Rough dial

[LesXL]

Syrte

PS looking at this again with the benefit of daylight, I have to say I’m impressed with the result, it really looks great.
Kudos to you for exploring and finding the right kind of “paint” and applying it so well.
I really do think you should leave the dial as it is now.

Keep us posted as you make progress on the project!

Agree with Ms Syrte here. Well done, all quite balanced, and pleasing to the eyes. I wouldn't go further than the current situation.

Very much impressed with your result, and even more with your work and research.

 

[evansrc1]

Syrte

PS looking at this again with the benefit of daylight, I have to say I’m impressed with the result, it really looks great.
Kudos to you for exploring and finding the right kind of “paint” and applying it so well.
I really do think you should leave the dial as it is now.

Keep us posted as you make progress on the project!

Thank you, that's really kind of you to say so.

Hands next, I assume donor watch is the realistic option.

 

[evansrc1]

LesXL

Agree with Ms Syrte here. Well done, all quite balanced, and pleasing to the eyes. I wouldn't go further than the current situation.

Very much impressed with your result, and even more with your work and research.

Thanks, really appreciate it.
Glad the consensus it to leave as is, it's a relief not to risk fiddling any more with it.

 

[Syrte]

E evansrc1

Thank you, that's really kind of you to say so.

Hands next, I assume donor watch is the realistic option.

Donor watch even with wrecked dial might not be so cost efficient, unless you already have one in the stash you bought, or you have easy access to hidden piles of vintage lemons. Since the lume has long been removed, and since this watch will never be a top tier collectable, your best bet might be to try and find some period leaf hands which are not Longines.
The lume is already missing on the dial so the leaf hands will match the style.

Edited: Apr 14, 2024

 

[Larry S]

 

[Pastorbottle]

“Rough dial” funny thing is I say that every time I look in the mirror!

 

[evansrc1]

Syrte

Donor watch even with wrecked dial might not be so cost efficient, unless you already have one in the stash you bought, or you have easy access to hidden piles of vintage lemons. Since the lume has long been removed, and since this watch will never be a top tier collectable, your best bet might be to try and find some period leaf hands which are not Longines.
The lume is already missing on the dial so the leaf hands will match the style.

Thanks, good idea.

 

[evansrc1]

Larry S

Thanks, that's really helpful.

 

[evansrc1]

Got around to lacquering it, which was really more for preservation than appearance.
Used a Semi-gloss, but a few tiny bits of fluff adhered to the lacquer before I got it covered and I needed to wire wool and polish, and it's finished up quite a bit glossier than intended.
The lacquer has really flattened the work off and minimised the touch-ups.
Have some leaf hands on the way, which will hopefully be ok.

 

[Syrte]

Thanks for updating us, of course one would have to hold it in hand in order to assess. I once purchased a watch whose dial was stabilized with some sort of varnish and I was kind of pissed when I realized, but then I learned from my watch maker that it can be done sometimes in order to prevent a dial from further decay when the varnishes are at risk of peeling off. Because the watch has some other features which appeal to me and I love it on the wrist I made peace with it.
It’s hard to assess without the watch in hand but your pictures look really good and I look forward to see the final result if you’ve been able to obtain leaf hands.

for those of us who are not native English speakers would you kindly post pictures of the tools and lacker (and composition) you used to achieve this result?

many thanks!

 

[DirtyDozen12]

Impressive result!

As @Syrte mentioned, it would be neat to compare this to an unrestored, glossy black dial in person. I suppose that the similarity would depend on the condition of the unrestored black dial.

 

[evansrc1]

Thanks, I'll post some pics of the stuff I used.
Might as well post something about this as well.
I've seen quite a few examples from circa 1950 with similar dark red/brown lacquer discolouration.
I couldn't live with that lacquer discolouration, and bought one to see if it could be sorted, while it wouldn't be a massive disaster if I messed up.
I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, though I did make an error at the start.

 

[Syrte]

E evansrc1

Got around to lacquering it, which was really more for preservation than appearance.
Used a Semi-gloss, but a few tiny bits of fluff adhered to the lacquer before I got it covered and I needed to wire wool and polish, and it's finished up quite a bit glossier than intended.
The lacquer has really flattened the work off and minimised the touch-ups.
Have some leaf hands on the way, which will hopefully be ok.

