Review: Chrono Shine Ultimate Watch Restoration Kit – Patience Optional: Can an Everyday Collector Restore Vintage Watches with Chrono Shine?
Note: A little disclaimer before we get started: I received this kit free of charge from Chrono Shine after entering and winning an Instagram giveaway. As always, this does not impact my review, which remains completely honest.
Review Score ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4½ out of 5)
I have to admit, I was incredibly surprised for two reasons when I received an Instagram DM from Chrono Shine telling me I’d won their giveaway.
Reason number one: I sit firmly in the category of people who believe they are permanently unlucky—the kind of person destined to be drawn to anything that says “competition” or “giveaway,” while some cosmic force ensures I never actually win. It’s a belief that probably stems from my one and only lottery win: £10 on the very first ticket I ever bought at 16. Since then, many, many (many…) years have passed with zero success.
However, this time the stars aligned, and I finally got to read those epic words: “Congratulations, you are our winner!”
Reason number two: I didn’t actually realize what I had won. I’ll openly admit that if I see a watch-related giveaway on social media, I blindly enter it. When I saw this one, I assumed it was just a basic watch cleaning kit, thought it could be useful, and threw my name in the hat. It was only after I won that I realized it was so much more.
The Chrono Shine Ultimate Watch Restoration Kit is designed to bring old (and new) timepieces back to life. It’s a complete kit for re-polishing, re-brushing, and cleaning watch cases and bracelets… and yes, I realize the clue was right there in the name: Restoration Kit!
After winning, I briefly considered messaging them back to say it was probably a bit too advanced for me—maybe asking them to re-draw the winner or keep it. But it had piqued my interest. I’ve talked a lot about my late dad’s Rotary watch—a timepiece that is still in great nick, but definitely has a few dings and scrapes that could be cleaned up.
I decided to keep the kit and, more importantly, put it to the test. I wanted to see if I—someone not exactly known for patience, a steady hand, or an attention span longer than my three-year-old’s—could actually use it to refresh and restore a watch.
So, enough about me… let’s get into what you actually came here for: the review!
Design: What’s in the box
The Ultimate Kit contains everything you need to start your watch restoration journey.
The star of the show is the Electric Polish Pen—the main unit for buffing, polishing, and deeper repairs. It is robust, well-made, comfortable in the hand, and incredibly easy to operate. There is one button to power it on and start the motor, plus two buttons to control and set the speed. The display screen is clear and simple to read, and changing attachments is a breeze: simply twist the top to unlock, insert the new attachment, twist to lock, and off you go.
When it comes to the attachments, you get several options, each engineered for a specific job:
- Polishing Pad & Sponge: Designed to restore that mirror-like shine commonly seen on watch cases. The pads are simple to use and attach to the main stem via Velcro with ease.
- Brushing Wheel: Used to recreate a crisp, satin brushed finish. Chrono Shine was also kind enough to include a prototype fine-brushing wheel as an added extra.
- Silicon Carbide Pad (“The Magic Eraser”): Built to deal with deeper, heavier scratches. It’s the smallest attachment, but perhaps the most daunting, as it is designed to be more aggressive in removing serious marks before you follow up with the polishing or brushing tools.
Beyond the pen and attachments, the kit includes a microfiber toothbrush and cleaning spray for general watch maintenance, a spring bar tool for swapping straps and bracelets, protective heat tape to mask off delicate areas, two microfiber cloths, and a tub of polishing compound.
The contents fully justify the “Ultimate” name—everything you could possibly need to get started has been thoughtfully included. The entire kit feels solid, premium, and durable enough for regular use. They even helpfully supply multiple polishing pads and sponges, meaning you can dedicate different pads to specific parts of the watch or save them for future projects.
Performance: Does it work?
To test the kit out fully, I picked up a couple of older watches. First, I got a great-looking 70s Timex Quartz with a smoky dial and a stunning faceted crystal. When the watch arrived, it was actually in really good condition, with only a few minor scratches on the case back and bracelet—the perfect candidate for testing out re-polishing.
However, I wanted something in worse shape to really put the kit through its paces. So, I also picked up a 70s Rotary Automatic with a fantastic tropical brown dial that was definitely showing its age.
Opening the kit is a little daunting when you aren’t sure where to start, but Chrono Shine has helpfully included QR codes on the inside of the box lid that link straight to instructional videos. Eight short videos provide a quick introduction to the tools and how best to use them. They aren’t long or overly complex; instead, they offer clear guidance on how and when to use each attachment depending on the finish you want to achieve.
I found myself rewatching them to try and refine my technique. I got to grips with the polishing and brushing fairly quickly, though I found the silicon tool trickier to master when attempting to remove more significant marks. Eventually, after a few attempts, you find a rhythm that works and instantly start seeing results.
And this kit does produce great results. After a few passes with the polishing pad and sponge, the old Rotary’s side profiles and chamfers were shining with an almost mirror-like finish. The worn, beaten-up case suddenly started looking far less weathered, and the watch felt like it was coming back to life.
It didn’t remove every single deep nick—likely due to my aforementioned lack of patience—but it vastly improved the watch and restored much of its original luster. It’s still a 70s timepiece with character and history, but it no longer feels destined to be forgotten in a drawer. Instead, it’s back on the wrist.
Over a few sittings (collectively around three hours), I had mastered the basics. I could confidently switch between brushing and polishing to produce a solid finish. While there is still room for me to refine my technique or be bolder with the “magic eraser,” I genuinely found the kit easy to use and really enjoyed the process.
The system doesn’t try to micromanage you or overwhelm you with overly technical jargon. It simply shows you the ropes, gives speed recommendations, and lets you loose to find your own style.
If I had to pick out a couple of minor drawbacks, they would be:
- The Learning Curve: While the short videos are great for getting started, you still have to experiment to find what works best for you. The Silicon Magic Eraser is quite abrasive, so if used too zealously, it can make the restoration harder. Take the advice seriously: go slow and take your time!
- Consumables: The polish and cleaner will eventually run out, meaning ongoing costs if you plan to restore timepieces regularly. Fortunately, refills for the cleaner, polish, and replacement pads are reasonably priced on their site.
Overall, with a little patience and time, anyone can get the hang of this kit and achieve great results.
The Results
I’ll let the photos speak for themselves below, but this kit is brilliant!
After a short learning curve to get the techniques down and understand which attachment to use, it has breathed a whole new lease of life into the 70s Rotary. The bracelet was slightly dinged and dented—something this kit isn’t designed to iron out—but it still managed to get it sparkling. Add a little bit of PolyWatch on the acrylic crystal, and it looks like a completely different watch!
The Timex is my current project to tidy up the bracelet, but already the case back and sides are looking significantly fresher and showing far fewer signs of age.
Final Thoughts
In short, this kit is fantastic for watch collectors, restorers, and enthusiasts of all skill levels. Speaking as someone who initially just wanted to test its capabilities, I now plan to use it regularly for cleaning timepieces and tackling pesky dings on newer watches in my collection to keep them looking pristine.
This kit does it all: from buffing out that annoying scratch on your favourite piece—the one keeping it from getting the wrist time it deserves—all the way to reviving vintage, long-forgotten watches.
Priced at just over £100 for the Ultimate Kit, it is a solid investment that will easily prove its value for money over time.
Want to find out more? Check out Chrono Shine.com for more information
