Hi all, I am hoping someone on this forum might have an idea about what happened to my dial? I value the wide knowledge and expertise The watch has been stored in a watch case (with 2 other watches & silica gel desiccant sachet) in a drawer for a while and last time i looked perhaps all seemed fine, maybe around 18 months ago. Recently i started to explore a couple of drawers with a view to moving on some pieces and I found this watch now looks like this , the other 2 watches are fine, I don't think it is from moisture. The dial was a nice matt black and it still runs well. The watch has a gold coloured slim bezel, Longines crown, strap and buckle. Can anyone suggest what might have happened with this dial transformation and what to do with it now? Is it worth trying to clean/salvage this dial or look for a replacement dial? I really don't know what it's value is/could be and if it is worth repairing or sell as a project. All comments suggestions welcomed
Most likely moisture ingress. I wouldn't do anything with the dial though... It is worth getting it properly fixed, and the Longines affectionados should agree... Let us know your location and someone can find a good reputable vintage watchmaker near you!
Hi @GuiltyBoomerang thanks for your reply, I’m in Perth and my previous watchmaker retired my next one didn’t work out and I am trying a new guy at the moment but not yet convinced so open to a tip. One thing I didn’t notice before was the green around the date window, I have similar on a strap around the spring pins on another watch too, brassing?
Hi @Ebuster Sorry to see what happened to your watch. @photo500 is a watchmaker and member on this forum. He is located in Perth. You can check out his work at https://www.lewiswatchco.com
What a bummer ... I'm sorry to see that. As mentioned above, perhaps some water got into the watch the last time you wore it.
Are you sure the dial was original to begin with? I don't know much about 1950s Longines -- but the font on the "Longines" signature feels off to me. Others who know more about those may have more definite assessments....
It's hard to be sure but it looks like it could be mould. In which case I would suggest keeping the watch away from your other watches, and placing it in sunlight to kill the spores.
I thought the same at first sight that it might be mold/fungus as already suggested by @Fialetti . But it may not just go away with sunlight exposure! The better option is to send it for complete service and cleaning and let the watchmaker deal with this. I have read somewhere that soaking the dial in vinegar (acetic acid) + drops from lemon may be used to gently clean the dial. Unfortunately you can't use alcohol since it may remove the paint.
Thank you for your replies. Although some have suggested moisture as the cause, as outlined in OP I am pretty certain that I haven't exposed the watch to any moisture and none of my other watches (stored in the same way/place) are similarly affected. I guess it remains a sad mystery dial at this stage. I don't have any real attachment to this watch, I was looking to move on some pieces and refocus my diverse collection so a question I have is it worth spending money on this to realise a sale or move it on as it is? I don't think this piece owes me a lot. Re the Longines text, I had understood that the dial was original but stand corrected on that although to my eye the below seems to have similar text Any thoughts at all on the green gunk around the date window?
I agree. When mould or algae dry out, they dry like a flat stain. That has too much body to be anything but corrosion.
Hi, I have had the watch for about 16 years and worn sparingly in this time maybe 4-6 times all up. There was no sign of damage to the dial when i last looked at it possibly 15-18 months ago