IWC Service / Case refinishing

[rapid]

Hi All,

Searched through some threads but no clear answer.

I've checked on the IWC website and their video shows what looks like someone welding a ding on a case and refinishing it.. can anyone confirm if this is something they can do and to what standard?

It's an XII and there's some pretty bad dings around the bezel/lip.. I've emailed Rocco @ watchworks as I know he's doing some good things with the welding/lapping..

Would also be curios to know what the current rate is for a service/case refinish etc through IWC.

Any info would be good.

Many Thanks
R

[u2112]

... just to give you an example:

Before:











After:

















Der neue Drehring ist jetzt satt orange:













A full service for the movement and the case refinishing was 365 Euro (incl. shipping/handling - the watch in the pictures also needed a new glass, dial and hands). The same service for the Mark XII is about 100 Euros more, due to the JLC movement (vs. the ETA in the Aquatimer). Refinishing a steel bracelet is 60 Euros.

Normally, they try to find the middle ground between polishing out the dings and not shaving of to much material. Thus, very deep dings etc. do not go away completely. For very heavy damage, they use lasers - i.e., new material is "melted" onto the respective part and then refinished.

Cheers,
Christian

[tim2012]

That does look like very impressive case refinishing. I presume you had a new dial as well.

[fourtaelsgold]

I've seen some of their work on their own vintage watches. Some of them look downright impressive as they manage to make a 50 year old watch look factory fresh.

[MrSimba]

Looks stunning now!

[rapid]

That's some great work they're doing.. Impressive pics..

One thing that worries me is the dial replacements.. I'm a big fan of keeping the watch original.. Do you get a say in keeping the current dial/hands or will they just go ahead and do it without telling you?

Thanks for posting that info.. Helps sway the decision to send to IWC.

[t43er]

Wow that's very impressive finish!

I would say they have done a good job!

[u2112]

That's some great work they're doing.. Impressive pics..

One thing that worries me is the dial replacements.. I'm a big fan of keeping the watch original.. Do you get a say in keeping the current dial/hands or will they just go ahead and do it without telling you?

Thanks for posting that info.. Helps sway the decision to send to IWC.

... at least in Munich (Richemont Northern Europe) and Schaffhausen they always get back to you with an detailed estimate specifying each position before they actually start working on the watch - and then you can decide what should be done. Parts like dials, bezels etc. are never replaced without your consent. In some cases, they will limit the warranty if certain parts remain - such as hands filled with tritium that show already considerable aging (because further deterioration might lead to particles falling of and jamming the movement). The watch in the pictures above took in some humidity because the upper crown seal was not replaced when due - thus, the dial was so damaged that keeping it was no option. The internal bezel was replaced as well but not charged to me - the first production batch in 2004 had a problem with the colours fading out after a short time, thus they had a replacement scheme in place that was still honoured even after 10 years (what I found quite fair).

With regard to real vintage watches: Again, you can specify anything - from movement service only (and keeping case, dial, hands untouched) to the full monty. For example, here I needed a complet makeover because the original watch was pretty much done (e.g., the dial lost beyond repair due to corrosion):





For this watch, only a gentle case refinish and a movement service was enough:



My overall experience with IWC (at least in Munich and Schaffhausen) was quite positive, both for current and vintage watches.

Cheers,
Christian

[barryw]

Wow what a transformation, amazing.