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Any experience with IWC factory restoration? [possible Ingenieur content]

size11s
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Dan S Dan S
I have having some trouble communicating with IWC. They are telling me that the dial with the date window is the exact dial that will be used and that the watch will be modified to have a functioning date display. 😵‍💫

I am trying to explain that my watch does not have a date function movement, and that there would need to be major modifications or replacements made to accommodate a date function, possibly including a new movement and a new case (or case-back). She is going to speak with the technical team again and get details on what they are proposing to do.

Would they really be proposing to convert it to a 666 with date? It seems like a totally different watch.
This is really confusing to me. On the one hand IWC are being incredibly helpful offering to go to the extreme lengths of making an OEM factory franken restoration, which is amazing in and of itself.... but at the same time showing no understanding of the primary point of this project. I have never heard the like, I rather suspect that there might be some wires crossed somewhere along the line. Fingers crossed for you Dan as it would be a wonderful result in every way if undertaken precisely to your wishes.
 
vibe
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Seems like it would not be too difficult to source a vintage tritium ingeneur date dial or a watch that contains one if you actually wanted one. Really a shame if they just can’t just print you a bespoke dial since they will charge you an arm and a leg anyway.
 
Dan S
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vibe vibe
Seems like it would not be too difficult to source a vintage tritium ingeneur date dial or a watch that contains one if you actually wanted one. Really a shame if they just can’t just print you a bespoke dial since they will charge you an arm and a leg anyway.
Yes, I assume you mean a no-date dial, because that's what I need. But I agree. And if they can't provide a service no-date dial, I will probably just take the watch back and try to hunt down my own replacement dial. For the price they've estimated, I can buy a decent watch, especially since auction prices for Ingenieurs have taken a hit in recent years.
 
vibe
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Dan S Dan S
Yes, I assume you mean a no-date dial, because that's what I need. But I agree. And if they can't provide a service no-date dial, I will probably just take the watch back and try to hunt down my own replacement dial. For the price they've estimated, I can buy a decent watch, especially since auction prices for Ingenieurs have taken a hit in recent years.
I’m saying a vintage date dial would probably not be too much trouble to source, so if IWC can only supply you with a super luminova date dial what the heck is the point. the date version is a completely different watch with a different movement and case (most likely).
 
Dan S
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vibe vibe
I’m saying a vintage date dial would probably not be too much trouble to source, so if IWC can only supply you with a super luminova date dial what the heck is the point. the date version is a completely different watch with a different movement and case (most likely).
Yes, I am thinking that the conversion to a 666AD would involve replacing almost everything. I'm still hoping that this is a misunderstanding.
 
Dan S
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OK, it took a while, and some back and forth, but here is the actual dial they will use. No conversion of the watch, just a no-lume service dial and hands, which would be nice to have. It's even kind of similar to the original dial, with the outer track.

iwc_service_dial.webp
 
ghce
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Dan S Dan S
OK, it took a while, and some back and forth, but here is the actual dial they will use. No conversion of the watch, just a no-lume service dial and hands, which would be nice to have. It's even kind of similar to the original dial, with the outer track.

iwc_service_dial.webp
Now that sounds like a very acceptable result! would you get the lume done?
 
Oku
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Dan S Dan S
OK, it took a while, and some back and forth, but here is the actual dial they will use. No conversion of the watch, just a no-lume service dial and hands, which would be nice to have. It's even kind of similar to the original dial, with the outer track.

iwc_service_dial.webp
is it just me or does that dial also look like a not so well done redial?
The pits would drive me crazy if I paid so much for the service
 
Dan S
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ghce ghce
Now that sounds like a very acceptable result! would you get the lume done?
I believe that it is a no-lume dial and will also have no-lume hands, which is good because the lume would not be period correct.

Oku Oku
is it just me or does that dial also look like a not so well done redial?
The pits would drive me crazy if I paid so much for the service
The service dial definitely doesn't have exactly the same printing as the period dial.
 
gatorcpa
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The picture is very poor quality. I think the dial will look nicer in real life.

Excellent result.
gatorcpa
 
ghce
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Dan S Dan S
I believe that it is a no-lume dial and will also have no-lume hands, which is good because the lume would not be period correct.


The service dial definitely doesn't have exactly the same printing as the period dial.
Really only dress watches have no lume, it seems a bit odd for that dial style but I guess that lume paints are a bit delicate and prone to chipping or damage so not likely to be pre-painted? have you seen other examples of this dial online which remained unlumed? either way its a great result for your watch and I don't think would detract to much from the value esp compared to your original dial.
 
