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Does replating a watch (from YG to RG) make it a franken?

  1. NT931 Sep 13, 2015

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    I was having a discussion with a friend about this. If a vintage watch (which was originally YG-plated) gets replated to RG, while everything else is the same (dial, crown, movement etc), is it a franken? Especially when a RG version of that watch probably didn't exist in the past (as far as I know)

    When we had our discussion, we both felt it wasn't quite right, and therefore was a franken. But I'm curious what everyone else feels about this, would love to hear your thoughts!
     
  2. ulackfocus Sep 13, 2015

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    Any changes ruin the watch in a collector's eyes. Hell, an exact replacement dial isn't an original so that could be suspect to some.
     
  3. dennisthemenace Hey, he asked for it! Sep 13, 2015

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    I would call it modified. Frankens are put together from two or more different watches
     
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  4. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Sep 13, 2015

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    I'd also got with modified... On eBay they would say:

    " extremely rare costum made one of a kind luxury limited edition for the servant line of the Saudi royal family for casual Friday wear and duck hunting"

    But yeah," modified " fits just as well.
     
    Edited Sep 13, 2015
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  5. NT931 Sep 13, 2015

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    Sort of like those Bamford Rolexes I guess. Whether we call them modded or frankened, I guess the gut feeling I had was that it would (as Dennis said) reduce the value. Pity!
     
  6. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Sep 13, 2015

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    Unless Rolex does it for you, then it's a one of a kind made to order watch and it doesn't lose value but may instead increase. Also depends what the value and collectivity of the watch is to start with as not all watches have notable value no matter what they're made of.
     
  7. base615 Sep 13, 2015

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    Not much different from replating the watch in the original yellow gold in my opinion.
     
  8. Nobel Prize Spell Master! Sep 13, 2015

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    It's not, until you pass it off to your nephew and your nephew places an "uncle watch" post... And then @Archer will find out through the serial that the metals don't match, as will some of the other photographic memory experts here! Then your nephew has to get an extract from omega or Rolex or whatever brand but they also see a discrepancy and so forth and so on.... And then I'll start making absurd uncle jokes and the thread will lose focus and the nephew will get offended and the mods will be frustrated and Game of Thrones season 20 will finally kill Sansa Stark.

    So if you do it document the shit out of it to save everyone some time and effort.
     
  9. NT931 Sep 13, 2015

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    While we're at it, as a fellow GOT fan, what's up with Season 6 and is Jon Snow really dead for good? ::rimshot::

    But seriously, yeah, I get both your points - modded may be acceptable to some parties, but documentation is important to save future owners of said watch some potential grief.