Fowey River Vintage Watches: Dealer Reviews & Experience

Sgt_Bilko · Dec 3, 2021

@Grumpycat I've just been looking further at the website of Fowey River and they seem to have a lot of watches with restored dials, which they attempt to spin as a good thing and there are also a lot of polished cases. If you have any concerns I would review the original advert and show images here on the forum.

JwRosenthal · Dec 3, 2021

Sgt_Bilko
@Grumpycat I've just been looking further at the website of Fowey River and they seem to have a lot of watches with restored dials, which they attempt to spin as a good thing and there are also a lot of polished cases. If you have any concerns I would review the original advert and show images here on the forum.

I think it’s important to remember that we are a very small percentage of watch buyers (not collectors) that demand originality and “honesty” in a watch. Most watch buyers want fresh and new looking from vintage watches. It’s very much like the transition that happened in car collecting about 20 years ago where a fully restored car was no longer valued higher than a “survivor”, in fact those roles have flipped thankfully.
I spoke candidly with one such dealer (who is also an Omega collector) about this and he said that he can list a nice honest Seamaster Deville with very light dial patina for $800 and it will sit for months. But if he lists an identical style watch next to it that has a freshly polished case and repainted Don Draper cross-hair black dial, it will sell for twice that in a week- fully disclosed of the repainted dial and refinished case! For him it’s a business decision, not an ethical one.

Danwales · Dec 3, 2021

You only have to look at the "Sold items" on ebay to see that there are no shortage of buyers for redialled Omegas. A lot of people just want to wear a vintage Omega as their one special watch and don't research into the hobby that much.