How to choose

Gold-plated vintage watch: how it wears and how to make it last

by Maria Misko

The rule in one line: a gold-plated watch is ruined by rubbing, not by time. The gilt layer is a few microns thick and wears away where the watch makes contact — the edges of the case, the caseback, the bracelet links. It cannot be redone: replating erases the original finish and often the markings on the caseback, and a replated piece is worth less than an honestly worn one. In today's selection, roughly half the pieces have plating or gilt parts.

Where it wears first

The edges of the case and the lugs: they meet sleeves and desks all day.
The caseback, from rubbing against the wrist. It is also where the markings are read, so it is the most delicate spot.
The bracelet clasp, opened and closed every day.
The links, where they slide over one another: there the gilding first goes dull, then goes.

The dial and the crystal have nothing to do with the plating: a perfect dial on a worn case is entirely normal.

What actually ruins it

Perfume, hairspray, sun cream. Spray them before putting the watch on, not after: alcohols attack both the gilding and the gaskets.
Polishing. A watchmaker who «polishes» a plated case is removing plating. On steel it is fine, on plate it is not: say so clearly to whoever handles it.
Sweat left on overnight. A wipe with a dry cloth in the evening costs ten seconds and is the single habit that makes the most difference.
The shower. Vintage quartz watches have thirty-year-old gaskets: even «water resistant» stamped on the caseback means nothing today.

The battery: the thing that does the most damage

A dead battery left inside can leak, and the liquid damages the movement, often beyond repair. It is the most common and the most avoidable damage on vintage quartz watches: if the watch stops and then sits in a drawer for months, the risk is real.

Two habits are enough: change the battery when the watch stops, and have it removed if you know you will not wear the piece for a long while. Before sale we always change the battery and check the movement, but from then on it depends on how it is kept.

How to clean it, in practice

A soft dry microfibre cloth, with very little pressure. Nothing else is needed in 90% of cases.
If the bracelet is dirty between the links: a barely damp cloth with water, then dry at once and thoroughly. Never submerge it.
No pastes, no abrasive «silver» cloths, no ultrasonic baths: they take off the plating and can let water in.
For a leather strap: keep it dry, away from heat, and do not fasten it while wet.

See how we describe condition

When worn plating is not a problem

On a thirty-year-old watch, some marks on the edges are normal and not a flaw. The point is not to find an untouched one at any cost: it is to know what you are buying beforehand. So when there is a particular mark worth flagging — a scratched bezel, plating worn at one point, a mark on the strap — we write it in the listing instead of leaving it to the photographs alone.

If you would rather avoid the matter altogether, the answer is steel: it has nothing to wear away, it takes daily use, and it can be polished without losing anything.

Hermès

Clipper Classic Bianco minimale

Excellent

€ 475

Gucci

1500L Horsebit Madreperla rosa

All available watches

Quick answers

Can a vintage watch be replated?

Technically yes, but we advise against it. Replating erases the original finish and often the markings on the caseback, and a replated piece is worth less than one with honest wear. Anyone who knows these watches spots it immediately.

Can a vintage watch get wet?

Better not. The gaskets are thirty years old, and «water resistant» on the caseback refers to when the watch was new. A few drops of rain will not hurt it; a shower or the sea will.

How often should the battery be changed?

When the watch stops, and no later. A dead battery left inside can leak and ruin the movement: it is the most common damage on vintage quartz watches. If you will not wear it for months, have it removed.

Is it worth having the case polished?

On steel, yes, if the marks bother you. On gold plate, no: polishing means removing plating, and it does not come back. Say so to whoever handles the watch, because they do not always ask.

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