Community Stories

Kudos to the LA watch spa for my 1675 GMT facelift....

TLIGuy
Posts
2,021
Likes
10,495
I can't believe it's been almost 10 years now that I've had this watch.

After 10 years and my companion in over 30 countries, I finally girded my loins enough to ship it off for a little cosmetic work. When I purchased it from my watchmaker it quickly became my favorite watch.

Upon looking at it in person long ago there were a few issues that always bothered me but could overlook when I first purchased it.

The hands were replaced somewhere along the way and never matched the beautiful cream color of the dial. They were tritium OEM replacement hands but were somewhat whiter. The case somewhere along the way was polished, and in my opinion was not great, but I could live with it. The bezel insert was replaced along the way too but over the past 10 years of daily wear during its world travels in the sun its beginning to take on a lovely aged patina of its own.

All that said, while I love vintage watches I'm not a purist and I like my watches to look nice so it was finally time to part with it for a little cosmetic work.

After a few email exchanges with Edvi and research on hand relumination and case refinishing I settled on sending it off to LA Watch Works for the work.

The watch arrived back today and all I can say is it is Wow, Wow, Wow!!!. Their work is stunning. A huge shout out and kudos to the stunning work done by Edvi and Beau at LA Watch Works. What a fantastic job and fast turn around in just under 3 weeks.

The hands were polished and relumed to color match the dial. The color and texture is stunning and is a perfect match now. I'm glad I finally had this done. While the dial was stunning my eyes were always drawn to the color disparity between the hands and dial.

The case wasn't bad but some of the lines a bit wonky. The sharp edges polished away and the chamfers there but not really sharp. In the hands of the magician Beau he restored the sharp lines and straightened up the case so it's all symmetrical now. The crown guards were a bit off so those were cleaned up and sharpened. The brushed surfaces redone as well. All polished and then a bit of a vintage overtone applied to match it to the bracelet.

I'm thrilled with the results and can totally vouch for anyone contemplating sending their watch to LA Watch Works.

Here she is in all her glory now...

IMG_8806.png IMG_8807.png IMG_8813.png IMG_8819.png
Edited:
 
spacemission
Posts
1,037
Likes
505
Some times the tritium of the hands and the one from the dial don't match. Enjoy it.
 
TLIGuy
Posts
2,021
Likes
10,495
spacemission spacemission
Some times the tritium of the hands and the one from the dial don't match. Enjoy it.

Absolutely agree. The hands were clearly a number of shades different and enough to detract from the complete look of the face between the two.
 
pdxleaf
Posts
4,880
Likes
16,998
This is timely and very interesting to me. I may hijack your thread, but hopefully still be pertinent.

High quality cosmetic work seems to be more exceptable for Rolex watch owners than for Omega watch owners. (This may not be true, but it seems to be discussed more by Rolex owners than Speedmaster owners.)

Questions: Why is this? Shouldn't a high-end cosmetic restoration be more accepted, or even add value?

Jose Pereztroika is of course known for breaking the story about the $3 million, 2915 Speedmaster. The story has been widely discussed. However, Jose also raised a point about restoration. His point was that vintage watches are degrading simply from the natural aging process. He said that when people see a 60 year old watch that looks like it fell off the shelf of a store 60 years ago and was hardly worn since, they should question their assumptions. He thinks watches have been getting cleaned up for years and it's unrealistic to think they haven't been.

His next point was that this isn't necessarily a bad thing. He commented that there are extremely talented people who can restore a watch. Why aren't watches that have been restored by say an LA WW worth a premium, in recognition of their skills?

His example was of classic cars. Classic cars get restored all the time. Sure, a barn find is great, but you can't drive a barn find, or at least you won't get far. A nice, well executed restoration adds value, as it keeps the vehicle preserved and adds longevity to it for future generations. Why isn't this okay for watch collectors? Aren't watch collectors ignoring the fact that their perfectly preserved vintage watch with beautiful lume will not look the same in 20 years, as it will continue to age.

Bringing it back to why this is timely, I am currently in discussions with Edvi about my 145.022-68. I sold one and bought a new one with a beautiful dial and movement that I couldn't resist (and way overpaid 🤦).

[Before service, out for service now.]
20230522_104121.jpg 20230520_132223.jpg


I am trying to decide whether or not to send him the waych for a case refinishing. The case was polished with the brushing on the top of the lugs and sides gone. But it has a few knicks and scratches that still indicate a used, vintage watch. LA WW will make it look new.

