I am interested in hearing your opinions on how you feel about dial restorations.
Given a choice would you rather have an original dial with visible ageing and a nice patina or a dial made to look new? I’ve been reading and there seems to be mixed opinions on the matter. Do you think a new looking dial looks a bit incongruous on a vintage timepiece? Thanks for any opinions given.

 

Really depends on the dial, a nice patina or maybe a stray mark would be acceptable to me, especially on a vintage piece. Now a dial that is stained and/or scratched badly just won't do.

 

I'd have to agree with a1watch. It depends on the dial. If the visable aging is evenly spread through out the dial and not terribly stained, then it wouldnt bother me too much but if the dial is unreadable or has random marks that I know will bother me, then I wouldnt mind having it redialed.

 

I would rather have a factory-original dial, however tattered and torn it may be, against one that has been refinished or reconditioned, however 'perfect' it could be. A dial can only be original but once.

 

I have no problems with a good redial. The problem with redials is that the average quality leaves a lot too be desired. My personal preference is, if a watch needs to be redialed, I prefer to have it done myself unless, I can hold it in my hands and inspect it.

 

This was done by international and for the watch I am happy with it, when I first purchased the watch I was planning on leaving it alone but it had one bad place that every time I looked at it just drove me crazy

 

Acceptable patina:







Actually, more like desired patina. Omega black fading to chocolate with even crazing of the clear coat is .

Acceptable refinished dial:



(done at JLC in Le Sentier)

 

your preferred market place will determine whether or not it should be redialled.

In the vintage world (Hamilton) you would expect to see significant pieces with their original dial (and pay top dollar for it).

re-done dials are acceptable as usual with the seller identifying that the dial is a refurb. Obviously we don't spend as much money on these. All of my significant pieces have original dials and I wouldn't consider refurbing them. I love the "Statler and Waldorf" look of my vintage watches. If I want a new watch. That's what I'll buy.

 

Good answer. What's okay for one brand's collectors or a certain area may be taboo for another.

 

I too love good patina - prefer not to redial. But then there is ugly patina (since all the other photos in this thread are lovely).



What ya going do? I think chucking it in the bin or using it as a parts watch is wrong - movement and case are pretty good. Yes it is an Omega:

 

Me personally?

I'd be looking for a replacement dial to slip onto it. I'd then slip the original into a packet and store it.

then I'd wear it as I wanted and the original dial would always be there for resale.

 

Depends on the value of the piece and just how bad it is. I've had several redials done bi ID, The dials were SO bad that they were unreadable.

 

I bought an Elgin one time from an old gent in Fla.
He had had it redialed and relumed.
The lume did not glow.

So I asked my watchmaker to send it out for a relume.
The old lume would not come off without removing the dial paint.
So it got another redial as well.

The latest redial looks much better. The lume is C3.

Of course I've got probably three times into this watch than it.s worth.
It was probably a Lord Elgin in it's previous life.

It's a cal. 760. It's not very big at 33.5mm


vs 44.5mm

 

Yes it is a lord Elgin here's mine with the original dial

 

I thought it was worth having because of the movement.
However I never wear it.
One of these days I'll relinquish it to the sales section.

 

Here's mine as well

 

If you got watch mojo (patina) like ulackfocus or Kyle L I think it would be an abomination to have refinished...

That being said, im not against the refinishing ... A question... is the watch below (my first Omega) original or refinished?

 

Refinished. The fonts are wrong. They tried to stay true to the original though:



That's an Italian market 146.012 caliber 920 - see here for more info:

http://www.old-omegas.com/chronostop.html#146012