What happened to my Tachymetre scale??

[StuartGR]

Morning all,

So last week I took my Alpina (recently acquired from this very forum) to my local Fraser Hart for a battery change. One week later, back it came ticking as it should. However, I didn't pay any particular attention to the condition of the watch, I just popped it in the pocket of my jeans and then walked back to my car. When I got home, I had a good look at it and immediately noticed that the black text around the Tachymetre scale on the bezel had worn away in several places. See the pic here:

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It was definitely not like this when I handed it over so either something has rubbed the text off in the workshop during the battery change or its rubbed off against the lining of my jeans pocket when I've been walking (seems pretty unlikely to me!). I'm not chuffed at all. Surely the paint (is it actually pain?) should be more durable than this? Anyone know how easy a repair this is?

SGR

[JasonM]

I can't see the pic, has it worn away in regular places? For example if it had been held in a case holder for the battery change....

EDIT.... I see the pic now... Yes its paint, no idea why they have flaked out.... Easy enough to repaint though.... Maybe they 'cleaned' it?

[StuartGR]

I can't see the pic, has it worn away in regular places? For example if it had been held in a case holder for the battery change....

Pic updated - apologies

SGR

[Rob777]

Easy enough to fix with some black enamel paint. I've touched up some G-Shocks and a Breitling Pluton with some black nail polish and it gives a very hardy result!

Here's a good thread on it: http://forum.tz-uk.com/showthread.ph...-5min-markings

[Horlogerie France]

It's typically India Ink that fills the markers.

Paint is much too thick whereas ink is liquid as water. You normally put down a few coats of ink to fill the groves, once it's dry you remove the excess with a sharpened toothpic.

If you pick up a bottle of India Ink at any stationary store you can easily restore the missing markers.

[Neilw3030]

So would you pick out all the ink or paint first? Or just top up as it is

[Horlogerie France]

So would you pick out all the ink or paint first? Or just top up as it is

Unless the existing ink is flaking, I would simply fill each numeral with new ink and re-do the whole bezel, it only takes a few minutes and the ink dries quite fast.