I'm torn because I, like most, seek the untouched original. But as these get harder to find, and the watches are proving to have been touched up in the past, is it better to have a beautifully restored watch by a master craftsman or a slightly beat up watch that was polished decades ago by a less skilled watchmaker?

Rolex owners say they are particular about unpolished watches, although most would not object to a restoration like the one's done by LA WW. (In José's opnion, there are more restored watches that unsuspecting people think are unpolished.)

Sorry for the drift. This is something that's been on my mind since the $3 mil Speedmaster auction discussion and listening to Jose.

Thanks for sharing. Your watch is a beauty.
 
TLIGuy
Posts
2,021
Likes
10,495
@pdxleaf I saw that interview as well recently and find myself in agreement with what Jose was saying.

For me personally, I want to love untouched examples of vintage watches warts and all, but I love a nice looking watch on my wrist to look at. Sometimes I wonder if vintage it really for me. The scarcity of pristine examples now as well as the ones that do come up for sale are cost prohibitive and out of my range.

Finding a gently used watch and having a real artist correct the flaws to make it nice looking is totally acceptable to me and will most likely be how I move forward now after seeing what can really be done to restore the beauty of older watches by a professional.

I have a stunning 145.022-68 as well. Perfect in almost every way but the plot at 1 is missing a small amount of lume revealing the white base. When I look at the stunning dial all I see is the white revealed by the missing lume and it irritates me. Finding someone that can correct and fix the one plot and is willing to do small jobs is a blessing and I will soon ship off my Speedmaster to correct it.
 
Dan S
Posts
19,840
Likes
46,348
Many people who post on forums say they would rather have a beat up original watch than a restored one. However, if you try to sell two such watches, you will find more buyers for the restored one. Those buyers just don’t post as much, but they’re out there.
 
TLIGuy
Posts
2,021
Likes
10,495
Here is an old picture of the hands before the relume. If I recall, and I may be incorrect, my watchmaker said they were tritium replacements. Either way the brighter white hands always bothered me. Now they have been corrected to match the dial and I think looks much better. You can also see a bit of how soft the case was pre refinishing.

IMG_8066.png IMG_8821.png
 
ATWG
Posts
2,115
Likes
6,490
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Given the choice, most buyers today will prefer a nicely refinished case and perfectly matching dial/hands combo. God forbid, if the hands are half a shade off! However, most collectors will ALWAYS prefer an honest original condition watch. There used to be a time where finding such watches was possible. However, with modern technology and the proliferation of outfits such as of LAWW who can essentially 'remake' the watch to look anything you like, the lines for me are too blurred. For example, LAWW now offers a 'Vintage' case refinish to show wear on a newly cut watch! No thank you, it's not for me.

@TLIGuy, you did what makes you happy, and that's all that matters. You have a gorgeous MK1, perhaps now it's deserving of a very nice fat font period correct insert to complete the package ;-)
 
Larry S
Posts
12,883
Likes
51,551
“Jose Pereztroika is of course known for breaking the story about the $3 million, 2915 Speedmaster. The story has been widely discussed. However, Jose also raised a point about restoration. His point was that vintage watches are degrading simply from the natural aging process. He said that when people see a 60 year old watch that looks like it fell off the shelf of a store 60 years ago and was hardly worn since, they should question their assumptions. He thinks watches have been getting cleaned up for years and it's unrealistic to think they haven't been.”
Yep, Jose is correct. I agree with @Dan S and having been kicking around since 2016, I note a certain gap between orthodoxy and actual practice. Yes, there are unmolested examples out there but these were tool watches after all is said and done. Wear parts are wear parts. Cases were polished, dials were relumed.
Edited:
 
spacemission
Posts
1,037
Likes
505
TLIGuy TLIGuy
Here is an old picture of the hands before the relume. If I recall, and I may be incorrect, my watchmaker said they were tritium replacements. Either way the brighter white hands always bothered me. Now they have been corrected to match the dial and I think looks much better. You can also see a bit of how soft the case was pre refinishing.

IMG_8066.png IMG_8821.png

Not bad in my opinion but it's your watch 👍
 
spacemission
Posts
1,037
Likes
505
pdxleaf pdxleaf
This is timely and very interesting to me. I may hijack your thread, but hopefully still be pertinent.

High quality cosmetic work seems to be more exceptable for Rolex watch owners than for Omega watch owners. (This may not be true, but it seems to be discussed more by Rolex owners than Speedmaster owners.)

Questions: Why is this? Shouldn't a high-end cosmetic restoration be more accepted, or even add value?

