Tips needed/stainless steel case ‘enhancement’

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river9

·Feb 3, 2023

Hello
First, am grateful to OFers for advices/suggestion/discussion which help me hugely.
What I am going to ask below may appear a sacrilege to some of you. Sorry in advance for that eventuality.

Some background info: bought locally one year ago this stainless steel ref 14390-SC-62, cal 285 serial No 18,xxx,xxx. Acquired via trade in, final price approx 400USD (equivalent Viet Nam dongs), expressly for its gilt dial although that dial is not in her best conditions.

So lately tried to ‘restore’ lug bevels with some handtools including manicure ones! And below are the results. To me it is merely 10 maybe 20% better. I don’t know it is me, my lack of skills or there is better ways to improve. Please share your thoughts. Thank you for reading.

Case after

===================

Case before

Thanks

 

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hen

·Feb 3, 2023

Im not really sure what am looking at here. Are the lugs a bit less round in the after pics?
Maybe if you took the after pics on the same background, at the same angel with the same lightening, it would be easier to see.

Anyways you are a brave person, taking a nail-file to your vintage Omega lugs and tell about it on a vintage Omega forum takes some guts. Good luck

Oh yeah my tip is dont do this anymore, please.

 

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river9

·Feb 3, 2023

Hi @hen
Tks for reacting.
To me lug bevels are more defined/accentuated by 10-20% in nake eyes.
But as you said, light conditions, photo shoot angles... the before and after aren't as obvious as in real life.
I am eying a watch case (same ref same material) on the Bay ... That case is in better shape.
So my attempt to 'enhance' my watch case was a last ditch experiment before buying the better watch case (60,00 USD asking price for the later)
Where I live watch case restorers I know don't want to work on mine probably because they would not know how to charge me for their work.

 

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kaplan

·Feb 3, 2023

I think you did a very good job, you brought back some definition to the bevel/edges, did you do anything special to the edges or is it just by sanding the front and sides?

I can predict that your enjoyment increased 10x - I know the feeling 😀

 

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river9

·Feb 3, 2023

kaplan

I think you did a very good job, you brought back some definition to the bevel/edges, did you do anything special to the edges or is it just by sanding the front and sides?

I used a electric polisher device (photo below) while buffing is obtained with emery file for manicure. On each lug I abraded two outer bevels, the ones which were the more exposed to abrasion (pls see pics below).
I didn’t modify the facet which connects the two bevels worn out by me. Was reluctant because I don’t know how it looked like at the beginning.

kaplan

I can predict that your enjoyment increased 10x - I know the feeling 😀

Yes indeed. Tks for sharing your experience !

 

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janice&fred

·Feb 3, 2023

It actually does look better and thank God there was plenty of meat to work with. As mentioned previously I wouldn't try this again. I think you either have balls the size of church bells or are semi-clueless. 😁

 

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BlackTalon

·Feb 3, 2023·This Space for Rent

You left out some options:

c) both of the above
d) none of the above


😁

 

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river9

·Feb 3, 2023

Hello @janice&fred and @BlackTalon
Thank you for your time.
I understand what I did could be seen as a heresy from the standpoint of collector.

Here is my ‘pleading’. Abrasion by sanding was very light on a case already over polished by watchmaker. Otherwise, if by chance there wasn’t possibility to undo my attempt to ‘enhance’ with (the 60USD case on Bay…) I wouldn’t do this!
Tks for reading

 

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BlackTalon

·Feb 3, 2023·This Space for Rent

I have no issues/ criticism with what you tried. That's why there is an option d) above. You tried to see if you could improve the case. Obviously that means removing material. Which can be heresy in the collector world, yet material is already gone. So why the heck not? The only way to get it back to original is to weld on new material, which is a whole different level of work. So why not see if you can get it looking better yourself.

Edited: Feb 3, 2023

 

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janice&fred

·Feb 3, 2023

river9

Here is my ‘pleading’. Abrasion by sanding was very light on a case already over polished by watchmaker

Yes as seasoned collectors we were aware of that, which is why you got a pass. This time...

 

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river9

·Feb 3, 2023

janice&fred

Yes as seasoned collectors we were aware of that, which is why you got a pass. This time...

😀

 

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SkunkPrince

·Feb 3, 2023

Nothing better than a trained watchmaker who is experienced in case refinishing. I, personally, know where my limitations lie, because I do not have the machines used to do professional refinishing. I only do hand work.

It's your watch, so as long as you are happy, who are we to complain?

 

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river9

·Feb 3, 2023

Thanks ALL for reacting and sharing your thoughts, what I appreciated from OFers!

I should elaborate why I attempted to improve the look of this 14390. This Seamaster is somewhat my birthyear watch (18M serial), especially a black gilt dial (so so conditions) but with nice clean movement.
In the other hand, I has a 'last resort', if this attempt failed, in buying a nice 14390 case off the Bay (60USD negotiable).
Would like to glean from knowleadgeable OFers tips to enhance but seems it drew the ire here. Sorry...
Above more macro shots. I would not say 'entertain' my untouched but resized photos. Anyway I would like 'to make my case' (i.e pleading) 🍿

Nice weekend

 

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SkunkPrince

·Feb 3, 2023

I had a CMW "melt" a case. He claimed it could be fixed. I bought a new case.

But, if you like the result, then yay!

 

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river9

·Feb 6, 2023

Small update: the 14390 case I am eying is relisted FOR LESS ... Am again tempted to buy instead of... 😗

 

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bikerfox

·Mar 4, 2023

so, have you done any more work to your watch? if so, what?

 

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river9

·Mar 4, 2023

bikerfox

so, have you done any more work to your watch? if so, what?

No I stopped short, am now OK with the case (not bought the replacement case advertised on the Bay)