Restoring (not a repaint) a badly damaged 1680 Red Sub dial

[classicwatchparts]

I am showing pictures of a dial of a client after his consent to post when he picked it up today.


Basically he picked up the dial for spare change hoping that I can do something about it without resorting to a complete repaint. As you look closely there were chips around the edges on the min markers, chips around the hour markers and most severely around the logo with letterings missing.

Most will be thinking of sending it for a complete re-dial. Many collectors and dial restorers will agree.


Nope not just yet, it may still have a few years left on it. With a hammer and a knive on my hand against my dial guys; no guns in this city; ( in reallity challenging and begging them to work overtime on this) we now have perfected a way to properly save a damaged dial without completly reprinting it. All the letterings are left original , just a touched up original dial.


Basically, we use ultra fine air brush painting technique to fill in the chiped out area in matt black and then try to blend in the surrounding area. A technique mostly used in automobile body shop repair.

Once that is done, the tough part is to fill in the missing letters or minute markers. As many of you know that we already do complete dial reprints on old dials we have a set of the correct printing dies.

We then add droplets of white paint on the corresponding damaged area on the printing die and then carefully aligns the machine to do a partial print on the dial. And abacadabra you now have an almost undetectable touch up of a valuable original Red sub dial.

The biggest giveaway is the re-lume, I still have not be able to source good tritium luminous but it is something I am investigating.


The whole process sounds like the restoration of a Rembrandt painting, no we have worked out a efficient way to do it so it does not cost alot more than a general repaint.

[vkychoo]

Looks really good although the masking around the minute markers could be improved slightly but since it's all hand-done, it's pretty impressive

[classicwatchparts]

remember the photos are blown up many times on the computer, when you reduce it to 1:1 scale and see again, then "all my troubles are far away ....."

[T. Ferguson]

Wow Michael, I cannot believe I've been a member here longer than you. Your reputation is well known and I've heard nothing but great things about your work restoring bracelets.

Obviously bracelets aren't the only things you restore.

Thanks for showing us this excellent dial work!

And Welcome!

[Fiat5513]

Originally Posted by vkychoo

Looks really good although the masking around the minute markers could be improved slightly but since it's all hand-done, it's pretty impressive

Actually it's pretty spot on, and IMO it looks fantastic. If you look at many older original dials the lume wasn't applied exactly to the edge of the markers so actually it looks pretty damn close to original.

[Vincent65]

nice repair job, Michael & Co!

[harry in montreal]

I liked the dial as found.

[jmin]

Thank you for the information

[vkychoo]

I'm curious to know how the original, damaged dial got that way?

[Vlad]

Great Job. How about a harder challenge?

Vlad

[swish77]

Wow, very impressive. Always a dilemma: original aged/damaged dial versus restoration. But in this case, I think the choice was correct. Quick question: Was the selection of such yellow luminous intentional? Can you go whiter or more ivory, too? Maybe the color was to match patina on the hands?

[Kingair]

Nice Michael . . . looks great !

I am impressed

HAGWe

[paltak]

Vintage newbie question, no offense intended here, but is that how a lot of vintage watches from HK end up having almost perfect patinas, lugs, and chamfers?

[classicwatchparts]

Originally Posted by Vlad

Great Job. How about a harder challenge?

Vlad

HI Vlad

Hmmm, I will not mind trying, if I can do this one, the waiting line will be longer than the current band restorations

[classicwatchparts]

Originally Posted by swish77

Wow, very impressive. Always a dilemma: original aged/damaged dial versus restoration. But in this case, I think the choice was correct. Quick question: Was the selection of such yellow luminous intentional? Can you go whiter or more ivory, too? Maybe the color was to match patina on the hands?

That was just a customer choice, we can do white ivory or deep aged like this one, just a different mix of luminous paste.

We can also replate hands and relume them to match.

[Fiat5513]

Originally Posted by paltak

Vintage newbie question, no offense intended here, but is that how a lot of vintage watches from HK end up having almost perfect patinas, lugs, and chamfers?

Yup, many do, shaved chamfers and all.

[Stoner319]

Wow scary nice work

[classicwatchparts]

Originally Posted by paltak

Vintage newbie question, no offense intended here, but is that how a lot of vintage watches from HK end up having almost perfect patinas, lugs, and chamfers?

Nice question and there is always a transparent line that I guard myself of not crossing. So I really don't deal in vintage watch sales.

There are alot of dealers not only in Hong Kong that has their items refurbished or fixed and then go on to tell customer it is like new old stock etc... More common is the swapping of parts between the same model. Personally 90% of my sales is non-Hong Kong based, so I guess they work also with the others, I take too long and they usually cannot wait to turnaround their watches.

In my position I cannot do anything if a dealer sends in a band for restoration and then turn around and sell it as New Old Stock (NOS) . Not only a dealer can do it pratically anyone has ebay acess can do so.

So nowadays, buying vintage watches is 50% for the watch and 50% for the dealer's reputation. So reputable guys like Jed, Eric Ku etc...(sorry buds if I have left off your names) pop up so often for the important buys.

Or simply just post here in the forum with pics and those thousand forum eyes will do the Sherlock Holmes for you. Not one single person really knows the full Rolex story, there are too many myths and facts out there the even Rolex has no answer for. Or some might argue this is the fun of Vintage Rolexes.

[vintagewaferthin]

Wow! What an amazing end result.

[katana]

Originally Posted by Fiat5513

Yup, many do, shaved chamfers and all.

Just as I thought. Simply, it is impossible to prove. Nobody wants / dare to talk about it.Perfect work, M.Y. There are others who do similar. The difference is that they sold watches expensive, because "patina"

[JohnBoy]

Lots of great information and a beautiful restoration job for your customer, Michael. I'm pleased that you are now a TRF member and are willing to share your knowledge with us. Thank You and Welcome!

[HRV]

very interesting, thanks

[Lgear080]

If you perfect the distribution of paint and lume you'll
Have a near perfect process.

[Lgear080]

If you perfect the distribution of paint and lume you'll
Have a near perfect process.

[3Pedals_6Speeds]

Wow! Other than the over aged lume (I see you mention that was the customer's choice) I find it hard to tell it has been reworked.

[Alexus]

I'm amazed and afraid together .) But good to know, that you're able to safe a Dial if needed! thanks

[Pete17]

Considering the nasty state of the original dial, you did a superb restoration Michael.
BTW you're 100% correct - the 10X loupe is a vintage fans worst enemy LOL.

The owner of that watch could be nothing but happy with the end result.

Cheers

[ppbskis]

Really nice to know the processes involved in the restorations. Guess my Sub bracelet will be traveling to HK soon.

[Johny]

nice job michael.

[motoikkyu]

Beautiful work, very impressed with your result! Thanks for showing what can be done with proper motivation and attention to detail.