Hand replacement or restore

[calart]

Hi could any help (live in the UK
just bought this automatic cal 552 case 161 5002 9ct gold
the movement is lovely hardly been used
Just got it back from a service but when I fitted a new strap
I noticed the hands are very poor especily the second hand,either corroded or covered in globules
would have thought it would have been sorted in the service but obviously not
could any one anwser the following

1. are these hands availeable to buy
2. is it possible to clean restore them myself
3. does any one restore them at a resonable rate
4. do hands from other makes of watches possibly fit

Thanks

 

[SOG53]

You bought a vintage watch which is more than 60 years old and such oxidation changes are common on hands of a vintage watch.
You must have not looked at it very carefully prior to buying.
If you want a new looking watch you can send it to Omega in Switzerland and for 1500 or more CHF they will replace the hands and probably the dial and much of the movement. But then you won’t have much of a vintage watch anymore. If you have just shiny new hands installed then they will look very out of place with the rest of the watch. And forget about trying to clean them yourself they will be destroyed in the process
So if the appearance of the hands is unacceptable I would sell this watch and either 1) buy another vintage with better condition of hands, first examining it under magnification , or 2) buy a new watch without these concerns.

 

[Dan S]

I think the hands match the overall condition of the watch.

 

[gbesq]

A competent watchmaker can remove some of the oxidation and make the hands more presentable. Although you could have them replated and relumed, they wouldn't match the general condition of the watch and would look out of place.

 

[Spruce]

After I bought this 165.003, the lume on the hands, inexpertly added by a previous owner, irked me and my watchmaker carefully cleaned it off. Here’s a before and after…

 

[sgk]

C calart

Hi could any help (live in the UK
just bought this automatic cal 552 case 161 5002 9ct gold
the movement is lovely hardly been used
Just got it back from a service but when I fitted a new strap
I noticed the hands are very poor especily the second hand,either corroded or covered in globules
would have thought it would have been sorted in the service but obviously not
could any one anwser the following

1. are these hands availeable to buy
2. is it possible to clean restore them myself
3. does any one restore them at a resonable rate
4. do hands from other makes of watches possibly fit

Thanks

Hard to tell exactly the state of the oxidation from the pictures, but your best bet is to sympathetically restore rather than replace the hands. A light polish might help. But as others have said, are you willing to pay the cost of this without knowing exactly how it will turn out?

 

[Fallout Boy]

Dan S

I think the hands match the overall condition of the watch.

One of the 10 Vintage-Commandments. (Jose, perezcope)

 

[Syrte]

Welcome to the forum, first do you trust your watchmaker and did you discuss it with him?

As said, a competent watchmaker can try and remove gently some of the oxydation, that may improve things a bit, but only that person can say if it’s wise to attempt.
If the oxydation is deeply ingrained, as it may be, an agressive action can break the hand.