When did restoration become a dirty word?

Northernman · Nov 6, 2015

To me this is a passion I can pursue without burning all the cash I put into it.
My main focus is the passion for technology and design (as in technical design primarily).
Trying to understand the value of a given watch is an important lesson one learn over time. Mistakes are naturally made more often in the earlier phases.

What we can never foresee is sudden shifts in the market/community.
Sometimes I trade or sell a watch with a small profit, other times a small loss.
Putting up a full balance sheet would be devastating! Better not do that in case Mrs. N should have a look. :whipped:

HAGWE!
😀

DON · Nov 6, 2015

As Al mentioned. I restored for profit, but no watch was sold without full disclosure of what was done to it. Nothing was sold as NOS etc. All work was mentioned. As I said. I didn't sell to purists, but people that wanted vintage in a presentable looking watch that they could wear to work.

90% were restored to close to original as possible, but when something is not available. One needs to recreate

Another example

Bought off Ebay

Restored - As baton original hands were not available. I used smaller blued steel pocket watch hands which I reamed and fitted to create a useful watch

ulackfocus · Nov 6, 2015

How's that joke go? When I die, I hope my spouse doesn't sell my watches for what I told her I paid for them.

novina · Nov 6, 2015

DON
As Al mentioned. I restored for profit, but no watch was sold without full disclosure of what was done to it. Nothing was sold as NOS etc. All work was mentioned. As I said. I didn't sell to purists, but people that wanted vintage in a presentable looking watch that they could wear to work.

90% were restored to close to original as possible, but when something is not available. One needs to recreate

Another example

Bought off Ebay

Restored - As baton original hands were not available. I used smaller blued steel pocket watch hands which I reamed and fitted to create a useful watch

Beautifull work. Would be proud to wear it. But.... as someone new to this game, I see too many watches that look like your restored piece that do not even mention it was restored. They scare me as the asking price is close to what an original piece of that condition should be. So right now, I just look away. I have nothing against repairing or restoring something that has seen the ravages of time or the elements take their toll. But please price it accordingly and tell me. I would happily wear a restored watch as long as I knew it was. And I for one,do like the vintage look but not so much the "patina" of some. This watch is a wonderful example of what should happen to old watches. As for the purist collectors, I'm sure they will buy up all the nice examples and hold them ransom for years to come. With us poor guys just waiting to snag one, in almost any condition, before they are finally gone.

Northernman · Nov 6, 2015

novina
Beautifull work. Would be proud to wear it. But.... as someone new to this game, I see too many watches that look like your restored piece that do not even mention it was restored. They scare me as the asking price is close to what an original piece of that condition should be. So right now, I just look away. I have nothing against repairing or restoring something that has seen the ravages of time or the elements take their toll. But please price it accordingly and tell me. I would happily wear a restored watch as long as I knew it was. And I for one,do like the vintage look but not so much the "patina" of some. This watch is a wonderful example of what should happen to old watches. As for the purist collectors, I'm sure they will buy up all the nice examples and hold them ransom for years to come. With us poor guys just waiting to snag one, in almost any condition, before they are finally gone.

Don't give up hope. They are out there!

DON · Nov 6, 2015

novina
They scare me as the asking price is close to what an original piece of that condition should be.

When I sold this one. Price was $350.00. Probably about 2008. No clue what someone would ask for the same today

DON

STANDY · Nov 7, 2015

novina
As for the purist collectors, I'm sure they will buy up all the nice examples and hold them ransom for years to come. With us poor guys just waiting to snag one, in almost any condition, before they are finally gone.

Not a purist collector, but they are still around as picked this up on here a few weeks ago (still on way so seller pic,s)
New crystal and a service and hopefully it will clean up a treat. In to it at $420 so far.

Everyone here had a chance not only the collectors

djk84 · Nov 7, 2015

U ulackfocus
Restoration improperly done is bad. Too many hacks polish off bevels and facets, and some redials are atrocious.

If you want a watch that looks new, buy a new watch.

I've been thinking about this question as I hunt for a birth-year speedmaster (or as close as I can get based on serial # age estimates). I ultimately realized that the whole point is to be an artifact from a particular time. If it has a new dial, new hands, bezel, etc... it defeats the whole purpose of buying a vintage piece and I may as well get something new. However, aesthetically, the changes to a speedmaster over the years are subtle. I'd consider a true-to-original restoration if there was no modern equivalent of a style.

Rman · Nov 7, 2015

"Matter is in a constant state of decay" - 2nd Law of Thermodynamics

5,6,7,9 are gone folks. God I love this frickin' watch. Anyway...
It's comforting to me that JLC will gladly reprint the dial to the original spec if I wish, and service it and and give the watch another 60 years of service. Will I miss the patina? Hell yes I will. Will patina build again? Yes it will.
As time goes on and another generation or two collect these timepieces or inherit them it will be important to have robust restoration departments within the the manufactures, and manufactures that really smile upon and encourage restoration on their classic pieces, and that will certify and document the work...
If we don't encourage this with our dollars I think we will find our hobby truly suffering.
Idealism, I know... But I've shifted my collecting to brands I know will do this. Namely, JLC, Omega, Vacheron, Longines.

This is also a form of protection.
I personally would prefer a paper trail in a watch market becoming more and more scary with the works of fakenfrankeners.

When did restoration become a dirty word?

Northernman

DON

ulackfocus

novina

Northernman

DON

STANDY

djk84

Rman

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