My Rolexes First Bath

[Big Bill]

I've had my D- Blue Deepsea for six weeks now and have only taken it off a couple times I wear it ever were including to bed. I've read on this forum the best way to clean a new Rolex is warm water hand soap with a soft Toothbrush and it made my watch sparkle better then when I first took off the stickers. Thanks for the good information.

[THC]

LOL isn't water a given with this watch?

[speedolex]

Windex.

Less abrasive than a toothbrush and the only thing that can get deep in the bracelet crevices to get the black gunk out.

[Big Bill]

Originally Posted by speedolex

Windex.

Less abrasive than a toothbrush and the only thing that can get deep in the bracelet crevices to get the black gunk out.

What do you do spray the Windex on and run water over it to get the black stuff off ?

[Big Bill]

Originally Posted by THC

LOL isn't water a given with this watch?

Water alone doesn't seem to get the gunk off.

[amh]

Mine has a bath every night

[perryj]

Yep windex, old watch makers trick

[the0thrdude]

straight windex or diluted?

[DevinH]

Originally Posted by perryj

Yep windex, old watch makers trick

I might have to try that? Let soak then rinse in warm water?


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[perryj]

Soak about 5 mins then shake and swish around really good serveral times and black stuff falls out of the braclet line crazy I do it once every 6-8 weeks

[Big Bill]

Great information I would never have thought of using Windex.




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[perryj]

What the bowl looks like afterward. Tons of gunk!

[904VT]

Originally Posted by speedolex

Windex.

Less abrasive than a toothbrush and the only thing that can get deep in the bracelet crevices to get the black gunk out.

Anything with alcohol or ammonia is not good

[gummy]

I'm in...I wanna try the windex!

[Big Bill]

Originally Posted by perryj

What the bowl looks like afterward. Tons of gunk!

Let's see a picture of your watch all clean & shiny.

[Danny83]

Thats a lot of gunk but I think soap and water work fine no smell either

[Dirt]

Originally Posted by 904VT

Anything with alcohol or ammonia is not good

This is correct.
Windex has Ammonia, which will be great for general cleaning of the bracelet but not very good at all(I suspect) for the seals.
I think the seals are Nitrile, maybe they're ok and maybe they're not

[MaxTG]

Does anyone use an ultrasonic cleaner? I have one that I throw my glasses into every morning, with water a drop of dish soap. The glasses come out squeaky clean, and years of doing this hasn't done any harm to the many optical coatings or finishes.

It's the ~$30 one from Harbor Freight, nothing fancy, no heat.
http://www.harborfreight.com/ultraso...aner-3305.html


I've tossed (removed) watch bands in there with great success -- grime and crud comes out in short order. Given the relative durability of the Rolex to the spectacles, it *seems* like it would be fine, but I'm not experimenting. Does anyone use one of these?

[904VT]

Rolex recommends not using any cleaners that have alcohol and/or ammonia. Use something like blue dawn (not anti-bacterial)

[Rocket_Man]

I'm not sure what rubber Rolex uses in their o-rings. But this subject comes up a lot. Viton and Nitrile are mentioned often. I think the gasket around the crystal is Nylon. Protective gloves are made out of both Viton and Nitrile so it is not hard to find the chemical resistance of these materials to Alcohol and Ammonia. Alcohol is assumed to be Isopropyl Alcohol. Chemical compatibility data is assumed to be against 100% solution unless mentioned otherwise. Workers in industrial applications need this data. In a consumer cleaner like Windex both the alcohol and ammonia are pretty diluted. The ammonia is 5-10%. ISO is often found in 50% solution in drug stores.

ISO: Viton and Nitrile have high resistance. Nylon has poor resistance.

Ammonia: Viton has poor resistance. Nitrile has fair resistance. Nylon has high resistance.

But.... the exposure to Windex for 5 minutes and then washed off is pretty brief exposure and the nature of these chemicals means they evaporate quickly even if they are not fully rinsed off. That is what makes Windex 'streak free.' So likely there is no harm to brief exposure to Windex. Personally I would not worry about it. I have some Nitrile gloves that I have used with Acetone for many hours that are rated as 'poor' resistance to Acetone but the gloves have not seen any degradation. So even hours of exposure may be considered brief exposure.

The best way to answer this once and for all is for someone to get some Viton, Nitrile, and Nylon o-rings from a watch supply company and soak them in these chemicals until they have some effect on the material. These are pretty easy to get.

[paolozambelli]

or if your worried about the seals, pop the bracelet off, only takes 20 seconds, clean it and then pop it back on... no risk then

[speedolex]

Originally Posted by 904VT

Anything with alcohol or ammonia is not good

Bracelet only, every 6 months.

Pour Windex in a shallow bowl, soak 20 minutes, then swish around laterally, the black gunk comes out easily.

Then rinse with cold water.

[perryj]

Originally Posted by Big Bill

Let's see a picture of your watch all clean & shiny.

Here she is. Old girls not bad for almost 20 years old

[sea-dweller]

Looks great!

[RichM]

Looking good

[Big Bill]

Originally Posted by perryj

Here she is. Old girls not bad for almost 20 years old

Wow! Awesome timepiece looks fantastic. Have you used the old "Windex" trick for the past 20 years? Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to seeing you around the forum.

[OgSnowflake]

Anybody else think dropping a watch in a cup of windex is the most terrible idea they have ever heard and baffled it's got as many " wow I gotta try that" as it has?

Hey let's drop my watch it a bucket of gasoline... Hey honey lemme get some of that nail polish remover....better yet bust out the pure acetone I want this thing looking squueeekyy clean!

Blue dawn+ water people it will change your life ....leave the harsh chemicals for cleaning the windows.

[treblarefils]

Blue dawn /thread

[perryj]

Originally Posted by OgSnowflake

Anybody else think dropping a watch in a cup of windex is the most terrible idea they have ever heard and baffled it's got as many " wow I gotta try that" as it has?

Hey let's drop my watch it a bucket of gasoline... Hey honey lemme get some of that nail polish remover....better yet bust out the pure acetone I want this thing looking squueeekyy clean!

Blue dawn+ water people it will change your life ....leave the harsh chemicals for cleaning the windows.

I know watch makers who put these together for a living would beg to differ.

I also dive with my watch in actual saltwater oh the horror, and have done so for 20+ years even datejust. Folks these are built as tanks

[Big Bill]

Originally Posted by OgSnowflake

Anybody else think dropping a watch in a cup of windex is the most terrible idea they have ever heard and baffled it's got as many " wow I gotta try that" as it has?

Hey let's drop my watch it a bucket of gasoline... Hey honey lemme get some of that nail polish remover....better yet bust out the pure acetone I want this thing looking squueeekyy clean!

Blue dawn+ water people it will change your life ....leave the harsh chemicals for cleaning the windows.

Hey Snowflake you don't have to be so humble on your second post on this great forum . Tell us how you really feel?