Polishing and Refinishing Luxury Watches: Technique and Care

Polishing a luxury watch is not simply cosmetic. It is a technical intervention that can either preserve or destroy the value of the watch.

Why polishing matters

A poorly polished luxury watch can lose up to 20% of its value. The angles, proportions, and original finishes are part of the value. Aggressive polishing rounds off edges and alters the proportions.

Conservative vs aggressive polishing

We practise only conservative polishing: we remove superficial scratches while preserving sharp edges and original proportions. Aggressive polishing removes too much material and alters the geometry of the case.

The process

1. Inspection: assessment of scratch depth, angles, and finishes
2. Disassembly: case separated from movement, crystal, and crown
3. Progressive sanding: from 800 to 3000 grit abrasive paper
4. Polishing: diamond paste on felt and brushes
5. Brushing: restoration of brushed finishes where necessary
6. Edge inspection: verification with 10x loupe that edges remain sharp
7. Ultrasonic cleaning: final cleaning
8. Reassembly: with new gaskets

How often to polish

Not every time you have a service. A case can be polished 3–5 times over the life of the watch before too much material is lost. If you polish every 4–5 years, after 20 years the case will be worn away.

When NOT to polish

• Vintage watches with original patina
• Watches with “tropical dial” or aged dials
• Collector’s watches (patina is value)
• Cases that have already been over-polished in the past

Our approach

Before every polishing, we document the state of the case with macro photographs. We discuss with the client what to remove and what to preserve. The decision is always the client’s, but our advice is always conservative.