Discussion
Not long been interested in watches, but one thing I've gathered is that if a watch has had a replacement dial, then it's seen as somehow lesser. Is that right?
If so, this surprises me as surely it's the movement that counts more - for me its akin to restoring a car - the bodywork can be replaced but the engine and transmission must be original (thinking of Lord Brockett's insurance scam as an example).
Interested to hear people's thoughts
If so, this surprises me as surely it's the movement that counts more - for me its akin to restoring a car - the bodywork can be replaced but the engine and transmission must be original (thinking of Lord Brockett's insurance scam as an example).
Interested to hear people's thoughts
Yes, to a collector an original dial is always better than a redial.
A collector will want the watch to look as the manufacturer intended. A redial can sometimes get close, but rarely are they indistinguishable from the original. With a bit of practice you can usually spot a redial quite quickly from a photo.
Some collectors like the fact that the dial has aged and gained a bit of patina. They actively seek out watches with pleasing patina.
If you ignore the fact that the watch is less desirable because it doesn't look quite right, there are still plenty of reasons why it's wise to avoid redialled watches.
If the watch has been redialled, then the original dial must have been in a poor state. So you should ask what caused the degradation. The answer is usually moisture inside the watch. So instantly you don't know what the condition of the metal dial is behind the paint. Is there rust? If so, it will come through and ruin the new dial. What about the rest of the watch. If moisture ruined the dial, then what damage has been done to the steel parts of the movement?
Finally, there now are hundreds of franken watches on ebay. Dealers are cobbling together watches from knackered parts, slapping them in a case and applying their dial of choice. Often these watches aren't what they purport to be.
So avoiding a redial is the first step to ensuring that what you're buying is what you think you're buying rather than a mishmash of old parts, or a badly damaged, barely working nightmare.
Getting an original dial doesn't guarantee a working original watch, but it's a good tell for what the condition of the rest of the watch.
A collector will want the watch to look as the manufacturer intended. A redial can sometimes get close, but rarely are they indistinguishable from the original. With a bit of practice you can usually spot a redial quite quickly from a photo.
Some collectors like the fact that the dial has aged and gained a bit of patina. They actively seek out watches with pleasing patina.
If you ignore the fact that the watch is less desirable because it doesn't look quite right, there are still plenty of reasons why it's wise to avoid redialled watches.
If the watch has been redialled, then the original dial must have been in a poor state. So you should ask what caused the degradation. The answer is usually moisture inside the watch. So instantly you don't know what the condition of the metal dial is behind the paint. Is there rust? If so, it will come through and ruin the new dial. What about the rest of the watch. If moisture ruined the dial, then what damage has been done to the steel parts of the movement?
Finally, there now are hundreds of franken watches on ebay. Dealers are cobbling together watches from knackered parts, slapping them in a case and applying their dial of choice. Often these watches aren't what they purport to be.
So avoiding a redial is the first step to ensuring that what you're buying is what you think you're buying rather than a mishmash of old parts, or a badly damaged, barely working nightmare.
Getting an original dial doesn't guarantee a working original watch, but it's a good tell for what the condition of the rest of the watch.
mikeveal said:
Yes, to a collector an original dial is always better than a redial.
A collector will want the watch to look as the manufacturer intended. A redial can sometimes get close, but rarely are they indistinguishable from the original. With a bit of practice you can usually spot a redial quite quickly from a photo.
Some collectors like the fact that the dial has aged and gained a bit of patina. They actively seek out watches with pleasing patina.
If you ignore the fact that the watch is less desirable because it doesn't look quite right, there are still plenty of reasons why it's wise to avoid redialled watches.
If the watch has been redialled, then the original dial must have been in a poor state. So you should ask what caused the degradation. The answer is usually moisture inside the watch. So instantly you don't know what the condition of the metal dial is behind the paint. Is there rust? If so, it will come through and ruin the new dial. What about the rest of the watch. If moisture ruined the dial, then what damage has been done to the steel parts of the movement?
Finally, there now are hundreds of franken watches on ebay. Dealers are cobbling together watches from knackered parts, slapping them in a case and applying their dial of choice. Often these watches aren't what they purport to be.
So avoiding a redial is the first step to ensuring that what you're buying is what you think you're buying rather than a mishmash of old parts, or a badly damaged, barely working nightmare.
Getting an original dial doesn't guarantee a working original watch, but it's a good tell for what the condition of the rest of the watch.
What a terrific post, thanks very much. Particularly liked the bitabout thinking why the original must have been in a state - hadn't considered that but it's a great point. A collector will want the watch to look as the manufacturer intended. A redial can sometimes get close, but rarely are they indistinguishable from the original. With a bit of practice you can usually spot a redial quite quickly from a photo.
Some collectors like the fact that the dial has aged and gained a bit of patina. They actively seek out watches with pleasing patina.
If you ignore the fact that the watch is less desirable because it doesn't look quite right, there are still plenty of reasons why it's wise to avoid redialled watches.
If the watch has been redialled, then the original dial must have been in a poor state. So you should ask what caused the degradation. The answer is usually moisture inside the watch. So instantly you don't know what the condition of the metal dial is behind the paint. Is there rust? If so, it will come through and ruin the new dial. What about the rest of the watch. If moisture ruined the dial, then what damage has been done to the steel parts of the movement?
Finally, there now are hundreds of franken watches on ebay. Dealers are cobbling together watches from knackered parts, slapping them in a case and applying their dial of choice. Often these watches aren't what they purport to be.
So avoiding a redial is the first step to ensuring that what you're buying is what you think you're buying rather than a mishmash of old parts, or a badly damaged, barely working nightmare.
Getting an original dial doesn't guarantee a working original watch, but it's a good tell for what the condition of the rest of the watch.
And of course it depends on the reason for the redial.
I have a ww2 Omega 6B/159 with a broad arrow marked back. As a military issued watch these were frequently redialled in period due to damage occuring in normal operational conditions. So my one has been redialled using an MOD dial, which misses off the =Swiss Made= marking at the bottom.
Does this impact value? Unlikely as it's all period and in-line with the known history of the 6B/159.
I have a ww2 Omega 6B/159 with a broad arrow marked back. As a military issued watch these were frequently redialled in period due to damage occuring in normal operational conditions. So my one has been redialled using an MOD dial, which misses off the =Swiss Made= marking at the bottom.
Does this impact value? Unlikely as it's all period and in-line with the known history of the 6B/159.
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