# Citizen 150M Save.



## bsa (Dec 23, 2010)

Awhile back a I got a couple of knocked about Citizens that i could play with



















This is one of them


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## bsa (Dec 23, 2010)

I had to take a lot of the mineral crystal and cant seem to get a crystal clear finish, any hints please.

Im also looking for a bezel for the second watch if anyone can help please let me know.

Thanks Mark.


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## Morris Minor (Oct 4, 2010)

bsa said:


> I had to take a lot of the mineral crystal and cant seem to get a crystal clear finish, any hints please.
> 
> Im also looking for a bezel for the second watch if anyone can help please let me know.
> 
> Thanks Mark.


What did you use on the glass, especially for the final polishing? I've has some success with very fine wet and dry - it's called 'micro mesh' and goes to 2400 grade, then finished off with 'Safe Cut' which is like 'T-Cut'.

As for the bezel, it's going to be very hard to find a correct one I'm afraid.

Stephen


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## K.I.T.T. (Sep 5, 2003)

These are great watches & well worth the effort to save them... As to parts they are very difficult to source so you usually have to make do & mend whilst keeping an eye out for any broken watches that you can use for parts. The problem is that they are such tough watches that even broken ones are rare.

Mike


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## bsa (Dec 23, 2010)

The glass was a long process. 800 grit wet and dry then 1200 grit used until worn out. However i could not get any sort of finish and it appeared cloudy when viewed at an angle so i used toothpaste and a high speed dremel setting (mindful of heat) which worked but it still could be clearer.

Mark


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## martinzx (Aug 29, 2010)

I remember reading somewhere Diamond powder was good for polishing glass crystals


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## RichUK (May 27, 2011)

martinzx said:


> I remember reading somewhere Diamond powder was good for polishing glass crystals


Could be, I've not used it on plastic. A rouge cloth may also work for the very final polish.

I've done many crystals and lots of perspex polishing and you can definitely get a clear finish you'll be pleased with by hand alone. The secret (like car paint finishing) is going down through the abrasives. After (if needed) 1200 wet and dry, go to Original T cut and finally T cut for Metallic paint which is finer still. The last polish can be with the liquid almost used-up/dried on the cloth and very light pressure.


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## Roamer Man (May 25, 2011)

bsa said:


> The glass was a long process. 800 grit wet and dry then 1200 grit used until worn out. However i could not get any sort of finish and it appeared cloudy when viewed at an angle so i used toothpaste and a high speed dremel setting (mindful of heat) which worked but it still could be clearer.
> 
> Mark


Bet I've got a worse one than you....










..and you thought you had problems?

Seriously, though, I tried a polish job with wet and dry, but it won't even touch it! Someone said a new glass is the only solution...


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## Phillionaire (Jan 23, 2010)

Maybe price up a replacement crystal and save yourself some hours of heartbreak? Either way, a great improvement on when you bought them. Looks good on that nato. :thumbsup:


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

Roamer Man said:


> Bet I've got a worse one than you....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi Roamer Man

Here's an old work watch of mine that was scratched, burnt, knocked etc, the mineral glass was in a shocking state so I attacked it with wet & dry paper..

It took about thirty minutes in total and made my fingers ache terribly (have arthritis in them now so they hurt all the time :bb:

Iused the paper wet and added some fairy liquid to lubricate it the I used solvol autosol (chrome and other metal cleaner) then to finish I used brasso poured on to some card and rubbed the watch (crystal down) until it was done..

There were some really deep burns so I didn't try to remove all of them as the glass would have been too thin..

Before..










After..










The watch crystal is by no means perfect but it's much easier to see the detail now :wink2:

John 

BTW, the same day I took it back to work, our forman begged it from me :taz:

BTW 2- all the 'rubbing' operations were carried out by holding the case and rubbing againgst the wet & dry whilst the paper was laid on a sheet of glass (abrasive side up  )


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## Roamer Man (May 25, 2011)

johnbaz said:


> Roamer Man said:
> 
> 
> > Bet I've got a worse one than you....
> ...


Maybe I'll have another go at it, then?

Cheers


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## RichUK (May 27, 2011)

Hi guys, I'd been assuming plastic (acrylic) crystals for bsa's watches. If it's mineral glass (Roamer Man?) then it's much more difficult and that's a great result johnbaz has got  Wet and dry should still do it (it certainly scratches regular window glass) and maybe a small fine carborundum sharpening stone would be useful and a diamond polish to finish. I've only tried one ordinary type mineral glass crystal with limited success. I used T cut on a mineral crystal for a small scratch but it was hard work and left other marks visible under a loupe. I'm thinking T cut abrasive isn't hard enough to cut glass and the sapphire type crystals would be harder still I'm sure. I'd replace mineral and sapphire crystals if poss rather than try and polish them.


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## johnbaz (Jan 30, 2005)

RichUK said:


> Hi guys, I'd been assuming plastic (acrylic) crystals for bsa's watches. If it's mineral glass (Roamer Man?) then it's much more difficult and that's a great result johnbaz has got  Wet and dry should still do it (it certainly scratches regular window glass) and maybe a small fine carborundum sharpening stone would be useful and a diamond polish to finish. I've only tried one ordinary type mineral glass crystal with limited success. I used T cut on a mineral crystal for a small scratch but it was hard work and left other marks visible under a loupe. I'm thinking T cut abrasive isn't hard enough to cut glass and the sapphire type crystals would be harder still I'm sure. I'd replace mineral and sapphire crystals if poss rather than try and polish them.


Hi Rich

The 'proper' stuff to polish mineral crystal is Cerium oxide but it's very nasty stuff if if gets in to your body (apparently!)

Probably Diamantine powder mixed to a paste with a thin machine oil as a suspension would do the job with Sapphire..

John 

John


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## bsa (Dec 23, 2010)

Thanks for the input I think im going to leave it as is, its pretty good and i would hate to go backwards.

Mark.


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