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Ssunnylee24
·Polished lugs only look better on pictures. They are polished quite a bit. I’d get it done but done right.
Red Sub dilemma: Laser weld lugs or leave as is?
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hoshimachi
·Leave em be. They is what they is. And they ain’t what they ain’t. ( apologizes to John Prine) What you propose will actually hurt value and credibility.
Sorry for bringing up an older thread.
But could you specify what you mean by "hurt value"?
Do people usually avoid watch cases that have been restored, even from the most trusted sources?
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hoshimachi
·Plastic surgery (I. e. Lazer welding) sometimes seems like a good idea. But sometimes one can end up wishing they hadn’t done it.
So this is a question from a novice, but is laser welding that bad?
I've seen some work done by Rolliworks and the result seems fantastic. I couldn't tell if work has been done to the watch.
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hoshimachi
·I think that refinishing/lasering the case will leave the watch unbalanced when combined with the worn and dinged bezel plus patina'd dial and hands. In return I think it will make you less likely to wear and enjoy the watch, for fear of dinging the case again.
For me, it would be like mismatching a new paint job on a vintage car with the worn and faded upholstery and vinyl top, regardless of wheels and tires. People value the original paint on a vintage car.
Great analogy.
I am new to watches so pardon my ignorance, but don't reputable laser welders "distress" the case a little to match up with the rest of the watch? Also, since the dial is usually pristine from being inside the case, wouldn't there be a pretty minimal difference after the procedure?
(I understand that this is a very watch-by-watch scenario.... or shall I say case-by-case HA.)
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hoshimachi
·Polished lugs only look better on pictures. They are polished quite a bit. I’d get it done but done right.
Do you think doing so will "kill the value" as some may suspect?
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WatchTimes
·Do you think doing so will "kill the value" as some may suspect?
To me it would not help the value, I think it would hurt it.
I would much rather by a worn example than one that has added material.
Vintage I want all original
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Dan S
·Do you think doing so will "kill the value" as some may suspect?
To me it would not help the value, I think it would hurt it.
I would much rather by a worn example than one that has added material.
Vintage I want all original
It all depends on the condition of the case.
- If the case is badly worn or poorly polished previously, then a quality restoration/refinishing (with or without laser welding) will definitely increase the value. While they may not post very much on forums, many buyers prefer a sharp well-restored case to a worn or badly polished case.
- However, the the case hasn't been poorly polished in the past and just has some scratches and modest wear, then you could reduce the collectibility by having the case refinished. Experienced collectors can usually tell.
I am new to watches so pardon my ignorance, but don't reputable laser welders "distress" the case a little to match up with the rest of the watch?
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nkhandekar
·That’s really kind, but I notice the difference right away between our watches, so much so that I’m not even going to set up side by side shots.
Im more than okay that it’s worn. It’s easier to wear, it’s much less likely to draw attention and it feels like an artifact on my wrist, not some museum piece I get to take out for a day.
My 1675 is the same way.
Earlier today, when I was comparing lugs
The 1675 is on top in both shots: it is less worn/polished than the 1680. IMHO
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