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How to Restore a Vintage Pocket Watch

A century ago, it was uncommon for a man not to carry a pocket watch. Since they were such a ubiquitous accessory, vintage and antique pocket watches are fairly easy to come by. Unfortunately, these beautiful timepieces aren't always in great condition and often have a cracked crystal or are covered in grit and grime. If the mechanics of your pocket watch are working, however, it is relatively painless to do some cosmetic work and restore a vintage pocket watch to its former glory.

Instructions

- 1
  Assess the damage that has been done to the watch. If the mechanism is not working properly or if the watch is missing its arms, your best bet is to send it to a professional watchmaker to have it fixed. If the damages are superficial, you may be able to do the repair work yourself.
- 2
  Open the casing of the watch. To do this, carefully inspect the watch to see if the crystal will easily pop off. Hold the watch carefully in one hand and insert a case knife into the lip between the glass and the back of the pocket watch. Carefully pry the glass off. If it does not easily pop off and you have to exert any effort, hold off and send your watch to a professional to avoid damaging it.
- 3
  If the crystal is plastic, you can buff off any slight scratches. If the crystal is glass or is badly scratched or cracked, you can replace it with a brand new one for a minimal cost.
- 4
  Clean the crystal (if you're not replacing it), the casing and the face of the watch. Use a soft cloth or cotton swabs and clean very gently to avoid rubbing off any of the details on the face. You can use a gentle cleaner, but test it to make sure that it does not discolor or damage the watch. When you are finished, carefully reassemble the watch.
- 5
  Polish the outside of the watch with an appropriate polishing product (depending on what kind of metal the watch is made of).

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