How to Clean A Gold Watch At Home: A Solid and Gold Plated One

How to clean a gold watch at home? Cleaning a watch that costs you a fortune may give you anxiety. What if you accidentally damage it without realizing that you actually damage it? And other what-if thoughts keep popping up. In fact, a gold watch is easy to clean. It is as simple as you clean your stainless steel watch. But, before we go to the main discussion, let’s talk about the gold watch itself. What is a gold watch? Is it made of pure gold? Is that why the timepiece is expensive? Here are some things you need to know.

Wristwatches are made out of different metals, and gold is the most precious material because it represents a sense of luxury and social status. In the early beginning, gold was commonly used to make coins, monuments, and decoration for buildings, but now it is engaged with many industries such as jewelry, electronics, arts, and wristwatches that gained popularity in the early 80s. Gold in watches are often applied on the cases, bezels, bracelets, or even the movement, much desired for its luster and nobility.

If you wonder whether or not gold watches use real gold, yes they do and that what makes a gold watch is very expensive which is also varied depending on the brand, design, and karat. Karat is the value of gold. The lower the karat is, the less gold it is contained. 

Pure gold is 24 karat. But, most gold watches contain 18 karat which equals 75% of gold and 25% of other metals, such as silver, copper and palladium to have a better hardness. These alloys also affect the color of the gold that can be yellow, white, red or pink. You may want to see a 18k gold watch in Rolex Oyster Perpetual Day-Date 40.

However, to keep the cost more affordable, some watch manufactures use gold tone or gold plate to resemble gold which actually is something different. So, does it mean that a gold plated watch is tacky? Of course not. The plating is done by specific methods, and a PVD coating is the most common one. This method can make the plate resistant to scratches, plus the plate is either 18k or 24k gold. 

How to clean a gold watch at home: Several steps to follow

Now we are moving on to how to clean a gold watch at home. Your gold watch is just like your room, laundry, or car that needs to be cleaned regularly. All the dirt, dust, and sweat are there. So, do not wait until it gets dirtier. Here I have listed the steps and what to use to clean gold watch.

How to clean a gold watch: A solid gold watch

The kit:

• Toothpaste with a non-gel formula
• A cotton ball or a piece of a clean cloth
• A bowl of water

Steps:

1. Take a small amount of toothpaste using a cotton ball or a cleaning cloth.
2. Rub the toothpaste over the part you want to clean, wipe them gently.
3. For cleaning the bracelet, start from the inside and move to the outside strap.
4. Lastly, clean the toothpaste with a damp clean cloth or cotton ball. Make sure no toothpaste is left.

How to clean a gold watch: A gold plated watch

The kit:

• A  cotton ball
• A cotton bud
• A piece of washcloth
• Toothpaste
• A soft toothbrush 
• A bowl of soapy water
• A jewelry cleaner

Steps:

1. Use a wet cotton bud to clean the grooves.
2. Scrub carefully the gold plating with toothpaste and cotton ball.
3. Wet a soft toothbrush with soapy water and gently rub onto the strap. Use a moist washcloth to wipe off the soap residue. This is the best way to clean a gold watch strap.

Bathing your watch at home is the best solution to maintain its lifespan as well as the look. But, If your gold watch has a lower water resistance, please be careful not to give an extra amount of water or rub it harshly since it can destroy the components. But, if you are not sure about cleaning your watch by yourself, you may want to consider a professional watch cleaning service. They surely have proper tools and know very well how to clean gold watches.