Please excuse the apparent ignorance of this question but what is the difference between refinishing and refurbishing a dial?
Most sellers seem to think those words mean the same thing, but 'refurbished' or 'restored' must sound better to them. You'd have to ask on a case by case basis, but if you're talking eBay listings it usually means a refinished dial.
Is there any other way - a 'right' way - to restore the original appearance a dial that has fallen into disrepair?
In most cases, no. Some manufacturers do excellent work on their vintage pieces and the end result is nearly perfect - but it still isn't original.
Can anyone share a link with me on the dial restoration process? I would like to understand how it is done.
This link might help: http://www.dialrefinish.net/services.html There are a number of different methods and dial finishes depending on the era and type of dial. gatorcpa