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How to clean tarnished vintage 18k gold Tiffany watch?

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mayaINaU

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
702
I am considering buying a vintage (c. 1990) Tiffany watch with an 18k gold case and leather band. Some of the models on eBay and Chrono 24 have a bit of tarnish around the edges, and they are much cheaper than pristine versions. I am wondering if it's possible or advisable to clean this tarnish? I have read a bunch of articles that recommend toothpaste, baking soda, other concoctions, or advise doing nothing, lest you damage the watch or the engraving. I generally don't want to get pristine versions of vintage items anyway, since I will not feel bad if I scratch it myself while wearing it. But I am interested in advice on cleaning visible tarnish, or if I should expect that I would not/should not change the appearance or condition of the more used-looking examples. Thanks!
 

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etudes

Rough_Rock
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Jan 5, 2018
Messages
65
If you purchase the watch, please bring it to Tiffany. It's better to leave it to professional.

I don't live anywhere near Tiffany, so I cleaned my tarnished DBTY necklace with gold polishing cloth with quite good result. It's safer than using toothpaste or baking soda at least.
 
M

mayaINaU

Brilliant_Rock
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I do live near a Tiffany and that is a good idea. I appreciate the link to the gold polishing cloth. That is probably the safest/gentlest way to start.
 
Daisys and Diamonds

Daisys and Diamonds

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
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22,888
Polishing cloths do great results often without very much elbow greece
 
Bron357

Bron357

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Only use a silver polishing cloth.
It will polish up nicely, without making it look too new.
No liquids in case they get into the watch.
 
M

mayaINaU

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etudes said:
Get something fun if the original strap is still in good condition.
Or better yet, get strap with quick release mechanism so you can easily change it.
Click to expand...

They actually just told me they can’t send the watch with the strap because it is genuine crocodile and I guess there’s a law against importing crocodile to the US? (Coming from Japan). I asked them just to send the watch without the strap because it didn’t seem to be in good condition anyway.
 
E

etudes

Rough_Rock
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mayaINaU said:
They actually just told me they can’t send the watch with the strap because it is genuine crocodile and I guess there’s a law against importing crocodile to the US? (Coming from Japan). I asked them just to send the watch without the strap because it didn’t seem to be in good condition anyway.
Click to expand...

Most likely the watch doesn't have CITES paperwork, so the seller cannot send the strap abroad. In this case, it will be much easier to buy new strap.
 
M

mayaINaU

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Yes, exactly, the seller said it was due to CITES! I had never heard of that before.
 
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diamondyes

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Nice watch! Can’t wait to see
 
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diamondyes

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diamondyes

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And actually, if you have any tips for me- I totally want to cop your style and have a watch like this myself one day! Price range that I should aim for, and any places I should look other than chrono24, the real real, first dibs, maaaaaybe ebay? Thanks for anything you’re willing to share and I’m excited for you to have a new watch!
 
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etudes

Rough_Rock
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mayaINaU said:
Yes, exactly, the seller said it was due to CITES! I had never heard of that before.
Click to expand...

Products made from endangered plants and animals (i.e. exotic skins like crocs) require CITES paperwork when moving across borders. The purpose is to protect endangered species from extinction.
 
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mayaINaU

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diamondyes said:
And actually, if you have any tips for me- I totally want to cop your style and have a watch like this myself one day! Price range that I should aim for, and any places I should look other than chrono24, the real real, first dibs, maaaaaybe ebay? Thanks for anything you’re willing to share and I’m excited for you to have a new watch!
Click to expand...

Well, I love nothing more than shopping and window shopping vicariously! I looked mostly at Chrono24 (my first time using it but seems trustworthy) and eBay. I was a little more wary of eBay, but I would have bought one there if I found one at a better price and in better condition. Most of the Atlas line on eBay were being sold by watch dealers with good reviews, who had been on eBay for a long time. I thought that would be a minimal risk. I actually found the lowest prices on Chrono24--some people were either simultaneously selling the same items for more money on eBay, or had stolen the Chrono24 dealers' photos. Not sure which, but it made me trust Chrono over eBay. I have purchased something on the RealReal, but had some issues after it was stolen from the mail when I returned it, so I can't fully recommend the RealReal for expensive purchases.
I like watches with no numbers on the face but then I cannot tell what time it is, so this seemed like the perfect solution. I did look around a lot and when I found the older Atlas line, I just kept coming back to it. I love the square face as well--it was really hard to decide between square and round. If you like silver, this line also comes in sterling for a lot less $. This one was about $790, and I think you should absolutely be able to find a gold one for less than $1,000 if you keep looking. It is helpful to search both the name of the line, then the model number, and then also search just "tiffany watch/gold (or silver)/ladies'" because some dealers don't list the model name or number, so it won't come up when you use those specific search terms--and those that don't have the specifics tended to be cheaper. My only criteria were: seller seems reliable, no major damage to the glass, no dirt or corrosion on the hands or face. Other than that, I just went for the lowest price. Good luck!
 
