Rolex Repair - Dial Restoration

[ggrolex]

Hey everyone,

I have a Rolex OP ref 1002 that I absolutely love. It is the perfect gents watch for me and is truly beautiful. Unfortunately there is a scratch on the actual dial plate right under the L that bugs me every time I look at it and it feels like its taking away for my enjoyment of the watch.

I've been doing some research and I know dials can be restored or replaced but on one end I am having trouble knowing how to even find a trusted watch maker who can do such a repair (I am located in Boston) and on the other finding the exact dial or how to even go about looking.


I've included a picture of the watch with the scratch circled

WOULD LOVE THE COMMUNITIES THOUGHTS AND HELP

[pk552502]

I would be hesitant to try to repair it. I personally would just keep it as is or just replace the whole dial.

[gdubdj]

Originally Posted by ggrolex

Hey everyone,

I have a Rolex OP ref 1002 that I absolutely love. It is the perfect gents watch for me and is truly beautiful. Unfortunately there is a scratch on the actual dial plate right under the L that bugs me every time I look at it and it feels like its taking away for my enjoyment of the watch.

I've been doing some research and I know dials can be restored or replaced but on one end I am having trouble knowing how to even find a trusted watch maker who can do such a repair (I am located in Boston) and on the other finding the exact dial or how to even go about looking.


I've included a picture of the watch with the scratch circled

WOULD LOVE THE COMMUNITIES THOUGHTS AND HELP

Have you considered contacting a Rolex service center for guidance in replacement dials?

[nocaps]

i think a refinished or service dial would diminish its value. maybe you can source
an original ref 1002 dial. good luck.

[Old Expat Beast]

I would leave the dial as it is, but get a better-fitting strap.

[linesiders]

I would go and look on ebay for a excellent shape dial appropriate for your watch. Probably be there eventually and they'll probably be reasonable.

A refinish is going to look worse

[TimeToGo]

.
Welcome to the Forum!

That is a tough one. The scratch is wide nearly touching the writing on both ends, which during an attempted repair could complicate things even more.

Not an easy dial to find in the secondary market, with yellow gold indeces, but patience could pay eventually.

Here is a service dial that sold on Ebay last month:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/29592363502...Bk9SR6yNlcjQYw

I think the price is up there. Here is a list of other Ebay sold dials to give you an idea of condition and price:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw...Sold=1&_sop=15

[TuRo]

Originally Posted by Old Expat Beast

I would leave the dial as it is, but get a better-fitting strap.

Personally I'd keep it as is - 'sunburst' dials very tricky to repair.

The mark is very central and balanced, I'd kid yourself it's a much sought after 'underline' dial.... People pay £000's extra for one!!

To illustrate..... pal of mine took his wife to the vintage shop to buy an (underline) Sub, and she nearly divorced him when he pointed out 'he'd paid £5000 extra' for a little 2 mm underline on the dial !

[TimeToGo]

Originally Posted by TuRo

Personally I'd keep it as is - 'sunburst' dials very tricky to repair.

The mark is very central and balanced, I'd kid yourself it's a much sought after 'underline' dial.... People pay £000's extra for one!!

To illustrate..... pal of mine took his wife to the vintage shop to buy an (underline) Sub, and she nearly divorced him when he pointed out 'he'd paid £5000 extra' for a little 2 mm underline on the dial !

Sorry, do not follow.

Where did the underline comment come from ?!

[TuRo]

Originally Posted by TimeToGo

Sorry, do not follow.

Where did the underline comment come from ?!

It was just whimsy ttg, as it looks a bit like an ‘underline’ and my way of suggesting leave it as is (and sort of justifying it within OP’s head).

Of course you know the background to them below.

I often kid myself if a watch has an imperfection it’s better that way or resembles something else….eg I’ve a 5513 wgs that has gone totally matte, I (possibly) kid myself it’s got the look of a 5513 matte…mind games with oneself is part of the game I find.

If we are honest with ourselves Tropicalising dials is this very thing - I love them, but my wife says eeek ‘that watch is ruined’!!



https://journal.craftandtailored.com...derline-dials/

[TimeToGo]

Originally Posted by TuRo

It was just whimsy ttg, as it looks a bit like an ‘underline’ and my way of suggesting leave it as is (and sort of justifying it within OP’s head).

Of course you know the background to them below.

I often kid myself if a watch has an imperfection it’s better that way or resembles something else….eg I’ve a 5513 wgs that has gone totally matte, I (possibly) kid myself it got the nice look of a 5513 matte…mind games with oneself is part of the game I find. Maybe me only granted

https://journal.craftandtailored.com...derline-dials/

The smaller models do not bring as much as their big brothers, as you mentioned, Sub and GMTs.

[studioal]

Reach out to Greg at TruePatina.com, he does a lot of restoration on Rolex dials and could tell you if this is something he could handle or not. And maybe give you a recommendation if he can't.

[Dan S]

For me, it would not be worth attempting a repair on the dial of this watch. It will cost you something to do it, and it probably won't be perfect, so the knowledge of the repair will still draw your eye. You could look for a replacement dial, which is certainly plausible. But TBH, I would probably just buy a different one and sell it.