costs more to buff than steel.

[xlr8tion]

I have a 600 dollar Ti Citizen Eco Drive that is absolutely bullet-proof.....g

I wear it for banging around and it seems nearly as tough as my Rado Ceramica Multifunction....

Also...Ti is very light as compared to SS......

Thanks....Carl

[lorsban]

So, it seems both Breguet and Breitling use either a non-treated or different type of titanium than the other guys.

[lorsban]

Originally Posted by bankerII

Titanium is a relatively soft metal so it will scratch easily. It is also very easy to buff out. I have Titanium Breitling M1 that I refinish every once in a while. I have found that the stuff used to clean glass top stoves does a great job on the titanium finish of my Breitling. It is microabrasive and does not contain harsh chems.

Old thread, I know, but I'm hoping the info would help others in a similar situation.

Last night, I tried using steel wool, the least course grade and guess what? IT WORKED! Zero scratches now. I use steel wool for fret work on my guitars so I decided to try it out.

What you do is take a small amount, just enough for the pad of your index finger and lightly rub out the scratch, following the grain. If you look closely at matte finish watches, you'll notice a grain, mostly it's vertical but sometimes, on the case, it's horizontal. Just follow it using small precise movements.

Man, I can't believe I just paid the service center an arm and a leg for something this easy and cheap to do!