When is patina "too much"?

Lonestar · Mar 22, 2016

The Emperor's New Clothes actually applies to the Rolex community overall if you ask me 😁. I've even used this very metaphor to illustrate that very point before! 😝

Anyways. This shows that there are many different perceptions. The problem is when some of them are in minority and those that have them don't feel like voicing them by fear of being singled-out 😉

Best,
Paul

Lonestar · Mar 22, 2016

And, shameless plug here: If you have a nice Speedy MkII w/ Racing dial that you think I might like, PM me... 😉

Flingit1200s · Mar 22, 2016

I'm a bit surprised that no one has been bold enough to post a picture of a watch that, in their opinion, has too much patina.

styggpyggeno1 · Mar 22, 2016

I though I did...

Flingit1200s · Mar 22, 2016

^Yes you did as well as a couple others. My error.

Nobel Prize · Mar 22, 2016

This is my 69 speedy.... Has a very desirable patina imo

Lonestar · Mar 22, 2016

That's a SEAmaster... not a moonwatch...

Nobel Prize · Mar 22, 2016

Lonestar
That's a SEAmaster... not a moonwatch...

Darn it, you're right. I could just barely see the S and the R so I thought SPEEDMASTER.... But it may be a seamaster....

Thank you

cimo · Mar 22, 2016

While personal preference dictates the point when a watch's patina is no longer considered desirable, there is a more objective element to the topic as well.

As most posters have said, if you like the way a watch looks patina or otherwise, then that is what matters most.

Beyond the appearance however, is the role patina can play in evaluating a piece. Don't forget that patina, by nature, is the physical aging of a watch based on the degradation of materials and compounds inside it.

The condition of the dial and lume can give insight as to the treatment of the watch throughout its life, the quality of the materials used in its construction, and any environmental factors the piece was exposed to.

I have found that not only does a dial always reveal when a watch was worn in a humid environment, but it is clear when it was worn by a heavy smoker. Frequently I see dials that bear the same tobacco tinge as the walls of a chain smoker's house (which if you have not seen, is usually somewhere between dark yellow and brown).

To end my diatribe, when a watch ages gracefully, and the color of the dial or lume fades evenly and unobtrusively, patina can in fact be very elegant.

When paint or lacquer starts to crack or peel, or pieces start to fall off, I'm afraid my opinion is such that a piece has at that point reached its expiration.

Nobel Prize · Mar 22, 2016

cimo
I have found that not only does a dial always reveal when a watch was worn in a humid environment, but it is clear when it was worn by a heavy smoker. Frequently I see dials that bear the same tobacco tinge as the walls of a chain smoker's house (which if you have not seen, is usually somewhere between dark yellow and brown).

Well... No. No smoking patina. Brown dials are not produced by smoke.

Dr No · Mar 22, 2016

Lonestar
All, thanks for chiming in and educating me.

This is helpful, as I'm really confused by the things I can see for sale online. Maybe it's because I'm rather new to this, but I'm really struggling with the "patina" thing.

Trit' that is yellowing a bit, homegeneously across hands and markers, I like.

Piqued dials, spiderwebs, I'm not too fan of - I do have an old Swiss chrono from my grandad that is piqued like crazy, and I love it, but only because it's a family property!

Tropical dials, I am wondering still whether this is something that grows on you as you get a bit more acquainted with vintage timepiece, like fine wines... It hasn't grown on me yet. But because these command such a premium, it's hard to part out what is the "inner" attraction of these, vs. that driven by peer pressure and desire to show off (which, let's be honest, is a big part of watch-owning and watch-displaying).

But when I see tritium that has fallen off hands, now with a "hole", and ha not been replaced, I'm really not getting it. Then again, all part of the learning curve I guess!

Thanks,
Paul

If you stay with vintage collecting long enough, you might find your perceptions changing over time, as I have. I started out as a perfectionist ten years ago, and developed an appreciation for patina along the way.

Personally, the rarer and more desirable the reference, the greater the tolerance for degradation. For a Mk II, even a mildly degraded dial would be reason enough to pass. For a chronometer reference . . . any dial would do.

You can afford to be picky if you're searching for a Mk II.

Cordially,

Art

cimo · Mar 22, 2016

Nobel Prize
Well... No. No smoking patina. Brown dials are not produced by smoke.

Just stating what I've seen happen to watches in my family. Hard to think of any other reason it would degrade like that compared to another, less "patinated" example.

Nobel Prize · Mar 22, 2016

Black degrades to brown. As does white, specially of there's any paper material involved

The crystal or hesalite, the band or steel would stain from smoke way before the dial, not to mention if the watch in question has even 5o feet water protection the dial itself is insulated.

For enough smoke exposure to hit a dial in order to taint it you would have to actually see smog inside the watch, and the inside of the crystal would be equally degraded as the dial

watchknut · Mar 22, 2016

Interestingly enough, while I normally don't go for degraded lume plots as on my Movado, the creamy subdials and ghost fade bezel balance it out. Had those same type of degraded lume plots been present on my 300s, I would not have bought them.

Rman · Mar 22, 2016

IMHO Too much patina = lacking charm or illegible

Lonestar · Mar 22, 2016

Nobel Prize
Darn it, you're right. I could just barely see the S and the R so I thought SPEEDMASTER.... But it may be a seamaster....

Thank you

Just in case this is taken at face value... was making that (silly) joke because of all the shells/mussles around that (poor) watch. Made me think of Sea... as a counterpoint to the sky / moon (what the speedmaster is known for). Didn't mean to correct you our sound offensive. Sorry if that's the way it's come across.

Lonestar · Mar 22, 2016

Just found this... sold as "superb patina, nice and homogeneous".

To each his own, I guess 😀

Omegaholic · Mar 22, 2016

Hi,

I am new here. Just want to share my Constellation with severe patina on the dial.

I normally avoid watches with patina but fell in love with this one.

Omegaholic · Mar 22, 2016

Here is another one with severe patina on the dial which I posted it before.

fjf · Mar 22, 2016

Another from ebay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/12192853115...l?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=121928531159&_rdc=1

When is patina "too much"?

Lonestar

Lonestar

Flingit1200s

styggpyggeno1

Flingit1200s

Nobel Prize

Lonestar

Nobel Prize

cimo

Nobel Prize

Dr No

cimo

Nobel Prize

watchknut

Rman

Lonestar

Lonestar

Omegaholic

Omegaholic

fjf

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