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Any way to improve a dial that is in very poor condition in certain areas

w154
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I’ve got an IWC that has quite serious damage around the perimeter. It looks worse from an angle than it does head-on, but it’s still too rough to use IMO. I asked one of the notable dial restoration guys here in Germany and they said “It would require a complete relacquering of the dial which I don’t do. So unfortunately I cannot help you out on this one.”

Is there anything at all that can be done when it’s like this ? I’d be willing to risk “testing” suggestions in some discreet areas at the perimeter.

IMG_0394.webp
 
big case
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perhabs it make sense to show the watch generelly to come to a conclusion
 
Fallout Boy
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I loooooove these hands - smimilar to early Navitimer-hands ♥️
 
w154
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Davidt Davidt
The general consensus is not to attempt to clean dials unless you're willing to destroy them.

This is worth a read if you decide to attempt it.
https://watchguy.co.uk/cleaning-and-preserving-original-finish-on-dials/
Thanks David. I understand it’s probably a one-way path if I try to do anything significant with it. I’ve now got feedback from two well respected dial guys who say it’s no-go, but I assume they are at least slightly risk averse. I’ll try and find a genuine replacement dial, and in the meantime I’ll get it serviced.
 
w154
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Fallout Boy Fallout Boy
I loooooove these hands - smimilar to early Navitimer-hands ♥️
They’re actually wrong I think. Correct type but too short. Agree about the style though.
 
size11s
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Just my relatively uninformed opinion but I think that is more than just the lacquer bubbling/lifting, I think it is the paint as well. As such I don't think it is treatable by removing lacquer and re-lacquering. If attempted I suspect the end result would be a star spangled 'sky at night' effect....that might be attractive?? My IWC WWW has a slightly silver spotted dial.
 
w154
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size11s size11s
Just my relatively uninformed opinion but I think that is more than just the lacquer bubbling/lifting, I think it is the paint as well. As such I don't think it is treatable by removing lacquer and re-lacquering. If attempted I suspect the end result would be a star spangled 'sky at night' effect....that might be attractive?? My IWC WWW has a slightly silver spotted dial.
Haha… they’ve even been marketed as “starry night” in the past.

IMG_1951.webp

I think, if I could get it to look the same I would, even expecting that the perimeter would be almost entire paint loss, followed by a starry night ring, then the surviving centre. I’d worry massively about losing the original signature though. It’s possible I could find an original dial that would fit, but not the same black dial.
 
Davidt
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Can we see a better picture of you full dial?
 
w154
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Davidt Davidt
Can we see a better picture of you full dial?
I’ll take one in the morning when there’s some natural light.
 
Porteroso
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I'd keep trying watchmakers. There are a few out there that are artists, capable of incredible things, and they will tell you what they are comfortable with. Just based on the picture, I think there is someone out there that could clean it up and bring out the best in this patina. I bet you'd pay some money though. Looks like it will take time.
 
w154
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Porteroso Porteroso
I'd keep trying watchmakers. There are a few out there that are artists, capable of incredible things, and they will tell you what they are comfortable with. Just based on the picture, I think there is someone out there that could clean it up and bring out the best in this patina. I bet you'd pay some money though. Looks like it will take time.
I’ll keep trying, but I have a feeling it’s not something I’ll be able to rely on. So as a back up I’m left with the choice of either getting an IWC restoration, or finding a donor pocket watch for hands and dial. I understand that a fair few 325s have PW donor dials, probably in most cases without disclosure 😡

Mine’s a far cry from Alfredo Paramico’s that was on Talking Watches way back in 2014.

IMG_1958.webp
Edited:
 
Fallout Boy
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w154 w154
Here it is in all its horror !

IMG_1955.webp
rare Marshall Islands-Edition 😉

Get some new parts - clean a little bit -> this is an unique IWC 👍
 
size11s
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w154 w154
Here it is in all its horror !

IMG_1955.webp
I could live with that with the correct handset. Do you think that dial originally had lume?
 
w154
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I could live with that with the correct handset. Do you think that dial originally had lume?
I think it was exactly the same watch as the Hodinkee one and the Analogue/Shift one. So yes think it had lume. As far as I know IWC don’t have any dial info on these, so no record of how they started life.
 
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