Dan S
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Yes, I believe I have seen no-lume Ingenieurs. I will try to find an example. IWC is very popular in Japan, for example.
Edited:
 
50kopek
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Dan S Dan S
OK, it took a while, and some back and forth, but here is the actual dial they will use. No conversion of the watch, just a no-lume service dial and hands, which would be nice to have. It's even kind of similar to the original dial, with the outer track.

iwc_service_dial.webp
Excellent result. I'd imagine it's not often you can get a vintage watch with a repainted dial restored with official parts by the manufacturer. And the whole date conversion issue would have been very strange. They'd basically have built you a new watch while discarding everything you sent to them.
 
cchen
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Having had a similar lumed version Ingenieur in the past, I'd say this is a pretty good result. To my eye, the IWC logo script still doesn't look "right"- but the interesting part is that this is a service dial, so it is "correct." There's lots of IWC examples out there with the same logo script so this just adds another data point confirming those have service dials.

The important part is now you get to enjoy your father's watch with a correct dial!
 
Dan S
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cchen cchen
Having had a similar lumed version Ingenieur in the past, I'd say this is a pretty good result. To my eye, the IWC logo script still doesn't look "right"- but the interesting part is that this is a service dial, so it is "correct." There's lots of IWC examples out there with the same logo script so this just adds another data point confirming those have service dials.

The important part is now you get to enjoy your father's watch with a correct dial!
I feel the same way about the dial, TBH. It's obviously an authentic service dial, but it doesn't look quite right to me. The other option is to buy a parts watch from the 60s, which is certainly possible, and might actually cost less than a restoration.
 
cchen
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Dan S Dan S
I feel the same way about the dial, TBH. It's obviously an authentic service dial, but it doesn't look quite right to me. The other option is to buy a parts watch from the 60s, which is certainly possible, and might actually cost less than a restoration.
If I were in your situation that's what I'd do; they randomly pop up from time to time.
 
Dan S
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Well, the plot thickens, as I won this parts watch today. The condition of the dial will be divisive, and TBH I would prefer something a bit cleaner. When you zoom in, the damage is pretty apparent, but I'm hoping that on the wrist, it might appear like overall aging from most angles. I think it may be compatible with the well-worn case condition of my father's watch.

Thanks to @Tony C. for bringing this auction to my attention. Waiting for a loose dial might take a very long time, and as a non-runner, this watch was a good opportunity to get an acceptable dial at a somewhat reasonable price. And this way I don't have to steal a dial from a fully functional watch, which feels weird. Notably, this watch has the exact same cal 853 movement in a very similar serial number range as my father's watch, so the dial is definitely period correct.

IWC still has my father's watch, and I haven't notified them of a final decision about the restoration and the service dial. But the more I look at that service dial, the less I like it. The printing just doesn't look great to me, and the texture of the dial is weird.


1774804424095.webp 1774804442582.webp
Edited:
 
ScDevon
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Good effort so far on this watch. I'm confused why IWC doesn't have contacts to professionally (and correctly) refinish your existing dial while they work on the other restoration items.
I thought even Omega at one time farmed this work out to Danifi in Barcelona or others when no service dials are available. The before / after pictures on Danifi's site are incredible. Is this the best that IWC can offer? Scouring the planet for used, clapped-out old dials and mismatched hand sets and even the passing suggestion of a total movement conversion to a date movement? Danifi expertly restores original hands too. http://www.watchdialrestoration.com/dials.htm

Something seems "off" here with IWC. I know this is an extremely rare watch. All the more reason to have the original hands and dial professionally restored.
 
Dan S
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ScDevon ScDevon
Good effort so far on this watch. I'm confused why IWC doesn't have contacts to professionally (and correctly) refinish your existing dial while they work on the other restoration items.
I thought even Omega at one time farmed this work out to Danifi in Barcelona or others when no service dials are available. The before / after pictures on Danifi's site are incredible. Is this the best that IWC can offer? Scouring the planet for used, clapped-out old dials and mismatched hand sets and even the passing suggestion of a total movement conversion to a date movement? Danifi expertly restores original hands too. http://www.watchdialrestoration.com/dials.htm

Something seems "off" here with IWC. I know this is an extremely rare watch. All the more reason to have the original hands and dial professionally restored.
I'm not really interested in having my current dial refinished, but interestingly, not only are they not offering to do that, they are saying that the dial will be immediately removed and disposed of as a pre-condition for completing the diagnostics. In other words, I can't even get a quote for the restoration unless I agree to have them destroy the existing dial and hands. This is supposedly due to the radiation from the dial.

I understand that the repainted dial doesn't have much value, but it does seem a bit obnoxious to require its disposal. It's probably not just IWC. The heritage divisions of many manufacturers seem to do strange and unpredictable things.

But I don't want to make it sound like I'm complaining. I'm happy that they were able to offer me the dial, and I don't actually know what they were going to charge me, so it might not be outrageous. I'm curious, but I don't know if I'm curious enough to continue to the point of letting them destroy my dial and hands.
Edited:
 
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