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Vintage connie: Restore, redial, resell, retire?

  1. ainterian

    ainterian May 27, 2014

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    So I am one of those wanna be watch collectors. "Wanna be" because I don't have enough money to buy most of the watches that I desire, especially chronometers of the pink/rose gold variety.

    So when this one popped up on ebay for a fair price, I couldn't resist! I plan on replacing the crystal since polywatch only did so much... But wondering what can be done to salvage the dial... Also wondering whether I should retire until my student loans are paid off :-P

    What say ye: lemon juice? International dial co? Sell it on Ebay?

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  2. gatorcpa Ω 2

    gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member May 27, 2014

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    The movement makes this watch. I'd say to spend a little bit on a service, add an extra $50 for a OEM crystal and leave the dial alone.

    It will look OK. I've never seen any redials that do justice to the original look of these old Omegas.
    gatorcpa
     
  3. watchyouwant

    watchyouwant ΩF Clairvoyant May 28, 2014

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    looks like somebody tried to clean it before..... and just stopped before more letters vanished. do nothing to the dial; this one will only get worse. keep it until you are tired of it. kind regards. achim
     
  4. marturx

    marturx May 28, 2014

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    Here´s an example of a successful dial restoration of a Connie 50ies dial.

    http://www.farfarsklocka.se/empty_14.html

    What he does, is that he removes the top layer lacquer, and then he put on a new layer instead. All original printing in the dial is kept as it were.
     
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  5. bieb1

    bieb1 May 28, 2014

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  6. ainterian

    ainterian May 28, 2014

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    I know it's hard to tell from the photos, but the letters are actually still crisp and bold.

    As usual, the members of this forum provide excellent advice. Thank you all.
     
  7. wwhntr

    wwhntr May 28, 2014

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    Is there anyone in the US that has expertise in removing the lacquer and "re-lacquering" a dial? I have seen similar links posted before, but would like to make sure they knew the proper procedure or could determine what can be done before "experimenting" on one of my dials!
     
  8. ainterian

    ainterian May 29, 2014

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    I actually have the same question - I can't tell what makes a dial "restorable".
     
  9. Dablitzer

    Dablitzer May 29, 2014

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    I think it's a fine pickup, provided it was a good price. It's a shame to waste a nice arrowhead connie, especially with rose gold markers! So I say, well spotted! (excuse the bad joke..) It's possible to improve on this dial. if you have a watchmaker that you trust.
     
  10. gatorcpa Ω 2

    gatorcpa ΩF InvestiGator Staff Member May 29, 2014

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    If the damage is only to the lacquer and not to the dial paint or metal, the Swedish watchmaker's method should work. It's exactly what Sonny Dewan used to do with solid gold dials. Most gold dials have little or no paint.

    http://users.tpg.com.au/mondodec//Seamaster_Conserve.pdf

    Sonny told me that since gold is a noble metal and does not react to acids, you could remove the lacquer and clean the dial using diluted acid. Sonny then used a modern spray-on synthetic lacquer. Came out looking better than new. He warned that this would only work with gold dials and he would not do this with any others.

    Painted base metal dials are more fragile than gold. It is impossible to tell from your photos if the environment damage is limited to the lacquer coating. Generally, if you see dark spots on the dial, this means that moisture has gone through the lacquer and started reacting with the paint and dial metal. At that point, the Swedish watchmaker's method may make things worse.

    Only way to know is to ask him.

    Hope this helps,
    gatorcpa
     
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  11. dsio Ω 2

    dsio Ash @ ΩF Staff Member May 30, 2014

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    Some of the brushed metallic dials with mould spots can be sorted with an eraser, I've had two vertical brushed dials cleaned perfectly with that method, no water or acid just very cautious use of a plastic eraser.