Left untended to, it will develop matting and a slight darkening after only a week or so, more if you live in a humid climate or by the sea. Simply find an old soft toothbrush (put aside exclusively for watches after that, obviously) and use a dash of toothpaste. At the start of my intimate relationship with a Zelos Hammerhead, which comprises of both brushed and polished CUSN8 bronze, I initially kept it looking like freshly mined gold with a weekly quick scrub. While an IWC Pilot’s Watch will not change radically, a CUSN6 or 8-based watch like an Oris or a Zelos will change faster over time, and is also the bronze alloy easiest to care for. How quickly and how will you see patina forming? This specific composition also makes the alloy around 50 per cent harder than standard bronze and approximately as hard as stainless steel. By and large, these pieces are better suited to those that want to let their watch age naturally, as the process will take a lot longer to form visual clues. IWC, Tudor and Halios uses this aluminium bronze alloy, which along with copper contains aluminium and iron. An a luminium rich alloy, says Elshan tends to “start out yellowish and gets a more stable grey patina”.Įssentially, t he addition of between 9 and 12% aluminum, and 6% iron/nickel means less copper in the alloy, leading to a lighter, cooler and more yellow hue. Oris, for example, uses a similar phospor rich alloy in their CUSN6 as in their Divers Sixty-Five “Cotton Range” as pictured above. “CUSN8 has a reddish tone with a brownish patina and it tends to patina quicker with more green hues if exposed to seawater.” “The two main alloys used are phosphor (CUSN8) bronze and aluminum bronze,” Elshan says. Bronze is not a pure metal, it is an alloy, and you can both instigate patina – and revert it to its original state (and perhaps start all over again).īronze alloys differ according to the amount of phosphor they contain, explains Elshan Tang the founder of Zelos Watches, one of the small brands that spearheaded the bronze trend about five or six years ago. Why does bronze patina? It’s a chemical reaction and a natural protection against corrosion. As we said at the outset: it’s a (bronze) case of choose your own adventure. Our tips on bronze care might prompt you to accelerate this process, or keep your watch looking box-fresh. So while you might think this is the way to get what looks like a chunk of gold for a bargain price, your relationship has only just begun. Depending on the alloy and pre-treatment of your bronze case, it will change alongside you over the years ahead. Buy one and you’re not buying a mere piece of wrist candy, you are starting a journey of discovery from the moment you strap it on. I/trending 22138 Green, blackened or dazzling gold? All the bronze care tips you’ll ever need Thor SvaboeĪ bronze watch is an adventure in itself.
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