# Cauny Swiss Life



## cassidy (May 10, 2008)

Anybody know anything about this? Picked up a man's watch today, 17 rubis, marked on face "Cauny Swiss Life" and on back "Cauny Prima" with fleur-de-lys logo, "Fond acier inoxydable" (got that part), "Lunette - carrure" (don't know latter term), "PlaquÃ© or 10 microns" (okay with that), "220-596" and 6480. Had the back off and the movement looked nice and clean--again, sorry, my pathetic camera would elicit little piles of doggy-doo on responses--and stamped with the fleur-de-lys. Movement may be clean, but the watch face is not. Small date window; date in red. Seconds subdial.

Basically, age? Decent quality watch? (Picked up a manual wind Arauto at same time. Don't know that one either, and not excited about it; looks pretty standard, no character. But a couple of bucks...)

Further to that, is it ever advisable to try to clean an old watch face oneself? If so (and I suspect not) is there anywhere to look for help on how to do so? I have probably a dozen older (40s, 50s' 60s) watches that run but on which the face is stained in some manner.

And for those of you observing Remembrance Day, hope you made it out to the cenotaph.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Well, carrure is literally "athletic" so ?strong?

Cauny are still about.. in Spain I think... .com.es

Cleaning dials can be a disaster or a triumph..

I have a Borel awaiting restoration after my dial cleaning went wrong. On the other hand I have had luck with others.

Buy a crystal removal tool and a pile of crystals, new ones always look better, and experiment on scrappers. Pull the hands off.

Cotton wool buds, toothpicks and Rodico. And patience, patience. And then more patience.

It took fifty years to build up, so it ain't coming off in a hurry..

Water, gentle cleaner, all have a role, just accept you're not going to get it perfect, just better...

Good luck!


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## cassidy (May 10, 2008)

chris l said:


> Well, carrure is literally "athletic" so ?strong?
> 
> Cauny are still about.. in Spain I think... .com.es
> 
> ...


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## cassidy (May 10, 2008)

cassidy said:


> chris l said:
> 
> 
> > Well, carrure is literally "athletic" so ?strong?
> ...


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## Stuart Davies (Jan 13, 2008)

cassidy said:


> Thanks, Chris. I have never pulled hands off a watch; wouldn't know how to put them back on without potentially bending something. Watch hands seem so delicate. Can I clean around them?


Yes, this is what I did with my 1945 Doxa Cass. Just makes it that bit more awkward but is possible


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## cassidy (May 10, 2008)

Stuart Davies said:


> cassidy said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks, Chris. I have never pulled hands off a watch; wouldn't know how to put them back on without potentially bending something. Watch hands seem so delicate. Can I clean around them?
> ...


Right-o. Thanks. I'll let you know how it turns out. As Chris suggested, I'll certainly start out on the watches that are not so dear to me and work up, if at all.


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