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Can vintage dials be cleaned/polished?

JwRosenthal
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Always risk, and I have seen both positive and disastrous results- the last I took a gamble on was a silver dialed Seamaster where the lacquer was already compromised by moisture damage and it came off with the lettering- that watch ended up getting redialed and sold.
But, with a light touch and an experienced hand, miracles can be achieved.
I’ve shown this one several times here and is a great example of how removing surface grime is sometimes all it takes.
This OPD had a fine layer of haze across the dial and indices making it look flat, dull and lifeless- it was on the surface and was easily removed using the sticks @Archer talked about and a slightly damp q-tip on the brightwork. The second hand was a goner (replaced with a NOS hand) but the minute and hour hands cleaned up beautifully without any loss of lume...the man who did this has the hands of a surgeon and patience of a saint.

D29947F0-B249-450B-A366-BB2E1EF75BEF.jpeg 8D2C642E-2AA0-426A-967C-51DE922979F8.jpeg E30F9AD5-4C4B-4148-BE37-B3E9C0758B90.jpeg
 
Passover
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JwRosenthal JwRosenthal
and is a great example of how removing surface grime is sometimes all it takes.
This OPD had a fine layer of haze across the dial and indices making it look flat, dull and lifeless- it was on the surface and was easily removed using the sticks @Archer talked about and a slightly damp q-tip on the brightwork. The second hand was a goner (replaced with a NOS hand) but the minute and hour hands cleaned up beautifully without any loss of lume...the man who did this has the hands of a surgeon and patience of a saint.

Hi J!

I have not the slightest doubt that the dial condition has been significally improved if you say so.

But I think you can't see that on the pictures:
The 'before' pic is lightened totally different and I'm sure the crystal was polished / replaced also

But the watch is looking great on the 'after' picture 👍
 
JwRosenthal
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Passover Passover
Hi J!

I have not the slightest doubt that the dial condition has been significally improved if you say so.

But I think you can't see that on the pictures:
The 'before' pic is lightened totally different and I'm sure the crystal was polished / replaced also

But the watch is looking great on the 'after' picture 👍
Those are indeed variable and yes, crystal was a mess and he polished that out (and tried to smooth out the chip on the edge)- I should have had him take a pic when he took it apart. It didn’t look “bad”, just kind of hazy and dull, and the hands had surface grime. He got most off the hands (some was very light damage to the finish and he left that alone), but overall the difference although subtle, makes the watch look 10x better.

My only point here is that yes, sometimes things can be slightly improved- but not always and not without risk
 
JwRosenthal
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Here is another example of a light touch. I got this from a fellow member. Hard to see in the before pic but the dial has light surface speckling from moisture and little flecks of crud about the dial. It also had a light ring on the dial where it looked like the hour hand had contacted the surface At some point (barely visible on the pic but it’s there.

98A13C4D-7315-4011-B4E6-5DB415936EB8.jpeg
It wasn’t enough to really bother me as it was in great shape- but my guy took it to the next level...with a very simple light surface cleaning.
771D691E-6002-4A31-925A-5B7C3D872B4C.jpeg E0DA1507-372A-40E2-81F8-CCB757A862D5.jpeg
 
Chai
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Having a vintage Omega watch is like having an old friend. Do you want to take that risk of breaking up? I don't, its heart breaking.
 
myouss
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Chai Chai
Having a vintage Omega watch is like having an old friend. Do you want to take that risk of breaking up? I don't, its heart breaking.
FYI you've chimed in on a 6-year dead thread 😀
 
TIMElyBehaviour
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Just take it as a blanket rule before buying that a dial can’t be cleaned. When you get it, taking debris off with rodico and any dirt with a drop of water and a cotton tip being rolled not rubbed is as good as it gets. And even then, don’t do it unless you know what you are doing. Dial printing is so easy to rub off. Think of it as like stickers on a model plane and with water they come off easy and quick. Like that but worse.
 
Chai
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myouss myouss
FYI you've chimed in on a 6-year dead thread 😀
I'm slow, consider me a vintage man, 70, ::psy::, but still a world boy
 
Chai
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I have learn Vintage Omegas r the sensitive kind n I have broke off my relationship with a pink gold 561 pie-pen. i was sitting wit my friend selling vintage T-shirts n a man was choosing the shirt, my quick saw a Omega watch on his hand. I joking said,"Nice watch u r wearing, u want to sell this watch? N he said, "You want to buy? n I answered." Ya, I pay cash, how much? He ask for only $900 n I said " What about $750". n he said, "Deal". My heart jump out. That's the best watches deal I have had in my life, a pink gold pie-pan cal; 561. N then, one day, I ask the the watch repair man to open the cover, so that I can adjust the timing to exact timing, n later I accidently poke the main spring, see the repair man n he cut mainspring. The watch still work but a short mainspring won't do good job for a watch. I sold it away for $1050, made a small profit, n bye bye Miss Pinky. My lesson is, 'Don't try to put my inexperience hands into the watch, IDIOT'.When Miss Pinky left, I was 'lovesick for awhile, n life goes on, I have another Omega. I have a lot of omega watches came and went in my life, not the higher grade ones, and I would advice my dear friends n their friends, Don't Ever Try To Repair You Omega Watch, Unless U Know What You Are Doing....Thanks.
 
WatchIdiot
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That dial I consider is pretty nice, but there is also something cool about a dial that is really messed up but still readable. Nothing says been there don't that like a really patina'd dial.
 
Lapis
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PlainVanilla PlainVanilla
This dial looks perfect to me. A few elements of reflection for you :
1 - Aging on a dial shows that your watch has an individual history. Yes, clean dials are the most sought after (nowadays, I'll talk about it in my next point) but not everyone finds charm in a watch that has been stuck in a drawer for 50 years. To me (and I'm talking about my personal views on things), a slightly patined dial has way more charm than an immaculate one.
2 - I'm a photographer and I use Leica cameras. I don't know if you have experience with Leica cameras but sometimes the more patina they show, the more expensive they are. Leica even released a limited edition camera with patina that actually costs more than the regular version. Some German dude spends his days rubbing these cameras with a cloth to get them patined. It's like Fender guitars. Vintage Fender guitars have such a recognizable aesthetic that Fender started producing patined guitars. You never know, maybe some day patined Omega watches will have such a strong and recognised aesthetic in our society that the value of patined Omega watches will skyrocket. It's unlikely, but you never know. The fact that patined guitars and cameras suddenly became so cool shows that this preference for immaculate dials could shift. It's all very subjective, and I think your watch looks gorgeous.
3 - You frequent watch forums like this one so your perspective on things is influenced by what you see here but the average dude probably thinks that this aging on your dial looks absolutely terrific and you know what? He's probably right.
Well said
 
danieln1221
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Mr.Bliss Mr.Bliss
Hi, I own a few vintage watches with different types discoloration to the dial. Can a dial be brought back to life with a clean and a polish or should they be left alone.
Here is an example...
I’d leave it be, that dial is perfectly fine. Too most at least, really depends on what your preference is. Either way I prefer to not touch them, aside from using a bit of rodico to get superficial dust off. Otherwise I have seen others go at it with a cotton swab and the tiniest bit of distilled water. Here’s a photo of a dial that some would probably want to clean but I’d rather leave it be. (Ref 2846-12, Large hippocampus)

IMG_3930.webp
 
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