Why does my watch do this

[Hudson_Hawk]

I have a stainless steel Tag and when I sit at my desk at work and type on the keyboard it rubs on the desk and leaves a black mark which then transfers to my arm. Why does this happen and how can I stop it?

 

[monarch64]

Date: 11/3/2009 1:08:39 PM
Author:Hudson_Hawk
I have a stainless steel Tag and when I sit at my desk at work and type on the keyboard it rubs on the desk and leaves a black mark which then transfers to my arm. Why does this happen and how can I stop it?

It leaves a black mark on the desk first? My s/s Tag just seems to collect dirt/oil and if my wrist sweats or gets wet from washing my hands or whatever I get black yuckiness all over the inside of my wrist. I try to clean the bracelet in my US every so often but I don''t do it consistently. Take your watch to your jeweler and have them steam it for you to get all the gunk out, that always helps too.

 

[hlmr]

Your watch is just dirty. Get an old toothbrush and scrub the inside with some soap and water. Rinse with water and repeat until all the black has gone.

I try to clean mine every month or two, to keep that very thing from happening.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

It''s not dirty on the inside, I clean it often. It''s like it''s tarnish or something.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

and it only happens at work at my desk in this one place where the watch makes contact with the surface of the desk.

 

[noelwr]

very weird. what is your desk made out? maybe the watch metal and the desk material have some chemical reaction.

or else get a wrist pad.

 

[ksinger]

Well, what do you expect when you buy cheap crap watches?


(I kid! I kid! I''m turning into, HAVE already actually, a serious watch geek. I even frequent watch forums. Tags are very nice watches! )

Just ordered a Hamilton Khaki Automatic for the hubs for Christmas. I WANT to order him something from JS Watches in Iceland, but just can''t find the scratch. The exchange rate is just brutal!

 

[jewelerman]

im very curious now!could you post pictures!The only thing i have seen in this type of situation(and i know you have said the watch is kept clean and im not saying otherwise)is that build up happened deep in the links that cant be seen on the surface when the links are moved around on a surface then its a transferance much like lead from the end of a pencil.People dont realize how much dead skin,lotion,make up,hair, and grime builds up in watch linkage from daily wear.Ive cleaned many a watch for customers who never think to put their watch band in an ultra sonic cleaner for few hour turned on high...BTW...never use ammonia based cleaner on stainless steel and brush on the inside of the links so you dont scratch the surface of the watch(stainless scratches easily)...use a loupe to see what amount of biuld up may be causing the problem.Good luck!

 

[kenny]

The surface of your desk may be abrasive enough to be rubbing a tiny amount of metal from your watch.

Think of it as very wimpy sandpaper.

 

[April20]

I have a Tag and I get the black mark too! I haven''t quite figured out what causes it on my end either and it''s not dirty. I''ll go for days with nothing and then all the sudden I''ll have this 2 or 3 inch strip of black on my wrist. Ugh.

If someone figures it out, let me know. My Raymond Weil doesn''t do it.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 11/4/2009 11:33:47 AM
Author: jewelerman
im very curious now!could you post pictures!The only thing i have seen in this type of situation(and i know you have said the watch is kept clean and im not saying otherwise)is that build up happened deep in the links that cant be seen on the surface when the links are moved around on a surface then its a transferance much like lead from the end of a pencil.People dont realize how much dead skin,lotion,make up,hair, and grime builds up in watch linkage from daily wear.Ive cleaned many a watch for customers who never think to put their watch band in an ultra sonic cleaner for few hour turned on high...BTW...never use ammonia based cleaner on stainless steel and brush on the inside of the links so you dont scratch the surface of the watch(stainless scratches easily)...use a loupe to see what amount of biuld up may be causing the problem.Good luck!

Unfortunately I cleaned my desk this morning as I''m wearing a white sweater and wanted to keep it that way! I''ll see if it happens tomorrow and I''ll post a picture. I do actually US my watch on a regular basis. I''ve seen what comes out of DH''s watch and it''s really really gross....

 

[HopeDream]

Hudson Hawk, do you work at a building in which the janitorial staff wipe down your desk at night?

If your desk is often wiped with a cleaning product, and never rinsed, the cleaning product can build up, available to react with whatever is around. Depending on the nature of the cleaner it may be more likely to react with your watch, oxidizing/corroding it slightly and leaving a black mark.

I imagine you wash your hands fairly frequently, so you probably wouldn't end up with a cleaning -product related rash.

Try rinsing off your desk by wiping it down woth a damp cloth a couple of times until you don't think anything could be on your desk.

I mention this because cleaning products at my oldwork place tended to build up and dissolve our counters a little, every time they were used.

I hope you solve your mystery!

 

[Hera]

I think I''ve had the same thing happen to me and my Tag. I had this mysterious black mark and I always thought it was a black marker or pen mishap.

 

[noelwr]

I''ve never had this problem with my Tag, either on my desk (which is wood... but I also use a wrist pad) or on my skin.

I think everyone is on the right track that it''s different chemicals reacting... so could be metal on skin and metal on desk (if cleaned with something).