IWC Schaffhausen
Collectors
Forum
  • Categories

  • New to the forum
  • Collector Articles
  • News
  • Community
  • Moderator articles
  • Contemporary timepieces
  • Movements and technical details
  • Vintage timepieces
  • About IWC
  • Gallery
  • Archive

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Weibo
  • Home
  • Contemporary timepieces
  • Does ceramic scratches?
  1. Threads
  2. Contemporary timepieces
chevron_left Contemporary timepieces

Does ceramic scratches?

  • forum 17 replies
  • last reply by Tilo 18 May 2023
  • Last
  • link
    Laffut Marc
    Apprentice 9 posts
    13 Oct 2012, 9:53 p.m. 13 Oct 2012, 9:53 p.m.
    link

    I plan to buy a ceramic Big Pilot Perpetual.
    I have a question : does ceramic scratches?
    I know stainless steel can be polished but ceramic not and I hate scratches on watches.
    I've been told that most of them can be rubbed out and that IWC have a special "acid" made for removing the others.

    Is that true?

    Best

  • link
    Paul Bloemen
    Master 4219 posts
    13 Oct 2012, 10:09 p.m. 13 Oct 2012, 10:09 p.m.
    link

    The starting point is taking care of everything that is valuable, as everything of value is vulnerable. Within these boundaries, most watches keep looking quite beautiful while wearing them. Mine do, at least. But then, small accidents may happen. Then, ceramic is quite scratch resistant, as it is very hard. But don't drop it on a hard floor, a chip may break off. You shouldn't be afraid of it, though, if you are careful.

    Kind regards,
    Paul

  • link
    Mr. Jarrod Gill
    Master 3720 posts
    13 Oct 2012, 10:09 p.m. 13 Oct 2012, 10:09 p.m.
    link

    I get my Da Vinci ceramic this Thursday so I would be interested to know as well?

  • link
    Mr. Alan Ross
    Master 5742 posts
    13 Oct 2012, 11:16 p.m. 13 Oct 2012, 11:16 p.m.
    link

    Search the archives. There are a couple of posts discussing this in detail.
    Bottom line is that ceramic is hard to scratch. Usually apparent scratches are not scratches but added material which can be removed with an ink eraser. Read the posts on how to do it.

  • link
    Mr. Alan Ross
    Master 5742 posts
    13 Oct 2012, 11:21 p.m. 13 Oct 2012, 11:21 p.m.
    link

    Here is the link.

    Ceramic scratch?

  • link
    Mr. Alan Ross
    Master 5742 posts
    13 Oct 2012, 11:22 p.m. 13 Oct 2012, 11:22 p.m.
    link

    This post is hidden. You cannot not see its contents.

    Hidden by on 8 Nov 2018, 4:35 p.m..

  • link
    Mr. Alan Ross
    Master 5742 posts
    13 Oct 2012, 11:23 p.m. 13 Oct 2012, 11:23 p.m.
    link

    MF,

    I tried to post a link to the 2009 post but the spam filter blocked it.

  • link
    Michael Friedberg
    Moderator 11468 posts
    14 Oct 2012, 12:07 a.m. 14 Oct 2012, 12:07 a.m.
    link

    Alan --fixed. Next time, e-mail me....I can often respond more quickly.

  • link
    Mr. Ben Dinnerville
    Master 670 posts
    15 Oct 2012, 12:49 a.m. 15 Oct 2012, 12:49 a.m.
    link

    As the others have stated, the ceramic cases are very very hard to scratch. You can do some damage to the case by dropping the watch, but in the instance of a Big Pilot Perpetual Calendar, I would not worry too much about the case. Even if you smashed it to smithereens, the repair bill on the movement would likely far outweigh the replacement of a case . . . . An issue you will have wether you have a ceramic case, steel case, gold case, platinum case or any other case material.

  • link
    Mr. Adam Craniotes
    Connoisseur 253 posts
    17 Oct 2012, 8:30 p.m. 17 Oct 2012, 8:30 p.m.
    link

    As has been stated already, ceramic is incredibly difficult to scratch, but it can chip, crack or even shatter if is dropped from a height onto a hard surface.

    And yes, if you do find a mark on your watch, a couple of minutes with a pencil eraser is usually enough to remove it (I have used this method to good effect on both my Top Gun Perpetual and my dearly departed Top Gun Doppel).

    Regards,
    Adam

  • link
    Mr. Jarrod Gill
    Master 3720 posts
    20 Oct 2012, 5:35 a.m. 20 Oct 2012, 5:35 a.m.
    link

    I have worn my Da Vinci ceramic for 2 days, been ultra careful, but have still managed to get a small scratch on the case. I just read thru the link provided in this thread but... could someone clarify if I should be using a rubber on the ceramic da vinci case? And what sort of rubber so I am 100% sure?

    Thanks in advance.

  • link
    Mr. Adam Craniotes
    Connoisseur 253 posts
    20 Oct 2012, 6:15 a.m. 20 Oct 2012, 6:15 a.m.
    link

    A standard pencil eraser will do just fine. As Alan pointed out, typically, what you may think is a scratch is merely material that has been transferred from the object the watch case scraped against (short of a diamond, there's very little that can actually scratch zirconium oxide).

    That said, it may take some time to remove the mark, but in my experience they always come off.

    Regards,
    Adam

  • link
    Mr. Jarrod Gill
    Master 3720 posts
    20 Oct 2012, 6:21 a.m. 20 Oct 2012, 6:21 a.m.
    link

    Cheers Adam. I will give it a try. I am sure it will come off.

  • link
    Mr. Jarrod Gill
    Master 3720 posts
    29 Oct 2012, 6:19 a.m. 29 Oct 2012, 6:19 a.m.
    link

    FYI I got some scratches on my new Da Vinci Ceramic. I took it back to the AD and they had it polished for me and it is good as new. I am relieved and happy. I will be even more careful with it in future.

  • link
    Ben
    Master 1961 posts
    12 May 2023, 5:33 p.m. 12 May 2023, 5:33 p.m.
    link

    I am just wondering how Jarrod feels about scratches on his ceramic Da Vinci,
    now 11 years down the road... I know he still loves the watch;)

    tilo, MarkFleminger and Anthony Sonego like this.

    favorite 3

  • link
    Tilo
    Master 3249 posts
    16 May 2023, 6:03 p.m. 16 May 2023, 6:03 p.m.
    link

    Jarrod's watch still looks like on the first day, I can assure you.

    The Titanium bezel might be in danger, but not the ceramic part.

    mountaintime likes this.

    favorite 1

  • link
    JohnWick
    Apprentice 2 posts
    18 May 2023, 6:21 p.m. 18 May 2023, 6:21 p.m.
    link

    It's look nice happy for you.

    tilo likes this.

    favorite 1

  • link
    Tilo
    Master 3249 posts
    18 May 2023, 10:46 p.m. 18 May 2023, 10:46 p.m.
    link

    It's not my watch but my friend's. I was recently able to wear it for some
    beautiful hours and all I can say: it's an awesome watch!

    mountaintime likes this.

    favorite 1

There are no more posts in this thread.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Weibo
Contact Our Concierge
  • Contact Us
  • +1-800-432-9330
Go to iwc.com
  • Conditions of Sale
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use