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diamondyes

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mayaINaU said:
Well, I love nothing more than shopping and window shopping vicariously! I looked mostly at Chrono24 (my first time using it but seems trustworthy) and eBay. I was a little more wary of eBay, but I would have bought one there if I found one at a better price and in better condition. Most of the Atlas line on eBay were being sold by watch dealers with good reviews, who had been on eBay for a long time. I thought that would be a minimal risk. I actually found the lowest prices on Chrono24--some people were either simultaneously selling the same items for more money on eBay, or had stolen the Chrono24 dealers' photos. Not sure which, but it made me trust Chrono over eBay. I have purchased something on the RealReal, but had some issues after it was stolen from the mail when I returned it, so I can't fully recommend the RealReal for expensive purchases.
I like watches with no numbers on the face but then I cannot tell what time it is, so this seemed like the perfect solution. I did look around a lot and when I found the older Atlas line, I just kept coming back to it. I love the square face as well--it was really hard to decide between square and round. If you like silver, this line also comes in sterling for a lot less $. This one was about $790, and I think you should absolutely be able to find a gold one for less than $1,000 if you keep looking. It is helpful to search both the name of the line, then the model number, and then also search just "tiffany watch/gold (or silver)/ladies'" because some dealers don't list the model name or number, so it won't come up when you use those specific search terms--and those that don't have the specifics tended to be cheaper. My only criteria were: seller seems reliable, no major damage to the glass, no dirt or corrosion on the hands or face. Other than that, I just went for the lowest price. Good luck!
Click to expand...
Wow, thank you so very much for all of this helpful info! I really appreciate it!
 
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diamondyes

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mayaINaU

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Yes! Mine is the smaller case size, 19 mm. It actually arrived this evening. It looks smaller than I had anticipated on my wrist (even knowing the case size), but I love the style. The bigger ones in gold (and silver!) are waaaaay more than I’d be comfortable spending. So, it is in great condition, I’m happy with Chrono24 and the seller, but I’m still thinking about it. I’m 85% sure I’ll keep it…but to be safe, I haven’t fully taken off the protective wrap yet. The seller was nice and also included the authentic Tiffany buckle and hardware for the strap.
 

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mayaINaU

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It was a journey, but I finally got a new band. I cleaned up the watch with a gold polishing cloth—it took off an amazing amount of tarnish! Can’t believe I didn’t know gold can tarnish! C611755B-1117-4225-8C16-D403B5523FF8.jpeg
 
E

etudes

Rough_Rock
Joined
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Messages
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mayaINaU said:
It was a journey, but I finally got a new band. I cleaned up the watch with a gold polishing cloth—it took off an amazing amount of tarnish! Can’t believe I didn’t know gold can tarnish! C611755B-1117-4225-8C16-D403B5523FF8.jpeg
Click to expand...

Congrats, it looks great.

Gold with purity below 24 Karat can tarnish/discolor.
Gold is usually alloyed with other metals because pure gold is too soft. The higher the percentage of gold in the alloy, it is less likely for the jewelry to discolor.
 
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mayaINaU

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
702
etudes said:
Congrats, it looks great.

Gold with purity below 24 Karat can tarnish/discolor.
Gold is usually alloyed with other metals because pure gold is too soft. The higher the percentage of gold in the alloy, it is less likely for the jewelry to discolor.
Click to expand...

After seeing how much came off the watch, I went and polished every piece of gold jewelry in the house. It was very satisfying.
 
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diamondyes

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mayaINaU said:
After seeing how much came off the watch, I went and polished every piece of gold jewelry in the house. It was very satisfying.
Click to expand...

Your watch looks amazing! What did you use to polish it?
 
M

mayaINaU

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 1, 2021
Messages
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Thank you! I used a Connoisseurs gold polishing cloth: CONNOISSEURS Gold Polishing Cloth - Transform Your Gold Jewelry from Dull to Dazzling https://a.co/1uft2rG
I like their diamond dazzle stick, so I thought it would perform well.
 
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