Patina lovers unite! Had to take a shot and pick up this beautifully trashed 1940s Vulcain. Blued hands, crazy magical lugs, and a dial that looks like marble - I mean, for a patina lover like me - how could I not?! Very curious if anyone has any more info on this? What’s its story? Where does it come from? As it finds its cozy new home in my watch box.
Nice to see someone here get it! I was considering it at the original listing price but the loss at 3 o'clock made it a no go for me. Looks great on you!
Thanks! In person the loss at 3 really fits in with the overall look. Took a shot on it and am very happy - might have a hard time getting it off my wrist for a few days at least!
I do like the case/lugs but is that really patina? IMO, there are times that the tough decision to seek a professional for a full dial restoration must be made... But what’s important here is that you are happy! Enjoy!
I hear you, the word patina has become a bit of a catch all. You could say wabi-sabi, beautifully trashed (as I added) or just plain ol’ wear, but for “patina” lovers like me the result is the same: a dial that started one way and over time has changed to something else. Something unique. One off. And to my eye, in this case, marble-like and awesome. And personally, I would prefer this dial to the best restored dial. But that’s the beauty of this crazy watch game, what’s awesome to me may not be awesome to you. Which is perfect because it means we’re all not trying for the same watches and bidding each other up!!! Appreciate the comment, all the best!
Hey guys, sorry for the total newbish question, but I'm new to watches and also real curious. How did the dial sustain so much damage throughout the years but the crystal looks spot on?
only the original owner knows, the crystal could have been replaced, dunno, but looking at the subdial from the OP’s picture, seems to me like water damage? note I’m not an expert in any of this..
Makes sense! The original owner may have replaced the crystal primarily to display the worn dial, kind of like looking at ancient pieces through the pristine glass of a museum exhibit case!
Wear can be caused by a lot factors: years of sun exposure, heat, moisture, degradation of paint, etc. That’s why they all wear differently and you never truly know the cause or the result. But the crystal has definitely been replaced.
So the seller said it was “newly serviced” and, as always, I took that with a grain of salt, but very happy (and shocked due to the age) to report the winding and setting is like butter, and it’s gaining 2 seconds per day!
Okay... so for the non watchmaker, what would you suggest when the seller says it was freshly serviced and it arrives with a clean looking movement, smooth winding and setting. and consistent time keeping within COSC? I’m inclined to throw it into rotation and wear it and enjoy it...
I'm not really recommending anything, just pointing out that because it looks clean and runs well, that doesn't tell you the whole story. Based on what you have said, you have no actual proof of service, just the word of the seller and good timekeeping. You seem to be putting a lot of weight on things like "smooth winding and setting" and that's an even less reliable indicator that all is fine than timekeeping is IMO. What each person "should" do depends on so many factors it's difficult to give blanket advice. Do you have access to a local watchmaker you trust who can do a quick check on a timing machine, and inspect the condition of the movement under a microscope? If so, that's what I would suggest. I don't know what "throw it into rotation" actually means, so if it means you are going to be wearing it a lot and you are planning on keeping it for a long time, then getting it checked and serviced if needed would be the approach I would recommend. If you are going to wear it once a month for 6 months, and then flip it, that's a whole different story. Generally speaking unless you have actual proof of a recent service, I would assume it needs one no matter what the watch tells you, because watches a very poor communicators of their own health. This isn't particularly new or controversial advice, but it's up to you to decide how to treat your own possessions... Cheers, Al