Jose Pereztroika is of course known for breaking the story about the $3 million, 2915 Speedmaster. The story has been widely discussed. However, Jose also raised a point about restoration. His point was that vintage watches are degrading simply from the natural aging process. He said that when people see a 60 year old watch that looks like it fell off the shelf of a store 60 years ago and was hardly worn since, they should question their assumptions. He thinks watches have been getting cleaned up for years and it's unrealistic to think they haven't been.

His next point was that this isn't necessarily a bad thing. He commented that there are extremely talented people who can restore a watch. Why aren't watches that have been restored by say an LA WW worth a premium, in recognition of their skills?

His example was of classic cars. Classic cars get restored all the time. Sure, a barn find is great, but you can't drive a barn find, or at least you won't get far. A nice, well executed restoration adds value, as it keeps the vehicle preserved and adds longevity to it for future generations. Why isn't this okay for watch collectors? Aren't watch collectors ignoring the fact that their perfectly preserved vintage watch with beautiful lume will not look the same in 20 years, as it will continue to age.

Bringing it back to why this is timely, I am currently in discussions with Edvi about my 145.022-68. I sold one and bought a new one with a beautiful dial and movement that I couldn't resist (and way overpaid 🤦).

[Before service, out for service now.]
20230522_104121.jpg 20230520_132223.jpg


I am trying to decide whether or not to send him the waych for a case refinishing. The case was polished with the brushing on the top of the lugs and sides gone. But it has a few knicks and scratches that still indicate a used, vintage watch. LA WW will make it look new.

I'm torn because I, like most, seek the untouched original. But as these get harder to find, and the watches are proving to have been touched up in the past, is it better to have a beautifully restored watch by a master craftsman or a slightly beat up watch that was polished decades ago by a less skilled watchmaker?

Rolex owners say they are particular about unpolished watches, although most would not object to a restoration like the one's done by LA WW. (In José's opnion, there are more restored watches that unsuspecting people think are unpolished.)

Sorry for the drift. This is something that's been on my mind since the $3 mil Speedmaster auction discussion and listening to Jose.

Thanks for sharing. Your watch is a beauty.

Based on my personal experience I can say that the vintage rolex world has been more dishonest than the omega world. There were a lot of scammers, flippers, aficionados, rsc with very bad policies, etc. If you own a 1675 with a service insert you don't need to purchase and pay >$1000 for an original one faded which you can not read the 24h scale.

A watch untouched in an acceptable shape is a very good deal. A watch with a service bracelet and insert is a good deal if you like it. A watch rebuild is a bad deal, for example the op's watch with an hacking calibre, a luminova service dial and hands, etc.
 
TLIGuy
Posts
2,021
Likes
10,495
spacemission spacemission
A watch rebuild is a bad deal, for example the op's watch with an hacking calibre, a luminova service dial and hands, etc.

When you refer to the "op's" watch I assume you are referring to my watch. Please clarify for me if you would. The dial on my watch is the original long E MK1 dial (luminova service dial?) with a non hacking movement. Hands clearly replaced at some point in its life but I'm a bit confused about your comment.
Edited:
 
spacemission
Posts
1,037
Likes
505
TLIGuy TLIGuy
When you refer to the "op's" watch I assume you are referring to my watch. Please clarify for me if you would. The dial on my watch is the original long E MK1 dial (luminova service dial?) with a non hacking movement. Hands clearly replaced at some point in its life but I'm a bit confused about your comment.

You didn't understand me, it was an example. I was talking about if your 1675 had had that configuration to rebuild it.
 
Fallout Boy
Posts
2,062
Likes
4,361
Personally my test for a true vintage tritium 90ies Rolex is with UV - light. I own a black EX2 16570 from 1995: Near zero glow, zero after glow.
And the Rolex radium - aera is a mine-field 😉
 
watchyouwant
Posts
5,265
Likes
8,967
Fallout Boy Fallout Boy
And the Rolex radium - aera is a mine-field

Not true. If you handle enough, it becomes clear . Same with the Omega 2915 ....
 
Fallout Boy
Posts
2,062
Likes
4,361
watchyouwant watchyouwant
Not true. If you handle enough, it becomes clear . Same with the Omega 2915 ....
So I am ROLEX-Radium- coward. 😉 And that´s OK for me.
 
Sign up or log in to reply...

Similar threads

sdre

Respect and kudos to the Fratellowatches team...

sdre Open Discussion
DaveK
DaveK
Posts
19
Views
1K
duc

Kudos to the Delta Pilot

duc Open Discussion
speedbird
speedbird
Posts
22
Views
3K