I actually have a serious question......

[mdx77]

I know, really.....from me

Anyway......I was in a non Rolex AD, more of a larger Jewelry chain if you will, and one of the sales reps asked to clean my watch.....no biggie I thought, but I figured, what the hell.......so as I'm taking it off, he makes mention that the "stemaer" will do it nicely. Whoa there buddy!!!! I told him nevermind and proceded to still look around.......has anyone had this happen before? and would it have been okay to put my watch in a Jewelry sonic steamer thingy......? (yes, that is a technical term )

[vh_bu98]

Hhmm...if it uses sonic vibrations, I wouldn't let them do it. The last thing you want are loose parts jiggling around in the case.

[daunwaun]

I would have no idea to be honest!!!

[scottschoe]

Just the bracelet would be fine...I wouldn't put the head in there though.

[stang1]

I wouldn't let them touch my watch thats for sure.

[LMP]

Not a good idea IMO.

[sherwin]

i prefer a good amount of soft brushing to do the cleaning, and plenty of hot water

[Incurable]

It's a common practice... The steamers they have, however, are intended for rings, necklaces and other jewelry. My AD has done it before but limited to only the bracelet. I wouldn't use or let be used an ultrasonic cleaner on any watch. Maybe just the bracelet but only after removing it.

[TARDIS]

No No No....don't trust ANYONE you don't know with your Rolex.

[BiG JeEzY]

I used to have my watch cleaned at my AD before. They would clean it by using hot steam on the watch. But now, I just clean the watches myself since I just prefer to do the job myself. Plus, just water and mild soap is more than enough to keep your watch clean and working perfectly for many years.

Using steamers, ultrasonic cleaners is just not really necessary at all.

[CPCC]

If you can wear it shooting hand guns, a little ultrasonic shouldnt matter

[frostie]

Originally Posted by BiG JeEzY

I used to have my watch cleaned at my AD before. They would clean it by using hot steam on the watch. But now, I just clean the watches myself since I just prefer to do the job myself. Plus, just water and mild soap is more than enough to keep your watch clean and working perfectly for many years.

Using steamers, ultrasonic cleaners is just not really necessary at all.

X2

[marshallr47]

Agreed. Rolex bracelets would be fine however, don't put the case in ultrasonic cleaners.

[Chris B]

RSC Bexley used an ultra-sonic on my (complete) GMT when they performed a "while you wait" bezel insert swap, no probs & if anything its my best timekeeper.

[Incurable]

I don't think an occasional trip to the ultrasonic cleaner would be a bad thing for the bracelet at all. In fact, an external brushing does little to nothing to clean the gunk from the internal connecting pins or the surfaces they contact. The solution for ultrasonic cleaners is quite lubricious and does a good job of removing stuff from all those tight and hidden surfaces you can't get to with a brush. That said, I wouldn't do it too often and make sure you use the plastic basket. Too often could prematurely wear parts and corrupt the finish if put directly in the metal pan. JMHO...

[Andad]

Regarding untrasonic cleaners.

Many years ago I designed and manufactured ultrasonic cleaners for laboratory applications. The small ones with a capacity of up to say 500 ml (about 16 fluid ounces) were very low wattage transducers (50 Watts @ 18 - 40 KHz and would probably be harmless to a Rolex movement, 'o' ring seals and fingers. These small ones are the 'jeweller' type cleaners that you would purchase from a store. The heavy duty 'Commercial' ultrasonic cleaners for serious cleaning would not be recommended as they could cause damage. If in doubt, I would only immerse the bracelet in an ultrasonic cleaner unless I had established the transducer power output.

Info attached:-

Processs Description
In a process termed cavitation, micron-size bubbles naturally present in a liquid form and grow due to alternating positive and negative pressure waves in a solution. The bubbles subjected to these alternating pressure waves continue to grow until they reach resonant size. Just prior to the bubble implosion, there is a tremendous amount of energy stored inside the bubble itself.

Temperature inside a cavitating bubble can be extremely high; 3,000°C, with pressures up to 10,000PSI. The implosion event, when it occurs near a hard surface, changes the bubble into a jet about one-tenth the bubble size, which travels at speeds up to 400 km/hr toward the hard surface. With the combination of pressure, temperature, and velocity, the jet frees contaminants from their bonds with the substrate. Because of the inherently small size of the jet and the relatively large energy, ultrasonic cleaning has the ability to reach into small crevices and remove entrapped soils very effectively.

An excellent demonstration of this phenomenon is to take two flat glass microscope slides, put lipstick on a side of one, place the other slide over top, and wrap the slides with a rubber band. When the slides are placed into an ultrasonic bath with nothing more than a mild detergent and hot water, within a few minutes the process of cavitation will work the lipstick out from between the slide assembly. It is the powerful scrubbing action and the extremely small size of the jet action that enable this to happen.

[SPACE-DWELLER]

Good called you passed on having it steamed.

Your Rolex.

[PhilM]

I've also would have also said thanks for the offer but no thanks

[mailman]

Originally Posted by directioneng

Regarding untrasonic cleaners.

Many years ago I designed and manufactured ultrasonic cleaners for laboratory applications. The small ones with a capacity of up to say 500 ml (about 16 fluid ounces) were very low wattage transducers (50 Watts @ 18 - 40 KHz and would probably be harmless to a Rolex movement, 'o' ring seals and fingers. These small ones are the 'jeweller' type cleaners that you would purchase from a store. The heavy duty 'Commercial' ultrasonic cleaners for serious cleaning would not be recommended as they could cause damage. If in doubt, I would only immerse the bracelet in an ultrasonic cleaner unless I had established the transducer power output.

Info attached:-

Processs Description
In a process termed cavitation, micron-size bubbles naturally present in a liquid form and grow due to alternating positive and negative pressure waves in a solution. The bubbles subjected to these alternating pressure waves continue to grow until they reach resonant size. Just prior to the bubble implosion, there is a tremendous amount of energy stored inside the bubble itself.

Temperature inside a cavitating bubble can be extremely high; 3,000°C, with pressures up to 10,000PSI. The implosion event, when it occurs near a hard surface, changes the bubble into a jet about one-tenth the bubble size, which travels at speeds up to 400 km/hr toward the hard surface. With the combination of pressure, temperature, and velocity, the jet frees contaminants from their bonds with the substrate. Because of the inherently small size of the jet and the relatively large energy, ultrasonic cleaning has the ability to reach into small crevices and remove entrapped soils very effectively.

An excellent demonstration of this phenomenon is to take two flat glass microscope slides, put lipstick on a side of one, place the other slide over top, and wrap the slides with a rubber band. When the slides are placed into an ultrasonic bath with nothing more than a mild detergent and hot water, within a few minutes the process of cavitation will work the lipstick out from between the slide assembly. It is the powerful scrubbing action and the extremely small size of the jet action that enable this to happen.

Nice info Eddie. Thanks

[exchange83]

i would have done the exact same thing. run out of the store.

[mickeydainish]

Thanx for the info Eddie. Noted for future. :-)

[daveathall]

Glad this came up, in my naivety I would probably have had it done, now though, having read the comments, I wouldn't.