Is this a problem?

[BObsagat]

I ultrasonically cleaned it and it started flaking suggestions

[praezis]

And did you follow them (the flaked suggestions)?

Frank

[clockboy]

What solution are you using 

[watchweasol]

Hi there are many answers to this question like, What was the cleaning solution, ammonia type  or waterless type , state of the plating in the first place, cleaned by machines or by hand . Were the parts soaked in any solution. And the variables go on. It may be an awkward question to answer properly.

[praezis]

Usually this flaking happens with later, not original, poorly made plating.

Frank

[mikepilk]

What is the movement- can we see a pic ?

[rehajm]

It was likely weak and old plating and the ultrasonic did it in. I try to avoid the ultrasonic with older movements and the when plate looks to be worn. Just this week I had to clean the main plate of a weems because it soaked in alum for a week. Nothing worked so it went into the ultrasonic. Cleaned but down to the brass in a few spots unfortunately…

[oldhippy]

What ultrasonic did you use? Those cheap chinese ones you see on ebay which do not specify that they are for cleaning watches damage watch movements. 

[Zendoc]

I suspect his was old, fissured plating and that the combination of your US cleaner and the solution you used did for it.  I’ve had the same thing happen with old plating using US and a particularly aggressive, locally made, cleaning solution.  With one old movement, the barrel came out of the cleaner with not one speck of the original plating attached.  The rest of the movement and all the other plates and bridges were entirely untouched.  So now, any particularly flaky looking old parts, I keep out of the US and  instead clean them by hand in non-polar solvents.  

[BObsagat]

I have no idea what movement it is. I just started taking things apart and cleaning them. It was slightly flaking prior to US cleaning. I used the #111 and #3 for

5 min at 43 deg Celsius. I am just cleaning my first pocket watch.  It says admiral on the face and it is a keystone case. I did no presoaking.  Just Getting into the hobby.  Will the lack of plating degrade function or is it cosmetic only.

 

 

 

[RichardHarris123]

The plating is cosmetic.