PS I shd add It looks pleasing but if you’ll allow me to give my unvarnished opinion (pun intended), I think the process now went a step too far.

You had almost miraculously reached a perfect equilibrium between the restoration and the original patina.
This stage in my opinion highlights the risks of restoration, the varnish brings out a clear discrepancy between areas that look “new” and the zones around the numerals where you could not touch up.

So the restoration is now visible— contrary to the previous stage, where the consistent patina at least on your pictures made the restoration basically invisible.

E evansrc1

Might as well post something about this as well.
I've seen quite a few examples from circa 1950 with similar dark red/brown lacquer discolouration.
I couldn't live with that lacquer discolouration, and bought one to see if it could be sorted, while it wouldn't be a massive disaster if I messed up.
I'm quite pleased with how it turned out, though I did make an error at the start.

Wow, I do have to say you have a talent for dial tinckering -
This one looks great whatever you did with it. Again you should stop now though!

 

[DirtyDozen12]

Syrte

Wow, I do have to say you have a talent for dial tinckering -

Agreed.

Personally, I do not mind the brown discoloration but the result looks very good in the photo provided. Something I have noticed about some "cleaned" dials is that they appear a bit washed out. I wonder if you notice that with the 22AS?

 

[evansrc1]

Syrte

PS I shd add It looks pleasing but if you’ll allow me to give my unvarnished opinion (pun intended), I think the process now went a step too far.

You had almost miraculously reached a perfect equilibrium between the restoration and the original patina.
This stage in my opinion highlights the risks of restoration, the varnish brings out a clear discrepancy between areas that look “new” and the zones around the numerals where you could not touch up.

So the restoration is now visible— contrary to the previous stage, where the consistent patina at least on your pictures made the restoration basically invisible.

I agree. The restoration was honest, now not so. The lacquering did more than I intended, but I think it was necessary for preservation. I probably should not have applied it as thickly.
Shame I can't really show what it looks like with photographs, it looks fine really, and on the wrist I don't there'll be anything that's troubling. Except perhaps the level of gloss.
I've stopped on both now! There's been stages with the black dial where I've gone too far and risked ruining it, but I've been fortunate in successfully backtracking.

 

[evansrc1]

DirtyDozen12

Impressive result!

As @Syrte mentioned, it would be neat to compare this to an unrestored, glossy black dial in person. I suppose that the similarity would depend on the condition of the unrestored black dial.

I had to apply the lacquer quite thickly from a can. I assume they applied thinned out lacquer in a very thin coat (?)
Would it have been much glossier, if at all, than the anodising that can be seen on the rear?
I'm sure my effort is far too glossy, but I think I'm only going to make it worse if I do any more, and under the crystal it may be ok.

 

[LesXL]

Impressive I must say

 

[Syrte]

E evansrc1

I had to apply the lacquer quite thickly from a can. I assume they applied thinned out lacquer in a very thin coat (?)
Would it have been much glossier, if at all, than the anodising that can be seen on the rear?
I'm sure my effort is far too glossy, but I think I'm only going to make it worse if I do any more, and under the crystal it may be ok.

As I remember the dials were dipped in a bath - hence the black back. I can’t remember what the next part of thr process was, but I seem to recall there were extra layers of clear varnish applied on top.

 

[DirtyDozen12]

E evansrc1

I had to apply the lacquer quite thickly from a can. I assume they applied thinned out lacquer in a very thin coat (?)
Would it have been much glossier, if at all, than the anodising that can be seen on the rear?
I'm sure my effort is far too glossy, but I think I'm only going to make it worse if I do any more, and under the crystal it may be ok.

Regarding the original lacquer, I am not certain but I would guess that you are probably correct. I do think that it would have been glossier than the anodized rear. Also, I think it will more than likely look great under a crystal.

 

[Waltesefalcon]

E evansrc1

I had to apply the lacquer quite thickly from a can. I assume they applied thinned out lacquer in a very thin coat (?)
Would it have been much glossier, if at all, than the anodising that can be seen on the rear?
I'm sure my effort is far too glossy, but I think I'm only going to make it worse if I do any more, and under the crystal it may be ok.

I think you did a great job, I can't wait to see it installed on your watch.